Lesson Sequence: Idioms of Ambition
1. Greet the class! Introduce myself to the class.
2. Ask students to form a semi-circle for today’s class.
3. Distribute index cards to students. Each student should receive an index card with his or her first name on it.
4. Invite each student to say something about himself or herself.
5. Explain today’s linguistic and contents objectives. (Arrive early enough to the class to write the learning objectives on the board.)
6. Ask students whether they know any idioms that refer to ambition.
a. Invite them to share the idioms they know with the class.
b. If there no one has an idiom on ambition to share, use Handout One to introduce ambition idioms.
7. Distribute Handout One which has two idioms about ambition. Read the directions aloud.
a. Instruct students to turn and talk about the meaning of the two idioms.
b. Ask them to write their ideas in the appropriate spaces provided on the handout.
c. Rotate around the room to formatively assess students’ participation in this activity.
d. Invite each pair to write their ideas on the board.
e. Discuss each pair’s ideas in whole class share.
f. Instruct students to answer the practice questions on page 2 of Handout One.
g. Review answers to practice questions in whole class share.
h. Ask students whether the two ambition idioms convey literal meaning or figurative meaning.
i. Review the concepts in whole class share: literal vs. figurative. Then, move on to the next activity.
8. Distribute Handout Two which is an interview about “Climbing the corporate ladder” (Ch. 7,p. 114-115, The Idiom Advantage by Dana Watkins).
a. Review the meanings of key vocabulary: context clues.
b. Instruct students to read the article in silence (independent work).
c. As they read the article they must underline idioms listed above the interview.
d. Instruct students to number the idioms on the list in the order in which they appear.
a. Invite students to use “context clues” to glean the meanings of the idioms they found.
b. Ask students to consider whether the meanings are literal or figurative.
c. Instruct students to share their answers with a partner. Turn and talk about the interview and its idioms.
d. Rotate around the room to formatively assess students’ engagement in this activity.
e. Review the list of idioms and their meanings in whole class share.
9. Ask students to find the activity, “Getting the Meaning,” on Handout Two.
a. Read the instructions aloud. Review the first example with the class.
b. Ask students to work independently on this exercise.
c. Rotate around the classroom to formatively assess students’ comprehension and progress. Answer any questions students may have. Provide individualized instruction as needed.
d. If time allows, instruct students to compare answers with their classmates.
e. Review the answers in whole class share.
10. Assign homework from Handout Two: “Retelling the Story.”
a. Read instructions aloud to the entire class.
b. Do the first example with the class. Ask students whether they have any questions about the assignment.
c. If there is time, allow students to begin the assignment in class.
d. Rotate around the classroom answering questions and providing individualized instruction as needed (formative assessment).
e. Before ending class, remind students to finish the assignment. Students will (SW) submit homework to teacher in the next class (formative assessment).
f. Ask students to think of ambition idioms in their home language for next time. If there home language does not have ambition idioms, ask them to think of other idioms that might serve as substitutes in their culture.
g. The next class will begin using prior knowledge about ambition idioms and home language idioms about ambition (depending on the language and culture).
h. Instruct students that the class has ended.