The Smooth Moves Textbooks

The Smooth Moves Textbooks © Dave Hopkins The Smooth Moves textbook is aimed at non native speaking teachers of English. It uses a basic paradigm of: 1. Warmer 2. Context setting & modeling 3. Controlled practice* 4. Vocabulary expansion* 5. Listening/Reading* 6. Communicative/Writing* With the exception of the first two steps, the others (*) can be alternated to produce a varied sequence of lessons.

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Warmer Context and modeling Listening Group work writing Pair/group practice Communicativ e activity

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Warmer Context & modeling Controlled practice Listening Vocab expansion Group work writing

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Warmer Group work – vocabulary (context & modeling) Listening Controlled practice Reading activity Group work Inter group practice

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Warmer Context & modeling Reading activity Vocab expansion Group work – writing Controlled practice Communicativ e activity

The methodological approach is communicative language teaching using all four skills. It is intended for use with ‘beginners’ at the grade 4 to 12, although it can be adapted for use above and below these grade levels by inserting harder or easier core materials as appropriate to the students. The lesson model is a template for the teacher to: 1. learn a communicative approach to teaching 2. define core target language 3. adapt their own content materials to a communicative approach. It does not require specialized training, although a teacher would benefit from an intensive course or workshop of 10-15 hours. The advantage for the non native speaking teacher is the limited ‘target language’ that is required, and, the simplicity of the steps in the lesson to be followed. It is not intended or imagined that these would be the only lessons taught. The teacher might incorporate these lessons into a more traditional format of translations, board reading or discussions of grammar.

The basic premise here is that teachers often learn ‘how to teach’ by using textbooks. Using textbooks with clearly defined teaching steps provides non native teachers with ready made lesson plans. As well, the books provide the core target language necessary for the teacher to present the lesson. Adopting communicative language teaching (CLT) is a daunting prospect for non native speaking (nns) teachers. Not the least of the problem is that they are faced with what appears to be an impossible task. 1. CLT is ill defined, and many presenters and practitioners are reluctant to offer clearly defined steps. 2. The student centered imperative is culturally and pedagogically questionable. 3. It is implied that native speaking models of the language are required. 4. Demonstration models are inappropriate – e.g.. models requiring beginning students to ‘brainstorm,’ discuss, or input language in response to the teacher’s elicitation. 5. The existing testing does not correlate to CLT . Thus, teachers are unable to provide any evidence of ‘progress’ in their students learning. 6. NNS teachers are told that most of what they are doing is wrong – e.g. translation, reading aloud, choral repetitions, grammatical explanation. 7. there is no support system available for the teacher discuss what they are doing and how they can adapt it to local conditions. If this were not enough, the teacher has had no experience in learning in a communicative manner. Literally, the teacher is conditioned to teach as they were taught, and any new techniques will be abandoned quickly in favor of the ‘tried and true.’ Colleagues and supervisors are equally clueless about new approaches and reluctant to make changes to ‘rock the boat.’ The Smooth Moves model aims to meet these problems in the following ways. • • • • • •

Clear and simple steps are provided complete with suggested illustrations for use in the classroom Target language is limited and defined Lesson models can be demonstrated to be effective and appropriate Testing by competencies defined for each lesson Lessons are not designed to replace but to supplement traditional activities A support system of mentors and trainers can be locally generated

Initial teacher training might be through Rajabhats or other teacher training institutions. The goal would be the development of self sustaining local units supported by online networking throughout Thailand. Smooth Moves is about teachers taking control of their own teaching and learning.