MODULE 1 Task 6 Study Guide: The Teaching Toolbox

The success of teacher training can sometimes be limited. One problem is even if a teacher attends a
training she may continue to teach in the same ways that she was taught. Another problem is when a
teacher uses strategies from a training, but she does not understand the theory behind the strategies. In
The Teaching Toolbox: Reconciling Theory, Practice, and Language in a Teacher Training Course, the
author describes five “toolbox” activities that show how modeling and being explicit help to connect
English teaching theory and practice. Modeling in teacher training involves the trainer using the
methodologies that the participants read about in the training itself. In this way, the participant can
observe an example of how to apply the methodology. Being explicit means that the trainer not only
models the methodologies, but clearly and directly connects what she is doing to the theory behind it.

The teaching toolbox can be a notebook, a folder, a computer file, or something else you use to collect
“tools” that could be useful in your teaching. For example, notes on teaching styles, example rubrics,
project and activity ideas, classroom management tips, resources and materials, etc.

The author describes five activities for the teaching toolbox that could be used in a teacher training. In
the activities the trainer models teaching strategies and time for reflection is included to help make
explicit connections to why we use these strategies and how the participants could apply them in their
own teaching. Below you will find planning details for the activities.

ACTIVITY 1 Jigsaw Reading

Language objectives: developing reading skills, presenting summaries, and improving listening skills
Materials: readings on the same topic or theme or sections of one reading clearly labeled (i.e. number
or letter the reading or sections)
Time: depends on length and difficulty of reading. Participants can read for homework or in previous
class.
Steps:

1. Divide participants into groups. One group for each reading or section.
2. Hand out readings to participants (participants in the same group receive the same reading or
section).
3. Participants read their reading or section twice.

© 2017 by Arizona Board of Regents. Study Guide: The Teaching Toolbox for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S.
Department of State and administered by FHI 360. This work is an adaptation of The Teaching Toolbox: Reconciling Theory, Practice, and
Language in a Teacher Training Course, by Amber Vanderwoude and available in the public domain. Adapted content is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, administered by FHI 360, and delivered by ASU.

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 4. Participants meet with their “expert group” who read the same reading or section and
summarize, answer questions about their reading, list main points, check for understanding,
review new vocabulary, and practice presenting their reading to other participants.
5. Put participants in new groups with at least one participant who has read each of the different
readings or sections.
6. Participants explain and discuss their reading in the new group.
7. Participants reflect on the activity itself and describe how the jigsaw will support readers in their
own classrooms.

ACTIVITY 2 Word Bank

Language objectives: building vocabulary knowledge that can be applied to future teaching
Materials: dictionaries, photos (from magazines or the Internet), notecards or small pieces of paper,
textbooks used by participants
Time: 15-20 minutes in class (or less if some steps are homework)
Steps:

1. Introduce/review polysemy, or when one word has different meanings, and collocation, or when
two or more words are often used together.
2. Provide examples of polysemy.
3. Participants work in pairs to list more examples of polysemy.
4. Provide examples of collocation.
5. Participants work in pairs to list more examples of collocation.
6. Explain to participants that they have started creating a “word bank” that can be used as a
resource in their teaching.
The remaining steps can be completed in class or for homework:
7. Participants select five examples (this can be more or less) of polysemy that are useful for their
teaching context and create a flashcard for each term with a picture on one side and a definition
of how the term is used on the other side.
8. Participants select five examples (this can be more or less) of collocation that are useful for their
teaching context and create a flashcard for each term with a picture on one side and a definition
of how the term is used on the other side.
9. Optionally, participants can select more general vocabulary terms and make more flashcards for
their word bank.
10. Participants reflect and discuss why building vocabulary is important and how they can use this
activity in their teaching.

The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, administered by FHI 360, and delivered by ASU.

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 ACTIVITY 3 Jigsaw Vocabulary

Language objectives: building vocabulary, practicing discussion skills, and developing presentation skills
Materials: vocabulary list
Time: 15-20 minutes
Steps:

1. Divide participants into groups. One group for each vocabulary term on the list.
2. Give each group one term on the list (could be 2-3 terms as necessary depending on length of
list).
3. Participants use textbooks and work with group members to develop an explanation of their
term. Participants also think of an example to show the meaning of the term.
4. Each group presents their term to the rest of the class. Participants in the audience take notes.
5. Participants reflect on the activity itself. Participants think about using it in their own classrooms
and brainstorm topics or vocabulary to use in their lessons.

ACTIVITY 4 Graphic Organizers

A graphic organizer is a visual map, diagram, table, or other graphic that shows relationships between
facts or ideas.

Language objectives: using graphic organizers to make content easier to understand, practicing
discussion skills, developing presentation skills, and developing listening skills
Materials: copy of graphic organizers for each participant (or project organizers on the board/screen),
descriptions of the purpose of the organizers and how each is used in lessons.
Time: 35-45 minutes
Steps:
1. Discuss how organizers can be used in class. Participants brainstorm ways graphic organizers can
make content easier to understand.
2. Select one organizer and model how it is used in class.
3. Divide participants into groups and give each group one organizer.
4. Participants create an example of how their organizer could be used in a lesson.
5. Each group chooses one participant to present the group’s work to the rest of the class.
6. Participants reflect on how using organizers made the content clearer in their examples and
how it makes ideas easier to understand.

The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, administered by FHI 360, and delivered by ASU.

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 ACTIVITY 5 Lesson Plan Mix-up

Language objectives: using persuasive language to make a group agree and developing presentation
skills
Materials: handout (1 per participant) with the lesson planning process, example lesson (one per group)
with steps out of order (order of steps is “mixed up” or incorrect order of steps), large copies of each
step of example lesson to be posted on board/wall

Lesson planning process (adapted from Reyneke and Uys)

1. Review goals and outcomes required by the government or school.
2. Plan specific lesson outcomes for both content and language.
3. Plan assessment for both content and language; include tools, method, and instruments.
4. Plan student activities for both content and language.
5. Plan teaching strategies for each student activity and support language learning.
6. Collect and create resources that support both content and language.
7. Plan an introduction activity that includes both content and language.
8. Think of an “essential question” (Colombo and Furbush 2009) that places the lesson in context.

Time: 30-40 minutes

Steps:
1. Give participants the handout on lesson planning and introduce backwards design
Backwards Design: a way of lesson planning that starts with outcomes and assessment and then
creates the lesson presentation/procedure.
2. Divide participants into groups and give each group the mixed-up example lesson. Participants
cut lesson into strips or pieces and organize in the order according to the handout.
3. Post the large copies of the example lesson steps on the board/wall. Give each group one step
of the lesson planning process. One participant from the group selects the example lesson step
that matches their process step to put the example lesson in order. Review and discuss results
as a class.
4. In their groups, participants organize the example lesson again in the order it would be
presented.
5. A different participant (than the one in step 3) from each group selects a step on the board to
put in the lesson presentation order. Review and discuss results as a class (especially differences
between planning and presenting).
6. In their groups participants review steps of the activity and think about how it can be used in
their teaching (ex. instead of a mixed-up lesson plan a mixed-up story could be used).

The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, administered by FHI 360, and delivered by ASU.

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 CONCLUSION and REFERENCES

Conclusion

Successful teacher training uses modeling, discussion, and reflection with the general goal of trying to
give teachers strategies to use in their own classrooms.

Successful teacher training results in the following opportunities:

 participants are well supported in their use of English

 participants’ content knowledge about language education is increased
 participants can apply skills and strategies in their own classrooms

References
(The content in these references is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted, or distributed after the end of this course. It is not Public or Creative
Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use.)

Colombo, M., and D. Furbush. 2009. Teaching English language learners: Content and language in
middle and secondary mainstream classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Reyneke, M. and M. Uys. “Reinventing the wheel: How to plan a lesson.” Unpublished manuscript, 2011.

The AE E-Teacher Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, administered by FHI 360, and delivered by ASU.