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A Way to
Improve All Facets of English Language Learning
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Here is a project of practical use for each of
your students. It is designed for high school or college students not only to improve
their communicative and cultural competencies but to come closer to fulfilling their
long-cherished dream of visiting some “wonderland.” It is student-centered and
can be incorporated in an English language class of any size.
English textbooks offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn about places of
scenic beauty or historical, cultural, or architectual interest in the English-speaking
world.
Naturally students dream about visiting some of these places for entertainment and
cultural or educational experiences. The following is a series of tasks I assigned to my
students at a senior high school. They were quite enthusiastic about working on the
project, which provided fresh impetus for using English.
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First, try to obtain a map of the U.S. from a
local travel agency or tourist development organization. The map of the U.S. produced by
the U.S. Department of Commerce and United States Travel Service, for example, has a list
of names and addresses of the national parks and monuments, including those in the states
of Alaska and Hawaii, administered by the National Park Service (Altogether there are
nearly 200 of them).
On the list there are usually a number of national parks or monuments your students are
familiar with. This is no surprise because, together with the teaching materials used at
school, students come to know of those places through a wide range of mass media.
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Have your students take a close look at the list
and tell you how many names of the places on the list they have heard of or know about,
and which three they want to visit. Then have those students who wish to visit the same
national park or monument form into groups (no more than four students in a group). At
this stage, you will be surprised to find that students have far more knowledge of places
on the list than you imagined. I once planned this project team teaching with an assistant
English teacher from the USA, who had never heard of some of the places my students
picked. One of those places was the Petrified National Forest in the state of Arizona.
Some science-minded students were familiar with the name from their earth science class
and were keen to go there.
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Have each group write to the national park or
monument they want to visit for a complimentary map and all the other necessary
information for a brief visit—i.e., the transportation facilities available from the
nearest city, some of the major features and attractions, leisure facilities, etc. But
make sure to tell them to enclose an International Reply Coupon for the return postage,
which is obtainable at a city post office at nominal charge. From my experience, answers
will come in a month or so. In most cases the National Park Agency sends a colorful map
and a brochure with all the necessary practical data for a visit. Sometimes they even send
a booklet or the state map where it is located.
For many of my students, this assignment was their first opportunity to write a letter in
English and send it by air mail. (If that is the case with your students, they may wish to
follow the teacher’s model.) You can easily imagine how excited they were when they
received a sizable envelope addressed to them all the way from the United States. Quite
often the envelope says something to the effect that it is made from recycled
paper—something still very rare in many countries—and this may be new cultural
information for the students.
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When the students receive an answer, have them
prepare for presentation an imaginary itinerary for a visit, making full use of the park
facilities. You may allow them to use an opaque projector for the presentation because the
brochures are usually too small for everyone to see. If you do not have one, you might ask
your students to produce a large illustrated picture. They like this kind of work, and you
will be amazed at their creative and imaginative workmanship. If it happens that some of
the language in the brochure is difficult for your students to understand, step in to
help.
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After all the presentations are over, keep the
maps, brochures, and illustrated drawings for display at a school festival or in the
school library so that all students at your school can learn something from them.
Options: You can contact the embassy for a list of visitors’ bureau offices run by
the state governments and have your students contact some offices. Or you may want to
refer them to other embassies for the same purpose.
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Critics may argue that the fatal weakness of an
activity like this is that it tends to heighten the “royal visit” image of the
country. But the point is that it helps bring an awareness of the use of English as a tool
to widen the horizon of the world. This benefit more than makes up for any disadvantages.
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YOSHIO
OKITA teaches at the Pre-service Teacher Education Course, Kwansei Gakuin University. |
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