11B. Practice section: HLT teachers report on their lesson planning; some examples

1. Comments by two HLT teachers about their lesson planning

Dragana Dimitrijević

Dragana Dimitrijević hails from Belgrade/Serbia. She has been working as HLT instructor of Serbian in the Canton of Zurich for since 1999.

For semester planning, I list the following in a tabular form:

• general goals for every class/every level

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• themes and corresponding planned lessons per month and per week (for every level)

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• teaching methods, social forms and media to be used.In doing so, I make sure to include our festivals, holidays and other important elements from our culture in the planning process.

For the monthly planning or theme planning, I narrow down and substantiate the above reflections in terms of a certain topic (preferably a common theme for all three or at least two levels with competency-based, appropriate adjustments of goals, contents, and demands. For goals and contents, I refer to the Serbian HLT plan and the Zurich (HSK) framework curriculum (which is used in German-speaking Switzerland). Most of all, I try to adapt to the actual prior knowledge, requirements and interests of the students. My teaching approach follows the spiral principle; content and goals of the lower and middle schools will be revisited, but extended in scope and presented in a more challenging form.

Whether the goals were reached is evaluated through the learning support and guidance process (observations, discussions, assistance) and partially also through oral and written learning controls. These should resemble tests as little as possible, and thus reduce test-related stress as much as possible.

I have to adapt the teaching materials from Serbia for my HLT students, e.g., I replace the Cyrillic script with Latin script, at least initially, to simplify the assignments and adjust the texts to the vocabulary of the children here. Only after these adaptations and reductions of expectations are the children able to work with the materials efficiently.

Nadia El Tigani Mahmoud

Nadia El Tigani Mahmoud is from Sudan. She has been living in London since 1992, and works as HLT instructor for Arabic in regular and introductory classes.

Lesson planning helps me define what the students should learn, how to shape, guide and support the learning processes, and how I can assess learning success.

As a rule, I plan my lessons 2–3 weeks ahead. In so doing, I refer to the curriculum. My planning involves the following criteria: goals, language competence, language aspects (vocabulary, etc.), other activities. I also try very much to address the requirements of different types of learners (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) in order to adequately support all students and different learning styles.

My planning also includes a consideration of different ways of learning assessment. This enables me to ensure that learning has indeed taken place, as well as to evaluate whether something needs to be reviewed and perhaps more deeply explored with an individual student or the whole class.

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2. What three HLT instructors from Switzerland would recommend to younger colleagues

(see also the tips from Valeria Bovina in chapter 1 B.5)

Sakine Koç (Turkish HLT in Zürich)

To ensure that the students do not find themselves in a conflict of cultures and languages, it is recommended to get in contact with the teachers of the regular Swiss school system. The main focus of outreach should be on language instruction. It is very important that first graders be exposed to the same subjects in both languages – e. g. the same letters or the same stories, etc.

Dragana Dimitrijević (Serbian HLT in Zürich)

To my younger colleagues, I strongly recommend to link the goals and content of their national curricula with the curricula of the host countries (in Switzerland: framework curriculum HSK). Important also are language promotion, links with the language of the host country (of which the students often have a better command) as well as references to the culture and the reality of the immigration country. This way, students will much better understand the content, and classroom instruction optimally reflects and furthers their bicultural and bilingual competences.

Nexhmije Mehmetaj (Albanian HLT in the Canton of Jura/Switzerland)

Important in the planning and delivery of instruction is to always recognize the students‘ actual development and proficiency in their first language.

The instructional goals must always be clear and verifiable. Only in this way can I evaluate if students have indeed learned something.
Avoid difficulties and problems as much as possible with a clear structure and transparent planning (building from easier to more challenging).

All students, the weaker ones included, must be unconditionally integrated and included. Everyone must receive an appreciative, constructive and specific feedback.

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3. Rough planning scheme for the year

Nexhmije Mehmetaj hails from Kosovo/Kosova. She has been living in the Canton of Jura in Switzerland since 1993, where she has built up and currently directs HLT Albanian instruction.

For the rough planning of the school year, I first distinguish between two types of lessons:

 

• a) lessons designed for the acquisition of new competences (75%) and
• b) lessons designed most of all for the closer analysis, elaboration, repetition and application of what has been learned (25%)

Subject-wise, I distinguish between the following areas in allocating the time budget:

• a) cultural education and communication (including intercultural aspects): 60% or 48 lessons, respectively
• b) language education (grammatical structures, vocabulary, etc.): 40% or 32 lessons, respectively. The linguistic aspects (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and writing) are integrated in both major areas

Rough scheme of yearly planning:

Time budget: 80 lessons (40 weeks at 2 lessons)	level I (1st–3rd grade)	level II (4th–6th grade)	level III (7th–9th grade)
Acquisition of new competences	64 lessons (32 x 2)	64 lessons (32 x 2)	64 lessons (32 x 2)
Closer analysis, elaboration, repetition, application	16 lessons (8 x 2)	16 lessons (8 x 2)	16 lessons (8 x 2)

4. Semester planning example

Danijela Stepanović hails from Požarevac in Serbia. She has been living in Stuttgart for 12 years where she serves as HLT teacher of Serbian.

(see example in chapter 9 B.1!)

Month	Theme	Lower level (grades 1–3rd)	Middle level (grades 4–6)	Upper level (grades 7–9)
September	Pictures from the country of origin	Assessment of verbal competences Oral exercises Apartment, house, school days Traffic Folk songs Exercise about observing and describing Introduction to the Latin and Cyrillic script Letter writing practice Dušan Kostić: Septembar (song, poetry, poet) Lj. Ršumović: Au, što je škola zgodna Dragan Lukić: Šta je otac?	Reports (oral and written): During vacation we were… Family history, migration Home country, then and now Spelling and grammar: capital letters, case endings Where? Where to? With what? The most frequent errors orally and in writing. Introduction to the Latin and Cyrillic script D. Erić: Domovina B. Nušić: Autobiografija. On the map: cities, rivers, mountains, locate thermal springs	Reports from vacations P. Ugrinov: Stara porodična kuća History, social and institutional aspects Spelling: geographical terms Comparison of life in Switzerland and Serbia On the map: cities, rivers, mountains, locate thermal springs Ivo Andrić Who are our grandparents and where did they live? Family tree, the dearest person in the family
October	Family tree	Sounds, words, sentences Family, visits Friends, Friendship Girls and boys Family and extended family Names of the family members Reading from the primer The creator of the alphabet, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić Proverbs, rhymes, tongue twisters	Home country – symbols Family relationships and kinship The names of the female and the male members of the familiy-line Working with text “Pastir iz Tršića” ‹descriptive words› in geography, botany, etc.	In front of the map of Serbia Family tree Appreciation of diversity Working on text “Pastir iz Tršića” Complex sentences Popular literature Tongue twisters, etc. Proverbs, phrases Epic; classification of epic folk songs
November	The Serbian alphabet and its founder	Vocabulary development Family, professions, seasons, parts of the day Practicing Cyrillic/Latin letters Diminutives Working with texts from the primer Reflection on language: commonalities and differences with the German language Serbia – capital city, symbols, where did my great-great grandparents come from?	Vuk Stefanović Karadžić: Life and work Nouns: concept and meaning, types Re-narration and summary Fables Serbia – Switzerland: topographical comparison A trip from Serbia to Switzerland – holiday plans The Balkans in prehistoric and ancient times	Vuk St.Karadžić – Life and tradition of the Serbian people How did the alphabet come into being? Literacy in Serbia The introduction of Christianity, Cyril and Methodius Cases: comparison with German The migration of Serbs and the resistance against the Turkish authorities Dynasty Obrenović War of liberation and independence National parks, environment
December	Traditions – a bridge that connects people	Sentence types (declarative, interrogative, imperative) Days of the week Months Christmas, Christmas Eve, Santa Claus Christmas carols	V. Ilić: “Zimsko jutro” Oral and written description Adjectives: concept, meaning, number, gender; comparison with German Sv. Stefan Dynasty of the Nemanjis The creation of the first Serbian state St. Karadžić Christmas traditions, Christmas carols	First Serbian uprising Milan Đ. Milićević Karađorđe (portrait) Patron saint, beliefs, customs, religious ceremonies Life and traditions in Serbia and in Switzerland Christian holidays: Christmas Eve
January	“He travels without a path. And the path is born behind him“ (Vasko Popa [St. Sava])	Development of oral competences, e. g., through pictures Character and work of St. Sava The hymn of St. Sava	Oral and written presentation based on Christmas vacations “Nigde nebo nije tako lepo kao u mom kraju”, D. Maksimović The Dynasty Nemanjić 12th–14th century Monasteries – centers of culture Character and work of St. Sava Folk song “Sveti Sava”	Nouns: terminology and system (gender, number, case-related changes) Rastko Nemanjić St. Sava in literature Serbian monasteries and shrines

5. Example, theme planning about Turkey (appr. 4 weeks)

Sakine Koç hails fromTurkey. She has been living and working as HLT instructor in Zürich for five years.

(see example in chapter9 B.4!)

Level	Speaking	Reading comprehension	Listening comprehension	Writing
Lower level	Impulses for discussion: Report about the city where you come from! Tell and show on the map what else you have seen in Turkey! Describe photos/souvenirs from Turkey. Invite the children to speak. Correct their mistakes only at the end. Establish a relationship to the country of origin.	Read simple texts about Turkey. Comprehension of content has priority; when reading aloud, pay attention to clarity and accuracy.	Explain the history of Turkey’s independence. Gather and summarize information about Turkey’s flag and the national anthem.	Written report about cities visited in Turkey, etc. Focal points: structure and spelling.
Middle level	Characteristics of certain regions (food, mountains, buildings, etc.). What have you experienced in different places? Point out similarities with Switzerland, establish connections.	Read texts about Turkey, answer questions about it. Read texts about everyday life in Turkey, compare with Switzerland. Correct pronunciation!	Watch a Turkish shadow play (Karagöztheater); explain main figures and tradition.	Complete an unfinished story in writing. Ability to conjugate verbs correctly.
Upper level	Geographical features of Turkey: mountain ranges, valleys, rivers, plains, seas; tourism in Turkey; comparison with Switzerland. Justifications, usage of question words.	Read texts about Turkey, formal language, relatively detailed. Information read is restated (events, characters, time). Recognize key points and ‹moral›.	Listen to poems (e. g. “I hear Istanbul”). Recognize main theme, event, time. Information about the poet and his/her importance.	Prepare and present oral report. Utilize phrases and proverbs, formulate sub-sentences.

6. Example of lesson planning for grades 1–6.

Nexhat Maloku hails from Gjilan (Kosovo/Kosova). He has been living in Zürich since 1991, where he has served as HLT teacher for Albanian since 1992.

(see examples in chapters 4 B.2 (grades 1–9), and 8 B.3, etc.!)

Time	Lower level, 1st grade	Lower level, grades 2/3	Middle level, grades 4–6
5‘	Begin with all three groups, greetings; explain the assignment to groups 2/3 and 4–6
8‘	1st grade: Introduction of the letter ‹J›. Accoustic identification, typeface ‹J, j›.	Grades 2/3: Topic ‹I and the others›. Interview with a partner: students in groups of two exchange information about their families.	Theme verbs, past tense. Worksheet with 20 sentences. Task: underline verbs; indicate which past tense was used.
8‘	Individual work on four tasks concerning J, j on worksheet.
10‘	Control of worksheet assignment. Repeat J-words. Separate J-words like java, jata. Auxiliary verb ‹jam›. Explain new worksheet.
5‘		Presentation about the family of the interviewed child. Individual readings of “Në familjen e Albanës”; mark passages not understood.
8‘			Control of worksheet. Comparison of the uses of the past tenses in Albanian with German.
3‘	Control new worksheet assignment. New task: color 4 pictures with the letter J.		Working on text from ‹Gjuha shqipe 3› (highlight verbs)
7‘		Clarification of problems from readings of “Familja e Albanës”. Reading aloud of passages of the story; Factual questions about reading comprehension. Task: draw your own family.
15‘	Break
10‘	The students read a simple text. The teacher helps out when difficulties arise.	Continuation of work (see above)	Individual readings of the text “Princi i lumtur”; all students prepare a passage each for reading aloud.
20‘	Task of practicing the text (see above) as a dictation, according to specific training forms (work with a partner or individually)	Work on assignments from teaching materials and with separate worksheet.	Students form a circle, talk about the passage which they have prepared. The teacher listens and intervenes with explanations, if necessary.
3‘	Control of the above task. Homework assignments: learn the words from the dictated text.		Readings of the text about the author of “Princi i lumtur”. Partner interviews as a comprehension evaluation.
5‘		Discussion of the text, focus comparisons of family life Kosova – Switzerland. Homework assignment: surveys about motives for migration.
3‘			Clarification of questions. Homework assignments: answer questions from teaching materials.
5‘	Clarification of last questions, taking leave

Grey = Activities where the teacher participates.