IH CYLT

Practising Language Handout 2 Portfolio Task Sheet

COURSEBOOK ANALYSIS:
Coursebook :
Age/Level:
Page Ref:
Description:

Shine 2 (Macmillan)
13-15/Pre-intermediate
Page 15: forming Wh- questions and
questions in general

Evaluate the practice activities on the page(s) of the coursebook you are
analysing.
Are they Achievable, Challenging, Communicative, Generative, Meaningful,
Memorable, and Monitorable?
Are they fun, visual, physical?
Provide a clear rationale for your analysis. For example, it is not enough to
just say that a task is achievable, you need to explain why, based on the
characteristics, needs and abilities of the group.

I have chosen Shine, because it is a course book I learnt from when I was a
young learner. I like this book a lot and I use some of the activities even now. I
have to add that this version of the course book is quite old, so the context
would probably have to be adjusted for nowadays students (which I do when
use some of the activities in my classes)
exercises 1+2 (Reading)
Read the article and complete the answers: The students have to understand
and use the language meaningfully, otherwise theyre not able to find the right
answers. This activity is not generative and communicative Id say, because
the learners complete the answers from given phrases. It also isnt particularly
memorable and it doesnt practice any specific patterns. In terms of
achievability this activity provides context, so there shouldnt be a problem. On
the other hand, I think context is what makes it challenging.
Generative and communicative is the following reading activity, though. The
learners have to generate questions = use the language and they also might
work in pairs.
Both of these reading activities can be as monitorable as the teacher makes it.
If the students work in pairs, the teacher can come to each pair and check how
they are working, but of course he or she cant check all their questions and
answers. If they work as a whole group, the teacher can monitor all the
students, but it depends on how much learners are there in the class. These
activities are visual, because the learners work with given text. I cant see any
physical factors though, but I can imagine adjusting it. For example putting the
questions on the walls etc.

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Exercise 4 (Speaking)
This is a very simple speaking practice activity, which is definitely mostly
communicative and generative, because students are encouraged to work in
pairs and come up with different answers. It is also achievable, because they
have the text, which is a source of information and vocabulary. On the other
hand it can be challenging, because they have to come up with their own
answers. In terms of meaningfulness I am a bit uncertain, because the students
actually have the questions in the text and there is no specific pattern, but they
have to react in a certain way and think about the meaning, so to sum up, Id
say this activity is meaningful. I can also consider it memorable, because the
learners have been working with the questions from the text in previous
activities, so it is a bit of an unforced drill. This speaking activity is monitorable
on one hand, because the teacher can come to each pair and check how they
are working, but of course he or she cant check all their questions and
answers. I think it might be fun for the students, because it is a strongly
student-centred activity and they get to talk about themselves. I cant see any
visual or physical factors in this, but I can imagine adjusting it. For example
putting the questions on the walls with pictures etc.
5) Writing
The writing activity builds on the communicativeness of the speaking activity,
because the learners should write a profile of the student they interviewed and
they might ask some questions again. It is definitely achievable, because they
have worked with the sample text before, they can see it, which makes it visual
and they have got all the important information and vocabulary in the speaking
activity. On the other hand it can be challenging, because the learners have to
adjust the information they got and use it in their own words. This makes the
activity generative as well. In terms of meaningfulness I can say the students
get to work with information and structures practiced in previous activities, but
they are not just copying they are using the language meaningfully. The same
factor makes it memorable, in my opinion. The Writing activity is perfectly
monitorable, because the teacher can check the texts and talk to the students
during writing to see how they do it. The learners search for the structures in
given text, which makes the activity visual. I think it depends how the teacher
adjusts it, but as it is, I dont find the writing activities fun or physical.
6+7) Study Skills
The first study skills practice activity doesnt really say much, so it just
depends on the teacher what he or she gets out of it. For example it could be
connected with the second activity, which encourages the learners to guess,
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search and explain unknown vocabulary and phrases before they ask the
teacher for translation. This is definitely challenging, but achievable, because
on one hand the learners do not know the words or phrases, but they get help
from each other and from the teacher to figure out the meaning. It can be a lot
of fun if the teacher choses for example funny words and phrases. He or She
can also make it physical and make the student search for the words around
the classroom or whole floor or even building or make it as a game. This
activity meaningful and memorable, because the learners learn new expression
in an unforced way and they get to use the language to explain. That makes it
communicative as well. While explaining to their classmates, they also get to
generate language. As the teacher must moderate the whole activity, it is also
monitorable.
Please find the scanned pages of the students book below.

IHCYLT/05_PL | Michelle Doherty / Lise Bell

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IHCYLT/05_PL | Michelle Doherty / Lise Bell

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IHCYLT/05_PL | Michelle Doherty / Lise Bell

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