The Pluriliteracies Teaching for Learning approach (PTL) and its potentialities in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Secondary Education.

Facultad de Filosofía y Letras Máster en Profesor de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanzas de Idiomas. Especialidad: Inglés The Pluriliteracies Teaching for Learning approach (PTL) and its potentialities in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Secondary Education. Tamara Jubitero Espeso Tutora: Natalia Barranco Izquierdo Departamento de Didáctica de la Lengua y la Literatura Curso: 2022-2023 ABSTRACT The teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) has assumed a prominent role in recent decades, resulting in the proliferation of bilingual programs within compulsory secondary education. However, the successful implementation of such programs often relies on methodologies and disciplines that prioritize content integration within the classroom. Consequently, it is necessary to advocate for the adoption of different approaches that prioritize English language learning and teaching as the primary focal point. It is proposed, therefore, in this master's thesis, the planning and future implementation of a didactic unit that follows the premises of the Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning (PTL) in the context of English teaching within Compulsory Secondary Education. Keywords: English as a foreign language (EFL); Compulsory Secondary Education; PTL approach. RESUMEN La enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera (ILE) ha asumido un papel destacado en las últimas décadas, dando lugar a la proliferación de programas bilingües dentro de la educación secundaria obligatoria. Sin embargo, el éxito de la implantación de dichos programas depende a menudo de metodologías y disciplinas que priorizan la integración de contenidos dentro del aula. En consecuencia, parece pertinente abogar adoptar algunos enfoques cuyos fundamentos puedan transponerse para la mejora del proceso de aprendizaje y enseñanza de la lengua inglesa. Se propone, por tanto, en esta tesis de máster, la planificación de una unidad didáctica que siga las premisas del enfoque Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning (PTL) en el contexto de la enseñanza del inglés dentro de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Palabras clave: inglés como lengua extranjera (ILE); Educación Secundaria Obligatoria; enfoque PTL. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................... 3 2.1. PERSPECTIVES ON TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN EUROPE. ............................................................................................................................. 4 2.2. COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE FOR LANGUAGES (CEFR) 6 2.2.1. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH ...................................................................... 10 2.2.2. TASK-BASED APPROACH ................................................................................ 16 2.3. CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 19 2.3.1. THE 4Cs ............................................................................................................ 22 2.4. PLURILITERACIES APPROACH TO TEACHING FOR LEARNING (PTL)........ 26 2.4.1. DEEP LEARNING ............................................................................................. 28 2.4.2. PROFILE OF PTL APPROACH ........................................................................ 29 3. LESSON PLAN ................................................................................................. 34 3.1. RATIONALE......................................................................................................... 34 3.1.1. CONTEXT ......................................................................................................... 34 3.1.2. DIDACTIC UNIT ............................................................................................... 35 3.1.3. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 41 3.1.4. DIDACTICS ....................................................................................................... 42 3.1.5. CURRICULA ..................................................................................................... 43 3.1.6. EVALUATION ................................................................................................... 44 4. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................... 45 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................. 47 6. REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 48 7. APPENDIX ........................................................................................................ 54 7.1. GENERAL CHART ............................................................................................... 54 7.2. SESSION CHARTS ............................................................................................... 55 7.3. ACTIVITY CHARTS ............................................................................................ 61 7.4. MATERIALS USED AND CREATED FOR THE LESSON PLAN ........................ 75 1 1. INTRODUCTION In this Master's thesis, the significance of effective planning and implementation of innovative methodologies and disciplines in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom within Compulsory Secondary Education is to be demonstrated. The focus is particularly on understanding the Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning (PTL) and providing a didactic unit that establishes clear differentiation between the PTL approach and other bilingual programs in Compulsory Secondary Education. Specific aspects related to the approach are examined in this paper as essential prerequisites for comprehending this novel approach and acquiring the necessary knowledge to plan its implementation in a secondary education classroom. However, due to the multitude of approaches, methodologies, and movements that have emerged over the years in bilingual and non-bilingual sections, it is challenging to provide a comprehensive background. Hence, this Master's thesis appropriately includes various perspectives on teaching English as a Foreign Language in Europe, the Common European Framework as a referential document, communicative and task-based approaches, and the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodology, along with its four components. Additionally, attention is given to shedding light on the Pluriliteracies to Teaching for Learning (PTL) approach, its main characteristics, and its emphasis on deep learning. The underlying hypothesis of this research is that implementing the PTL approach in the EFL classroom of Compulsory Secondary Education holds immense potential and benefits, revolutionizing the teaching methods employed in this subject. While the CLIL methodology focuses on integrating language and non-linguistic content to increase language exposure, research has shown a lack of clear guidelines on its classroom application, hindering effective content and language integration. Building upon the doubts surrounding the CLIL methodology, this study turns to the "Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning" (PTL) as a foundation. Meyer, Halbach, and Coyle (2015) emphasize the development of multilingual literacy within this approach, 2 understanding that the assimilation of concepts and automation of skills and strategies in a specific subject occur when students learn to express their knowledge accurately, thereby cultivating communicative competence. Through this new approach, the intention is to address the shortcomings observed in CLIL and its implementation in the classroom. However, despite the emphasis placed by European organizations on languages and the years of English instruction in Spanish classrooms, the prevailing image remains that of a class centered on listening to predetermined topics or engaging in workbook exercises, with minimal variation in subject matter. The aim is to explore whether research efforts in language teaching, though now oriented towards content and language integration, can be redirected to prioritize English itself, advocating for advancements in the discipline and its continued evolution. The primary objective of this study is to explore the potential of the Pluriliteracies to Teaching for Learning (PTL) approach in the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language within Compulsory Secondary Education. The specific objectives are as follows: • Examine the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the PTL approach and explore the potential advantages of applying its principles to English language instruction. • Develop a comprehensive plan of a didactic unit based on the PTL approach for the English language domain. By accomplishing these objectives, this research tries to contribute to the understanding and utilization of the PTL approach as a valuable tool in the secondary education context for enhancing the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language. 3 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK To establish the scope and definition of the subject under study in this dissertation, it is imperative to refer to the European guidelines on language teaching and to explore the different methodologies used in the field of foreign language teaching. As such, Meyer et al. (2015) state that the PTL approach offers new insights into the integration of content and languages. Thus, the approach highlights two key aspects as its primary focus: in-depth learning and literacy. These aspects, along with the approach principles (conceptualizing learning progression, prioritizing the learner,” languaging” as knowledge mediation, incorporating subject-specific conventions and reevaluating scaffolding strategies) are going to be used an essential elements for the planning of the lesson plan. Therefore, it is considered necessary to provide a comprehensive overview of the communicative approach, the task-based approach and the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodologies. This overview should include their fundamental aspects and practical applications, with the aim of providing a basic knowledge base essential for understanding this innovative approach. Hence, the practical framework used in this thesis is in line with the Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning (PTL), which requires the provision of preliminary knowledge to ensure an accurate understanding of said approach. 10 2.2.1. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH The communicative approach is rooted in sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic theories that view language as a tool for communication and social interaction. Hymes (1972) defines communicative competence as the ability to use language effectively in real-life situations and includes grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic skills. Along with Dell Hymes, Noam Chomsky influenced the development of this approach by emphasizing the importance of communicative competence and proficiency, which includes not only grammatical and lexical knowledge, but also the ability to use language effectively in different social contexts. Thus, this approach is guided by key principles that promote meaningful and authentic language use. Hence, authentic communication involves providing learners with opportunities to engage in real-life situations where they can use language for genuine purposes. Moreover, the CEFR therefore emphasizes communicative language activities, learner autonomy, and the integration of language skills. It emphasizes the use of language for real-world communication, developing learners' ability to express themselves fluently and appropriately in a variety of contexts. Learner autonomy is encouraged to enable learners to take responsibility for their language learning process and to develop their communicative competence. (Council of Europe, 2020) Within the CEFR, the communicative approach has significant implications for language learning, teaching, and assessment practices. Firstly, language learning focuses on the development of communicative competence and the ability to communicate effectively in real-life situations. Language teaching adopts learner-centered and taskbased approaches (an approach that will be explained in more depth in the next section) providing learners with opportunities to engage in meaningful communication activities. Finally, assessment methods within the CEFR framework aim to evaluate learners' communicative competence through tasks that simulate real-life language use, such as role-plays, presentations, and discussions. Therefore, it is necessary to design communicative activities and tasks, as well as a set of teaching strategies that promote both language learning and communication skills to implement such an approach. Through such activities, learners can practice language 11 in meaningful contexts, and using technology integration and learner autonomy, this approach could achieve great effectiveness. Thus, its effectiveness has been demonstrated in a study conducted by Johnson and Morrow (1981), which found that students who were taught using the communicative approach showed greater improvement in their oral communication skills compared to those taught using traditional methods. On the other hand, in a study conducted by Cheng (2015) in a university setting, the communicative approach facilitated learners' active participation, improved their speaking skills, and increased their motivation to learn. To fully understand the diverse communicative skills tan can be master by learners, it is important to take the CEFR’s descriptive scheme as a reference for explaining the different communicative language competences, activities and strategies. Figure 1 – The structure of the CEFR descriptive scheme (Council of Europe, 2020, p.32) 4 4 From the ECEP project publication: Piccardo E. et al. (2011), Pathways through assessing, learning and teaching in the CEFR, Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg, available at http://ecep.ecml.at/Portals/26/training-kit/files/2011_08_29_ECEP_EN.pdf. 12 First, the general competences are presented. According to the CEFR, it is crucial to introduce learners to the idea of plurilingualism, which is directly related to pluricultural competence, as it is the basis for understanding the four general competences. Following the CEFR's descriptive scheme and Idrissi-Cao's (2021) descriptions of general competences, they are as follows:  Savoir: this includes knowledge about how different social groups function and about identity, both within one's own culture and outside it.  Savoir-être: this competence corresponds to intercultural attitudes, which implies curiosity and willingness to get to know other cultures, leaving behind any kind of prejudice.  Savoir comprendre: it is linked to the capacity to interpret and relate concepts, understood as the ability to interpret elements of other cultures, to explain them, and to relate them to one's own culture.  Savoir apprendre / faire: This refers to discovery and interaction skills. It is described as the ability to acquire new knowledge about another culture and to take it into account when communicating in real life situations. Secondly, in contrast to the general competences, which are less related to the language itself, we have the communicative competences, which are more specifically related to the language. Those are the following:  Linguistic competence: it is composed by the general range, vocabulary range, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary control, phonological control and orthographic control.  Sociolinguistic competence: it is “concerned with the knowledge and skills required to deal with the social dimension of language use.” (Council of Europe, 2020, p. 136). For this reason, this competence deals with issues related to linguistic markers of social relations, rules of politeness, register differences, dialects and accents.  Pragmatic competence: According to Council of Europe (2020) this competence is “primarily concerned with the user/learner’s knowledge of the principles of language use” (p.137), in which messages are: 13 o Well structured, organized and arranged (discourse competence)  i.e., thematic development; coherence and cohesion; turn taking. o Used in order to perform communicative functions (functional competence)  i.e., flexibility; fluency. o They use interaction and transaction schemas for sequencing (design competence). Finally, we have both communicative language activities and communicative language strategies. These should be performed and practiced by learners in order to improve their communicative skills and master the foreign language they are learning. It is a matter of course that many language activities are interactive, so that, for example, in a conversation, the participants alternate between being producers and receivers. At other times, there may be no interaction between senders and receivers because the senders and receivers may not know each other or may not have the opportunity to respond. Therefore, it is understood that there is no interaction; there is listening, reading, writing, or speaking. Finally, there are occasions when the student acts as a channel of communication that leads to mediation. Hence, this idea supports the reorganization of the model of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) through four modes of communication or four language activities:  Reception: linguistic activity involving the reception and processing of information from oral, written, or audio-visual sources that present audio and visual information at the same time. There are several types of activities according to the CEFR, as stated in Council of Europe (2020, pp. 47-68): o Oral comprehension  Understanding an interaction between other people.  Understanding as a member of a live audience.  Understand announcements and instructions.  Understand multimedia audios and recordings. 14 o Reading comprehension:  Reading correspondence.  Reading for orientation.  Reading for information and argument.  Reading instructions.  Reading as a leisure activity. o Audio-visual comprehension:  Watch TV, films and videos (including live and recorded materials).  Production: a language activity in which students produce their own texts, either orally or in writing, with the intention of generating their own meanings. o Oral production  Sustained monologue: describing experience, giving information, sustain an argument.  Public announcements  Addressing audiences o Written production  Creative writing  Reports and essays  Interaction: a language activity in which a conversation with others is constructed through negotiation of meaning and alternation of speaker and listener.  Mediation: a language activity where two or more individuals do not have direct communication and the student acts as a conduit, using strategies to bridge the communication gap. Therefore, in order to successfully carry out the activities mentioned above, it is necessary for the learner to fulfill and use a set of strategies. 15 Thus, the concept of strategy moves away from the idea of incapacity or compensation for deficiencies to an understanding of language use in terms of adaptation to the communicative demands of the moment. (Idrissi-Cao, 2021) Then, in terms of communicative language strategies, we can find the following according to the CEFR, as stated by the Council of Europe (2020, pp. 59 - 122):  Reception: some strategies are to identify cues and inferring  Production: planning, compensating, monitoring and repair  Interaction: we find turn taking, co-operating, asking for clarifications.  Mediation: here we can find two types of mediation strategies o Strategies to explain a new concept: linking previous knowledge, adapting language, breaking down complicated information. o Strategies to simplify a text: expanding a dense text to make it clearer, streamlining a text by deleting some irrelevant parts to make it more efficient. The CEFR is considered a vital resource in language teaching and learning due to its recognition of the contextualization of both communicative activities and strategies within various environments such as public, personal, professional, and educational settings. As emphasized in the CEFR, effective communication requires adaptation to the specific characteristics of the given environment. Consequently, it is evident that the CEFR holds significant importance as a reference document in any language teaching and learning endeavor. 16 2.2.2. TASK-BASED APPROACH Foreign language teaching has undergone significant developments over the years, with various methodologies emerging to enhance language acquisition. Among these methodologies, the Task-Based Approach (TBA) has gained prominence due to its learner-centered and communicative nature. Thus, in this section some theoretical foundations, key principles, and practical implications in foreign language teaching are going to be provided. Thus, the Task-Based Approach is rooted in the notion that language learning is best achieved through meaningful, purposeful tasks that resemble real-life language use (Willis, 1996). In order to achieve this real-life language use, authentic materials are another key aspect to be used during these tasks to provide learners with real-life examples and thus lead to meaningful foreign language learning. As such, it also draws on the sociocultural theory of learning (Vygotsky, 1978), which emphasizes the importance of social interaction and negotiation of meaning in language acquisition. However, as the name implies, the task is the central unit of this approach. But what is meant by "task"? Jane Willis (1996) defines the word as "a goal-oriented activity in which learners use language to achieve a real outcome" in which, in other words, learners use all the resources they have in the target language "to solve a problem, do a puzzle, play a game, or share and compare their experiences" (p.2). This is echoed by Peter Skehan (1996), who considers tasks to be the central unit of instruction in the taskbased approach, engaging learners in authentic, goal-oriented activities. Thus, both authors agree that tasks are designed to simulate real-life language use and to promote communication and problem-solving skills. Skehan (1998), drawing on several other authors 5 , identifies five key characteristics of a task:  Meaning is primary.  Learners are not given other people's meaning to regurgitate.  There is some relationship to comparable activities in the real world. 5 See also Bygate, Skehan and Swain (2001), who argue that how we define a task depends to some extent on the purpose of the task. 17  Task completion has some priority.  The task is evaluated in terms of the outcome. Finally, a pedagogical task is defined by Ellis (2003) as follows: A task is a workplan that requires learners to process language pragmatically in order to achieve an outcome that can be evaluated in terms of whether the correct or appropriate propositional content has been conveyed. To this end, it requires them to give primary attention to meaning and to make use of their own linguistic resources, although the design of the task may predispose them to choose particular forms. A task is intended to result in language use that bears a resemblance, direct or indirect, to the way language is used in the real world. Like other language activities, a task can engage productive or receptive, and oral or written skills and also various cognitive processes. (p.16) According to Willis & Willis (2007), this task focuses primarily on meaningful use of language, that is, it prioritizes the use of language for meaningful communication rather than focusing solely on form and accuracy. Therefore, learners engage in tasks that require negotiation of meaning and the application of linguistic resources to achieve communicative goals. In addition, the approach not only promotes the collaboration between learners, but also their autonomy. Learners are actively engaged in task performance, making decisions, and taking responsibility for their learning (Ellis, 2003). Also, collaborative tasks foster interaction and provide opportunities for negotiation of meaning among learners. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to pay attention to the design and sequencing of these tasks in order to successfully implement the task-based approach in the EFL classroom. For instance, David Nunan (2004) states that tasks should be carefully designed to reflect real-life language use and to match learners' proficiency levels and interests. On the other hand, task sequencing involves a progression from simpler to more complex tasks, allowing learners to develop their language skills gradually. 18 Finally, the task as whole thing, consists of three main phases: pre-task, task cycle (task -> planning -> report) and post-task. In the pre-task phase, the teacher introduces the task and activates learners' prior knowledge about a specific topic. The task cycle includes task performance, monitoring, and feedback. The post-task phase focuses on reflection, language analysis and further language practice (Willis & Willis, 2007). Thus, according to Willis (1996) “depending on the needs and backgrounds of students, the components of the framework can be weighted differently.” (p.7), that is, students who are already quite fluent, may need a greater emphasis on accuracy and analytical work, i.e., less time on tasks and more time on planning and formal reporting, with more tasks requiring written results. Therefore, when assessing tasks, it is important to emphasize that the approach emphasizes performance-based assessment that evaluates learners' ability to use language meaningfully in authentic contexts (Skehan, 1998). This assessment criteria includes task completion, communicative effectiveness and language accuracy. Some practical implications and pedagogical benefits of this approach include increased learner motivation, improved communicative competence, and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Willis & Willis, 2007). It promotes learner engagement and provides opportunities for meaningful use of language, which enhances language acquisition. In conclusion, the task-based approach, based on sociocultural theory and emphasizing meaningful tasks and communication, has become a valuable methodology in foreign language teaching. It is consistent with current pedagogical principles in its focus on real language use, learner autonomy and collaboration. Teachers can thus foster a learner-centered and communicative classroom environment that facilitates language acquisition and promotes students' overall language proficiency by implementing the Task-Based Approach. 19 2.3. CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) METHODOLOGY Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is an instructional approach that combines the teaching of content subjects with the simultaneous development of a second language (Marsh, 2010). Originating from Europe, CLIL has gained prominence worldwide as an effective methodology to enhance language proficiency and subject knowledge (Mehisto, Marsh, & Frigols, 2008). In this section an analysis on CLIL methodology, including its theoretical foundations, key features, benefits, and challenges is going to be provided, as well as the so-called 4Cs, which are key for 21st century schools. CLIL draws on several theoretical frameworks for its instructional approaches. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, for example, emphasizes the significance of social interaction and language in cognitive development (Vygotsky, 1978). This approach is incorporated into CLIL by creating a language-rich environment in which students engage in collaborative learning and negotiation of meaning (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010). Students thus develop both their linguistic and cognitive talents as they use language as a tool for learning. Cummins' theory of language proficiency, which distinguishes between basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) (Cummins, 1979), is another theoretical foundation of CLIL. CLIL promotes CALP development through providing students the opportunity to employ academic language in meaningful circumstances. Students gain subject-specific vocabulary, discourse patterns, and critical thinking abilities through content-based training (Marsh 2000). This combination of language and content promotes deep understanding and language competence simultaneously. CLIL is characterized by several key features that differentiate it from traditional language and content instruction. Firstly, CLIL stresses an integrated approach, where language and subject matter are not taught separately but interconnectedly (Llinares & Whittaker, 2008). This integration fosters motivation and engagement by allowing pupils to consider language as a way of accessing knowledge. 26 2.4. PLURILITERACIES APPROACH TO TEACHING FOR LEARNING (PTL) The significance of promoting plurilingual and pluricultural education was emphasized by the CEFR. Earlier, we discussed the growing importance of the CLIL approach in Europe in achieving this objective, as well as the challenges that arose during its implementation in classrooms over the years, and also including the 4Cs of CLIL that are key elements for the Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning (PTL) approach. In this subsequent section, we explore this novel approach that addresses this European interest in language learning. Since 2015, a fast-growing approach has emerged that offers new insights into the integration of content and languages. Thus, there is an ongoing project called “Literacies through Content and Language Integrated Learning: effective learning across subjects and languages.” This project brings together a team of European CLIL specialists known as the Graz Group, which includes such notable members as O. Meyer, D. Coyle, A. Halbach, K. Schuck and T. Ting. Therefore, according to The Graz Group, there is a belief that in order to enhance the implementation of content and language integrated instruction in various educational fields, it is necessary to redefine the learning process to facilitate intellectually demanding tasks and prioritize pluriliteracy. To cultivate learners who can effectively navigate multiple literacies, a reassessment of the role of language in literacy development is required. Considering the aforementioned context, The Graz Group has formulated the "Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning" (PTL). The aim of this framework is to build upon the foundational principles of CLIL, leveraging its accomplishments, and introducing a reimagined approach. Meyer, Halbach, and Coyle (2015) provide an initial definition for this approach as follows: "A pluriliteracies approach to teaching for learning (PTL) puts subject literacy development in more than one language at the core of learning because we believe subject literacies are the key to deep learning and the development of transferable 27 skills. This approach focuses on helping learners become literate in content subjects or topics and to empower them to communicate that knowledge successfully and appropriately across cultures and languages.” (p.2) Finally, a pluriliteracies approach equips educators with the resources to support learners in acquiring progressively profound understanding of subject matter, encompassing facts, concepts and procedures. The approach highlights two key aspects as its primary focus: in-depth learning and literacy. Both aspects will be examined in greater detail in the subsequent section. Figure 4 – A visual scheme that describes the basis of the PTL approach. 7 Therefore, this approach represents a significant contribution towards enhancing the visibility and inclusivity of teaching and learning practices, making it suitable and highly relevant in any language. 7 Taken from A Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning: Putting a pluriliteracies approach into practice (p.3), by O. Meyer, A. Halbach y D. Coyle, 2015, European Centre for Modern Languages. Council of Europe. 28 2.4.1. DEEP LEARNING According to the Graz Group (2015) deep learning, which refers to the effective internalization of conceptual understanding and the automatic execution of subjectspecific procedures, skills, and strategies, can only be achieved if learners are provided with guidance on how to express their knowledge in an appropriate manner. Therefore, Meyer, Halbach, and Coyle (2015) provided an explanation of deep learning by elucidating the essential mechanisms of pluriliteracies learning, which facilitate the internalization of concepts and the automation of skills. As such, Meyer et al. (2015) establish that “the successful integration of concepts follows three steps (Vygotsky): understanding, abstraction and transfer.” (p.15) A) Material Phase (understanding of a concept) In order to convey the systematic nature of a concept in a manner that is both comprehensible for learners and enables them to apply the concept in subject-specific tasks and activities, it is essential to introduce concepts in a tangible and interactive manner using materials such as physical objects, charts, diagrams, or models. By engaging students in hands-on experiences (referred to as "DOING SCIENCE"), they become acquainted with the practical aspects of working within a particular subject and are less likely to rely on rote memorization without true comprehension (Meyer et al. 2015) B) Verbal Phase (abstraction of a concept) Once students demonstrate proficiency in utilizing a concept effectively with the aid of materials, it becomes necessary to gradually withdraw those materials. Subsequently, students should engage in communication either with others (social communication) or with themselves (private speech) to articulate the concept. This step holds great significance as language serves as a crucial tool for students to develop control over a concept and its application. It is vital to provide students with opportunities to appropriately share and deepen their understanding of the concept. Depending on verbal support to effectively employ a concept in practical tasks is a pivotal phase in 29 transferring knowledge from the material to the mental realm. This process facilitates the abstraction of the concept, enabling students to apply it across a diverse range of contexts. (Meyer et al. 2015) C) Mental Phase (transfer of conceptual knowledge) As learners develop proficiency in the concept through communication, the process transitions into internalized mental activity known as inner speech. At this stage, the comprehension and application of the concept become solely mental. Therefore, the individual gains the ability to effectively utilize the concept in various contexts and exhibit creativity in its application. (Meyer et al. 2015) In summary, the use of language, or more specifically, languaging 8 , plays a crucial role in the effective internalization of concepts. The successful transfer of conceptual knowledge depends on the successful transition of concepts from the material to the mental realm. Material support is particularly significant initially, as it encourages students to genuinely comprehend a concept rather than simply memorizing and repeating it. In essence, a thorough exploration is required before the development of transferable knowledge and skills can commence. (Meyer et al. 2015) 2.4.2. PROFILE OF PTL APPROACH As previously observed, PTL retains the foundational concepts of CLIL while offering a revised perspective that incorporates additional ideas. The primary objective of PTL is to equip educators with effective instructional tools that enable students to attain comprehensive subject knowledge. Moreover, PTL aims to foster a deeper learning experience for learners, emphasizing their understanding and internalization of concepts, rather than mere memorization and regurgitation without engaging in critical thinking processes. 8 “Languaging is the process through which we express our thinking and thus make it visible to others as well as ourselves” (Meyer et al., 2015, p.7) 30 To this end, students should not only be able to master the facts, concepts and procedures involved, but also those strategies that will allow them to solve, with progressive difficulty, the typical tasks of each specific subject. In order to achieve this objective, it is crucial for students to not only acquire a solid understanding of the facts, concepts, and procedures associated with a particular subject but also develop the strategies necessary to tackle progressively challenging tasks within that subject. The PTL framework critically examines and consolidates existing concepts, aiming to analyze them collectively. Meyer, Halbach, and Coyle (2015) have identified five fundamental principles that are integral to the successful implementation of PTL. These principles are innovative compared to previous ideas and are defined as follows: A) Conceptualizing Learning Progression: All students have the potential to engage in different ways of constructing meaning within a subject, including doing, organizing, explaining, and arguing. It is important to consider the appropriate age and level of students when introducing these ideas, as this is one of the central points of the model. B) Focusing on the learners: the main goal is to promote students' ability to think and learn independently, fostering autonomy in their academic endeavors. C) Languaging as key element of knowledge mediation: viewing this concept as the mechanism by which we articulate our knowledge, rendering it apparent to both us and others. D) Realizing Cultural Embeddedness: ensuring the advancement of learners and equipping them with the essential skills to extract, and encode information, comprehend, and generate subject-specific texts is of utmost importance. E) Rethinking scaffolding for learner development: A broader perspective should be adopted when considering scaffolding, viewing it as the optimization of student growth through suitable forms of mediation. It is essential to provide 31 learning materials and tasks that facilitate knowledge construction, while also offering opportunities for practice and feedback, both from the teacher and peers. Thus, according to Meyer et al. (2015), scaffolding in PTL approach should be:  Pro-active, considering the student's existing knowledge and skill level, while also paying attention to the ongoing progress they are making in their learning journey.  Responsive & process-oriented, through incorporating feedback and reflective activities.  Performance-oriented, aiming to enhance the learners’ abilities through a well-rounded range of activities encompassing controlled practices, communicative tasks, and reflective exercises, among others.  Continuous and reiterative to provide multiple opportunities for students to enhance their skills through practice.  Contingent as it is implemented based on the specific needs of the learner and remains in effect only for the duration required. Thus, Meyer et al. (2015) also provide several questions that teachers might ask themselves when planning a PTL lesson, which were in fact key to programming the didactic unit of this work, which will be explained in the following section. 32 However, these activities illustrate the main objectives of the PTL approach, as we have already discussed. Figure 5 - PTL-based didactic programming guidance tool. 9 These inquiries facilitate the integration of the theoretical foundations that underlie the PTL approach into educational practice. (Idrissi-Cao, 2021) By analyzing the presentation of these questions as depicted in Figure 5, one can discern two primary dimensions that Meyer et al. (2015) delve into extensively, which are integral to the PTL approach: the conceptualizing continuum and the communicating continuum. To illustrate the trajectory of pluriliteracy development, Meyer et al. (2015) employ a visual representation that can be seen in the Figure 6. 9 Taken from A Pluriliteracies Approach to Teaching for Learning: Putting a pluriliteracies approach into practice (p.13), by O. Meyer, A. Halbach y D. Coyle, 2015, European Centre for Modern Languages. Council of Europe. 33 Figure 6– Key elements for progression in the development of pluriliteracies. This visual representation is intended to illustrate a shift from viewing content and language as separate to recognizing the dynamic interaction and interconnectedness of conceptual and linguistic development. Meyer, et al. (2015) propose a schema that recognizes the progression of language learners along a conceptual continuum. According to these authors, each topic in the classroom has its own unique characteristics, including strategies, processes, concepts, and facts. Idrissi-Cao (2021) states that these characteristics are manifested through specific structures that are consistently observed within the same subject. However, progress in subject knowledge also entails progress in the discourse specific to that subject, i.e., progress along the communication continuum. Put simply, this model suggests that progress in knowledge is intertwined with proficiency in the specific language used within the subject. Within the communication continuum, development occurs as learners improve their ability to articulate and express their knowledge by adapting to the prescribed text type or genre, the chosen mode of expression (written, oral, visual), the required style (formal or informal), and the intended purpose. In summary, the PTL model endeavors to showcase the applicability of these innovative aspects to its approach and their integration with the existing components. 34 3. LESSON PLAN 3.1. RATIONALE 3.1.1. CONTEXT The High School is an educational center that offers Secondary Education (ESO), and Bachillerato (regular and dual), which is in the city of Valladolid, Castile and Leon. However, this didactic unit focuses on the last year of compulsory education. Thus, the school day takes place from 8:15 in the morning to 14:05 in the afternoon, from Monday until Friday. Nowadays, the school is made up of four classrooms for Secondary Education, three classrooms for each year of Bachillerato. Moreover, the school has classrooms for Music, IT, multiple-use rooms, two laboratories, a sports hall, two playgrounds: one open-air and the other half-covered, known among students and teachers as "the courtyard of the columns", and a library. There are also complete toilet facilities as well as four outdoor big sports fields, without considering the sports hall. It is worth stressing that the school complex is well prepared to assist and respond to people that have difficulties related to mobility thanks to the access ramps that we find, one at the main entrance, another in one of the outdoor playgrounds, and another at the entrance to the kindergarten and primary building located in Reyes Street. In addition, an elevator is available in the latter building that allows anyone who needs it to access one building or the other. To have a complete experience, learning through technologies and promoting digital resources, this High School provides the students of the 4th year of E.S.O with small laptops for personal use during the course. There are enough devices for all students in the 4th year of compulsory education, and it is not necessary to fill out any application in advance to reserve them. 35 3.1.2. DIDACTIC UNIT This didactic unit is designed for a group of 24 students with an average age of 15 years old 4th year of Compulsory Secondary Education. This didactic unit addresses English as First Foreign Language. Students in this level have three sessions a week, each of them lasting 50 minutes. The sessions are distributed as follows: Tuesdays from 9:10 to 10:00, Wednesdays from 11:25 to 12:15 and Fridays from 12:20 to 13:10. This didactic unit is intended to be developed at the beginning of the third term and it will last two weeks. That is, it will begin on March 21st, 2023, and it will end on April 11th ,2023, a total of seven sessions of 50 minutes each, held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Since Wednesday, March 29, is the last day of class before the Easter vacation, the lesson will end on Tuesday 11th April in which the students will have to present the final task of the lesson. The students are provided with several small laptops (from now on referred to as “devices”), so if the devices are needed, they are available and ready to use in the same classroom, without taking the students to a computer classroom. Moreover, there are no ACNEAE students in this group, nor any ACNEE student, so any adaptations are needed in this didactic unit. Also, all students are part of the same cultural background, who also have the same L1 (first language), which is Spanish. As such, they do not need any adaptation, neither methodological nor curricular since they have the similar level and control of both Spanish and English languages. This didactic unit will cover the topic of “The Environment” as stipulated in one unit of the textbook. As such, this didactic unit will also cover the four main skills of the language: written and oral comprehension and written and oral production. Thus, many sessions will require teamwork to promote autonomy, resilience, self-confidence, emotional intelligence, empathy, cooperation, etc., among many other qualities. Moreover, the different tasks developed in this unit and the groupwork encourages students to improve their autonomy (in individual tasks), their empathy and contributes to the building of their own knowledge by helping other (regarding groupwork tasks). 42 concepts effectively. As such, the contents that have been used to be developed during this lesson plan will be given to the students in two ways. On the one hand, they are going to be provided with the indirect method since the contents are going to be given as oral and written input. Moreover, the students will receive a whole picture of the previous classes since a review on the unit will be done before getting to conclusions. On the other hand, the deductive method is also going to be used since the idea is to promote the student’s critical thinking. Thus, it is intended that at the beginning of the sessions the students provide different ideas and examples, sharing what they know before giving them any explanation. Finally, the students are expected to give the answer to certain questions without the teacher telling them first, but rather make the students recall what they know and make use of critical thinking. 3.1.4. DIDACTICS This topic works with contents that can also be seen in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature and Information-Technology (IT) since news can be analyzed and can be seen online, in social media, and some websites. As such, this unit deals also with some contents of the Technology subject, as the students are required to use their devices to perform online activities such as mentimeter questions, which students have used previously, as many other platforms (e.g., quizlet, padlet, live worksheets, kahoot, genially, and so on) This didactic unit is developed based on key competences, learning standards, general objectives, and contents stipulated in the educational law LOMLOE (La Ley Orgánica 3/2020, de 29 de diciembre, por la que se modifica la Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación) for the even-numbered courses of Compulsory Secondary Education and Bachillerato. As students must deal with a continuous assessment and most of the time, the tasks required groupwork, it helps them to build their own knowledge (which corresponds to the fifth key competence) as well as promoting the communication and improving the students’ speech in the FL (Foreign Language), 43 (which corresponds to the first key competence). To complete certain activities of the unit, students must collaborate with their partners, which enhances their motivation since they can support one another and is one of the factors that the socio-constructivist method emphasizes. That is, students are the major characters of the class since they are more likely to gain knowledge in this manner than the teacher, who is the sole information transmitter. They build their knowledge by completing assignments in each session. The teacher's job is that of a facilitator, guide, and mediator. The students' awareness of their information acquisition is increased because of this. In other words, if the teacher is often the one who provides knowledge and the students collect it, learners are less likely to remember that information. On the contrary, requiring students to collaborate and share their opinions with others will make them aware that they are accountable for their own learning and will help them assimilate knowledge more effectively. Consequently, learners should be more aware of the teaching process itself when studying a FL (Foreign Language), i.e., how the language is learned, rather than what to learn as such. 3.1.5. CURRICULA The development of the current didactic unit necessitates the use of major laws to prove the relationship to both state and local legislation. Three sub-levels were verified based on the first level of curricular structure. First and foremost, there is the SUPRA level, which is placed on an international stage and contains the CEFL. This had no bearing on the substance of the didactic unit, but it was useful since it served as a recommendation. Then, by lowering this level, we can find the national and regional stages. Starting with the former, also known as the MACRO level, because the didactic unit is done for students of the last year of compulsory education, the legislation that was consulted was Real Decreto 217/2022. This was important for keeping track of the stage objectives that students must meet. The latter refers to the MESO level, which is focused on the areas or autonomous 44 communities of Spain where the Decreto 39/2022 may be found. In this context, the legislation pertains to the autonomous community of Castile y León, where the kids' High School is located. The second level of curricular organization discusses the precise papers that each school is required to have, which are reduced to a local stage, a MICRO level. Therefore, as this didactic unit was planned out and not implemented in a real school, we do not have documents such as the Annual Programming, the Educational Project, the Tutorial Action Plan, The Absenteeism Plan, Plan for Coexistence, among others. The third level of curricular structure contains didactic units as such. Therefore, the job of the teaching team is to provide didactic units like this one, so this level is NANO. Finally, the sort of syllabus covered by this didactic unit is method centered. This is often referred to as procedural programming, and the basic technique is Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). 3.1.6. EVALUATION The assessment of the students will be continuous and developed by evaluating both the activities done in class, the writing exercise, and the progress made session by session that will be seen in the results of the last final product. The activities done in class will be evaluated with the achievement indicators specified in the session charts. As well, the writing exercise will be evaluated thanks to the requirements developed in the appendix below. However, they are not going to be given any grade, but rather feedback since this didactic unit is not aimed to be part of a certain mark into the course’s third term. Instead, the students themselves are going to grade their essays using the table of assessment also developed in the appendix below. Lastly, the students will undergo assessment for the culminating task through the utilization of two distinct rubrics: one dedicated to evaluating the written component of the task, and another designed specifically for the oral segment (presentation) of their final work. 45 4. CONCLUSIONS As previously stated in the introduction of this section, the main objective alongside the specific ones, is addressed: TO STRESS THE POTENTIALITY OF THE PTL (PLURILITERACIES TEACHING FOR LEARNING) APPROACH IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION Thus, the specific objectives are as follows: • Examine the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the PTL approach and explore the potential advantages of applying its principles to English language instruction. • Develop a comprehensive plan and propose the future implementation of a didactic unit based on the PTL approach for the English language domain Hence, it is deemed feasible to apply the principles advocated by the PTL approach to the teaching of English as a foreign language in the context of secondary education. By aligning the instructional design with these principles, students' learning experiences are enhanced in various aspects, including their engagement and motivation, conceptual understanding and strategic development, personal growth, teacher guidance, and effective demonstration and communication of comprehension. However, since the didactic unit has been devised based on the principles of the PTL approach, empirical data to support its effectiveness are currently unavailable. Therefore, a future implementation of this unit is proposed to successfully apply the PTL model in specific language contexts, without the need for content integration to provide additional meaning. Therefore, I share the perspective articulated by Idrissi-Cao (2021), which highlights the challenges of directly applying the PTL approach in the context of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) without specific modifications. The terms and definitions of the approach sometimes prove too narrow for non-linguistic areas. To successfully apply PTL constructs in the EFL classroom, it is important to comprehend the concepts and engage in a personalized interpretation as a teacher, focusing on incorporating relevant issues that are contextually appropriate for educational practice. 46 Specifically, an examination of the language activities explored in future analysis should reveal that this model enhances student agency in the learning process by providing opportunities to use language as a tool for conscious reflection. Students can learn from their mistakes and experience language within a positive classroom environment that accommodates their individual characteristics, rather than solely prioritizing grammatical proficiency. Consequently, a supportive space is created where knowledge can be articulated without fear, facilitating deep learning and establishing a connection between the two essential elements of the process: the conceptual continuum and the communicating continuum. In line with Marsh's (2000) findings, it can be argued that students acquire knowledge more efficiently when provided with opportunities for active engagement in the learning process. By integrating practical application into their educational experience, learners are not only able to reinforce their understanding of the subject matter but also develop a sense of self-assurance and cultivate a genuine enthusiasm for acquiring knowledge, particularly among younger individuals. Regarding mentoring, the proposed lesson plan presents the challenge of the learners being subtly orienting without imposing, guiding without dictating, and accompanying without prescribing. By conscientiously planning according to the guidelines outlined by the PTL approach, teachers gain reliable guidance on how to organize the subject matter. Finally, it is crucial to emphasize the significance of future research endeavors that can be undertaken in two domains: Firstly, to further develop the theoretical framework essential for the advancement of English as a subject in the Compulsory Secondary Education classroom. Secondly, to explore substantial content for the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) subject and facilitate the planning and subsequent implementation of innovative approaches in authentic educational settings. 47 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Natalia Barranco Izquierdo, for her unwavering support and willingness to share her extensive expertise and knowledge with me. I am deeply thankful to my parents and sister for their consistent familial support and encouragement. Without their hard work and dedication, I would not be able to write these words today. To my dearest friends, who have been a source of immense privilege in my life, thank you for your invaluable assistance in completing this work. Whether it was reviewing my written work or exchanging ideas, this thesis would not have been possible without your support. Finally, I would like to acknowledge and appreciate my own efforts throughout this challenging journey. Without my determination and resilience, completing this work would not have been possible. 48 6. REFERENCES ABC News. (2021, October 26). Siberia’s rapidly melting permafrost is changing the landscape [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okx-OzFpNlA Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/ Beacco, J.-C. B., Byram, M., Cavalli, M., Coste, D., Egli, M., Goullier, F., y Panthier, J. (2016). 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The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/25/hurricane-laura-texaslouisiana-healthcare-workers-coronavirus Llinares, A., & Whittaker, R. (2008). Features of CLIL materials. In D. Marsh & D. Wolff (Eds.), Diverse contexts – Converging goals: CLIL in Europe (pp. 137-161). Peter Lang. Marsh, D. (2010). CLIL: Current Status And Future Perspectives. In W. Delanoy & L. Volkmann (Eds.), Future perspectives for English language teaching (pp. 109123). Carl Winter. Marsh, D. (2000). Using Languages to Learn and Learning To Use Languages. In D. Marsh & G. Langé (Eds.), Using languages to learn and learning to use languages (pp. 1-20). European Centre for Modern Languages. Marsh, D., Mehisto, P., Wolff, D., & Frigols, M. J. (2011). European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education. European Centre for Modern Languages. Mehisto, P., Marsh, D., & Frigols, M. J. (2008). Uncovering CLIL: Content and language integrated learning in bilingual and multilingual education. Macmillan Education. Meyer, O., & Coyle, D. (2017). Pluriliteracies Teaching for Learning: conceptualizing progression for deeper learning in literacies development. European Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(2), 199–222. https://doi.org/10.1515/eujal-2017-0006 58 Session 4 Specific competences 1 3 Achievement indicators 1.2.3 The student interprets the text correctly in order to give the correct answers 3.1.1. The student participates assertively and actively, showing empathy and respect for the different ideas of the other classmates. 3.1.3. The student offers explanations, arguments and comments in an assertive and active way when interacting with other students in the classroom. 3.1.2. The student offers explanations, arguments and comments in an assertive and active way when interacting with other students in the classroom, to arrive at a proper arrangement of the given text, or correctly answering a specific question. 3.1.4. The student participates actively, taking notes of relevant information and asking to solve doubts. 3.1.5 The student offers explanations, arguments and comments in an assertive and active way when interacting with other students in the classroom, to arrive at the creation of a survival kit Operational descriptors CCL1, CCL2 CCL5, CP1, CP2, CPSAA3, CC3. Subject contents A1 A3 A6 A10 A13 Cross-curricular contents None Activities Specific competence(s) Contents Achievement indicators Items to survive 3 A1, A3, A6, A10 3.1.1. // 3.1.2 The ultimate survival kit 1, 3 A1, A3, A6, A13 1.2.3. // 3.1.3. // 3.1.5 Final product explanation 3 A1, A13 3.1.4 59 Session 5 Specific competences 1 2 3 Achievement indicators 1.2.3 The student interprets the text correctly in order to give the correct answers 1.2.4. The student interprets the text critically in order to asses themselves in a honest manner 2.2.4 The student elaborates a script ordering the information in a coherent manner 2.2.5 The student elaborates a script using the elements required by the teacher 3.1.1. The student participates assertively and actively, showing empathy and respect for the different ideas of the other classmates. 3.1.6. The student participates assertively and actively with his/her partner to solve the task Operational descriptors CCL1, CCL2, CP1, CP2, CD1, CD2, CD3, CPSAA3, CCEC3 Subject contents A1 A3 A13 A17 Cross-curricular contents 10.1 ICTs Activities Specific competence(s) Contents Achievement indicators Grading writings! 1,3 A1, A3, A13 1.2.3. // 1.2.4 // 3.1.1 Think and create your script! 2, 3 A1, A13, A17 2.2.4 // 2.2.5 // 3.1.6 60 Session 6 Specific competences 1 2 3 Achievement indicators 1.2.5. The student listens to the presentations of his/her partners in order to answer the questions correctly. 2.1.2. The student develops well-founded arguments in a comprehensible and convincing way. 3.1.1. The student participates assertively and actively, showing empathy and respect for the different ideas of the other classmates. Operational descriptors CCL1, CCL2, CCL5, CP1, CP2 CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CP1, CP2, CD3, CPSAA3, (CE3). Subject contents A1 A3 A6 A17 Cross-curricular contents 10.1 ICTs Activities Specific competence(s) Contents Achievement indicators Presenting natural disasters! 1, 2, 3 A1, A3, A6, A17 1.2.5 // 2.1.2. // 3.1.1 61 7.3. ACTIVITY CHARTS Activity/task number 1 - Session number 1 Title: Word to sentence! Type: Warm-up Timing: 10 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, and they answer the questions individually using their devices Resources: Laptops used by the students (from now on refer to as devices), computer of the class, projector, access to Internet, chalk, blackboard, Wi-fi. Linguistic input Hello everybody! Good morning! Firstly, I would like you to open your devices because we are going to use them for the first part of the class. I have prepared a Mentimeter about the following unit of your student’s book: the environment. [students cheer] Once you have open it, you must go into this link [the link is written down in the blackboard; https://www.mentimeter.com/es-ES] and I will give you the code in a few minutes. [While students open theirs devices, I go into my mentimeter account and search for the questionnaire to follow it live with the students] Okey everybody, remember that you have to create sentences using the two words provided (i.e. pollution, renewable energy) and that it is an individual activity. Are you ready? Let’s go! [students upload the answers and after 10 minutes the task is done and discussed] 62 Activity/task number 2 - Session number 1 Title: Getting to know real natural disasters. Type: Development Timing: 20 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, and they read out loud using their devices. Resources: Devices used by the students, computer of the class, projector, access to Internet, chalk, blackboard, Wi-fi. Linguistic input Well done, everybody! Now for the second part of the class I would like you to search for the following news [the link and the news is shown in the projector; https://www.theguardian.com/world/natural-disasters, news about Hurricane Laura] Can everybody see the article? Yes? Perfect, Ruben, would you like to start reading? Thank you. [The whole article is read out loud by different students until we finished] Now I would like you to make a summary of the article in less than 20 words, and afterwards we will share it with the class. You don’t have to write it down, only try to think about it. Okay, so, Pablo, what is your summary of the article? Do you think that natural disasters can be prevent? [and a brief discussion within different students starts before starting with the last part of the session]. Okay everybody, now get ready for the last part! 63 Activity/task number 3 - Session number 1 Title: Guess the real definition! Type: Wrap-up Timing: 20 minutes Classroom management: The students join their tables and make groups of two or three people. Resources: Devices used by the students, computer of the class, projector, access to Internet, chalk, blackboard, Wi-fi, piece of paper, pen. Linguistic input And now for the final activity I would like you to use your knowledge. You have to make groups of two or three people, and I will give you a piece of paper that contains one word related to the vocabulary of the unit. Don’t turn around your paper until every group has already one. [I finish handing out the papers] Everybody has one? Yes? Perfect, now you can turn around and see your word. Now, listen carefully: what you have to do is to write down a true and a false definition for your word. Try to use your own words, even though you are allowed to check your dictionaries or use your devices. You have 10 minutes to do it, and afterwards every group has to come up to the blackboard and read their definitions. The rest of the class have to guess which is the correct one, and the group that get more guesses right, wins. Good luck! [every group comes to the blackboard and the students enjoy the activity] See you tomorrow, bye! 64 Activity/task number 1 - Session number 2 Title: What is “permafrost”? Type: Warm-up Timing: 10 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, with a piece of paper on the table Resources: Computer of the classroom, projector, piece of paper, pen, blackboard, dictionaries, and student’s book. Linguistic input Good morning, everybody! Today we are going to do a listening, and while I search for the video I would like you to think about the word “permafrost” and see if you can provide a definition for it basing on your knowledge. [Students raise their hands and express their ideas] Very well! You are so close to the real definition. But don’t worry. I am going to play the video twice. [The video is the following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okx-OzFpNlA] 65 Activity/task number 2 - Session number 2 Title: Listen and fill in the blanks! Type: Reinforcement Timing: 20 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, with a piece of paper on the table Resources: Computer of the classroom, projector, piece of paper, pen, blackboard, dictionaries, and student’s book. Linguistic input Now, before playing the video I will show you the task for this part of the class. You will see a transcript of the video but there are some words missing, and you have to try to complete the blank spaces [see appendix]. Also, the first time we are going to see the video, which a news report of the ABC, without seeing the subtitles. Afterwards, you will see the video again but this time with subtitles to help you fill in the blanks. I will give you a few minutes to look up the text and take notes. [After four minutes the students are ready] Are you ready? Yes? Let’s start. [The video is played twice] How is it going? Good? Can we check it? Perfect. 66 Activity/task number 3 - Session number 2 Title: Reflecting on the news Type: Wrap up Timing: 20 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in pairs, joining their tables. Resources: Computer of the classroom, projector, piece of paper, pen, blackboard, dictionaries, and student’s book. Linguistic input Now I want you to compare your answers with your partner and try to think of the main problems that this situation could cause over time. In pairs, try to write a short reflection in less than 30 words about permafrost, global warming, and the situation seen in the news. How many more years can we go on like this? Upload your reflection to the mentimeter platform. You have 10 minutes. [The last 10 minutes of the session the teacher shows the reflections on the projector and students express their opinions] Thank you, everyone! See you next day! 67 Activity/task number 1 - Session number 3 Title: Random essay election Type: Warm-up Timing: 10 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, with a piece of paper on the table Resources: Computer of the classroom, projector, piece of paper, pen, blackboard, dictionaries, and student’s book. Linguistic input Good morning, everybody! Today we are going to do a writing, but before starting we are going to do a brief review on the unit. Remember the uses of future tenses and conditionals (would, could...) Also, some connector and opening and ending sentences. I will give you 10 minutes to review the vocabulary and the grammar of the unit, which you can find in pages 115-119 of your student’s book. Today’s essay is going to be chosen randomly so number 15 on the list, would you like to say a number between 1 and 10? [there are 10 possible titles for the essay, and it is a good way for them to engage with the task] Number 7! Perfect, so the title for number 7 is: “What can be done in order to improve the environmental conditions?” [the title is written in the blackboard as well as the word limit, between 100-120 words] Time is out! Take out a piece of paper and we start the writing. 74 Activity/task number 1 - Session number 6 Title: Presenting natural disasters! Type: Reinforcement Timing: 50 minutes Classroom management: The students are placed in their own seats, with a piece of paper on their tables to take notes. Resources: Devices used by the students, computer of the class, projector, access to Internet, chalk, blackboard, Wi-fi, piece of paper, pen. Linguistic input Good morning, everyone! How was your holidays? Good? I am so happy to hear that. As you already know, the deadline for the delivery of the work has passed, and today we just need to see your presentations. Before we start, I would like you all to have only pen and paper on the table, as you should write down at least the final reflection of each group on their work. At the end of the class I will collect all of them, so please write down your first and last name. Now, let's start with the presentations. Any volunteers? No? If you prefer, we can draw lots. [students nod and we proceed to draw lots with flippity [https://www.flippity.net/], where we put the group numbers from 1 to 8] Group number 6! You start and we will follow the numerical order. Good luck everyone! [The presentations end] You have done a great work, see you next day! Bye! 75 7.4. MATERIALS USED AND CREATED FOR THE LESSON PLAN Session 1, task 3 DROUGHT POLLUTION FUMES FLOOD OIL SLICK LANDFILLS ACID RAIN RENEWABLE ENERGY GREENHOUSE GASES GLOBAL WARMING ILLEGAL DUMPING SOLAR ENERGY 76 Session 2, task 2. (This is only one part of the whole text since it illustrates perfectly how the task is) 77 Session 3, task 2. SURVIVAL SITUATION SCENARIO: You live in an area where floods happen once a year and you must face the worst flood in decades, and it is possible that almost all the country is going to be affected by huge floods for a long time. No one knows when you will be able to return home, and maybe you should start all over again in a new place, very far from where you are. The rescue teams inform all the people in your neighborhood that you have 10 minutes to take with you only four items from your house, so you must improvise a survival kit. INSTRUCTIONS: As a group you must determine the best possible survival kit for the given scenario, choosing six items from the list that we have made previously all together. RULES: 1. Read the scenario together as a group. 2. Your team must decide which items you should take, and which one leave. Do not move until your team has a final list. 3. Each member of the team is to individually rank each item (according to each one’s preferences). Do not discuss the situation until each member has finished the individual ranking. 4. After everyone has finished the individual list and ranking, as a team you should discuss which is the best kit and make a new ranking for each of them. 5. Once all the groups have finished, we have to discuss and argue which is the best kit between all of the groups. At the end, all the teams should be able to have created a new list that all gorups agree with. NORMS: - Listen to others’ ideas. - Give reasons for your suggestions. - When saring ideas, only one person will speak in representation of the group. - Disagree with ideas, not people. 78 THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL KIT 1. Water 2. Food 3. Mobile Phone 4. First AID kit 5. Toilet paper 6. Pets 7. Paper and pencil 8. Academic diplomas and important family documents 9. Family photo album 10. Jack Knife 11. Magnetic compass 12. Two pair of sunglasses 13. Flashlight 14. Lighter 15. Cash 16. Jewelry 79 Session 4, task 1. RUBRIC SELF-ASSESMENT 80 Final product assesment rubrics Assessment for written compositions Excellent Very good Acceptable Not acceptable Organization and coherence (structures of each text type) The student produces a written text with full and logical organization. (20%) The student produces a written text with very few problems of organization. (15%) The student produces a written text with severe problems of ordering ideas. (10%) The student produces a written text that has an inadequate or no organization at all. (0%) Content The student produces a written text with clear and developed ideas. (20%) The student produces a written text but misses very few ideas. (15%) The student produces a written text with many repeated ideas. (10%) The student produces a written text that has ideas not related to the required ones. (0%) Grammar and spelling The student produces a written text with perfect grammar and use of English. (20%) The student produces a written text with very few grammar problems and occasional spelling mistakes. (15%) The student produces a written text with several grammar and spelling problems. (10%) The student produces a written text with severe grammar and spelling problems, making the text illegible. (0%) Vocabulary The student produces a written text with a variety of vocabulary usage. (20%) The student produces a written text with very few vocabulary misused. (15%) The student produces a written text with several problems in vocabulary. (10%) The student produces a written text with an inappropriate vocabulary usage. (0%) Level of formality (adequacy of the tone, adequate audience) The student produces a written text with a formal and adequate tone. (20%) The student produces a written text with a semiformal and good tone. (15%) The student produces a written text with several problems with the tone. (10%) The student produces a written text with an informal and inappropriate tone. (0%) TOTAL 81 Assessment for oral presentations Excellent Very good Acceptable Not acceptable Organization and coherence (structures of each text type) The student produces an oral presentation with full and logical organization. (20%) The student produces an oral presentation with very few problems of organization. (15%) The student produces an oral presentation with severe problems of ordering ideas. (10%) The student produces an oral presentation that has an inadequate or no organization at all. (0%) Content The student produces an oral presentation with clear and developed ideas. (20%) The student produces an oral presentation but misses very few ideas. (15%) The student produces an oral presentation with many repeated ideas. (10%) The student produces an oral presentation that has ideas not related to the required ones. (0%) Vocabulary The student produces an oral presentation with a variety of vocabulary usage. (20%) The student produces an oral presentation with very few vocabulary misused. (15%) The student produces an oral presentation with several problems in vocabulary. (10%) The student produces an oral presentation with inappropriate vocabulary usage. (0%) Body Language The student produces an oral presentation with a variety of gestures and keeps firm visual contact with the audience. (20%) The student produces an oral presentation with some gestures and keeps visual contact with the audience on some occasions. (15%) The student produces an oral presentation with very few gestures and keeps very little visual contact with the audience. (10%) The student produces an oral presentation with no gestures and does not keep visual contact with the audience. (0%) Rhythm and Intonation The student produces an oral presentation with perfect rhythm and intonation. (20%) The student produces an oral presentation with normal rhythm and intonation. (15%) The student produces an oral presentation with a rhythm and intonation that is confusing on some occasions. (10%) The student produces an oral presentation with little to no rhythm nor good intonation. (0%) TOTAL