Главная страница «Первого сентября» • Главная страница журнала «Английский язык» • Содержание №2/2009

Тематические кейсы для подготовки учащихся к ЕГЭ

(“Говорение” и “Письмо”)

continued from No. 1

В последнее время много говорят и спорят о путях и формах подготовки учащихся школ к ЕГЭ. Важной задачей является разработка и освоение технологий обучения, позволяющих выпускникам достигать хороших результатов на экзамене.

Многие учебники и учебные пособия предлагают готовые задания для учащихся в формате ЕГЭ и не дают методики, этапов, а также форм работы для подготовки учащихся к выполнению этих заданий. Большинство заданий, предлагаемых другими учебными пособиями, не отвечают задаче развития навыков разговорной речи с точки зрения использования изучаемых иностранных языков для решения жизненных проблем. Это привело к необходимости создания серии заданий коммуникативной направленности.

Многие учащиеся, обладая хорошими навыками разговорной речи, демонстрируют недостаток знаний фактического материала, что затрудняет коммуникацию. В связи с этим возникла необходимость составления тематических кейсов (англ. case – чемодан), содержащих информацию, необходимую для осуществления коммуникативных задач.

Работа с тематическими кейсами позволяет учителю:

1. Расширить возможности урока, повысить его эффективность и коммуникативную направленность путём:

2. Развивать и совершенствовать коммуникативные навыки учащихся и во внеурочной деятельности путём:

3. Совершенствовать воспитательный процесс путём:

Работа с кейсами также позволяет учителю:

1. формировать, расширять и углублять у обучаемых содержательные знания (о чем можно говорить на изучаемом языке), что позволяет им более эффективно участвовать в иноязычном общении и повысить их осведомленность в различных областях деятельности;
2. совершенствовать все уровни компетенции (лингвистической, социо-культурной, стратегической и дискурсивной);
3. повышать мотивацию и вызывать у учащихся желание говорить на иностранном языке;
4. организовать учебное сотрудничество;
5. рационально использовать время урока.

Структурное построение каждого кейса

Часть 1. Cовершенствование разговорных навыков

1. Беседа по тематическим вопросам в режиме “Учитель–Ученик” или “Ученик–Ученик”.
2. Монологическое высказывание по ситуации в течение 1 минуты – (организация “круглого стола”).
3. Дискуссии и диспуты по ситуации.
4. Обсуждение высказываний, пословиц и поговорок по данной теме.
5. Драматизация ситуаций и ролевая игра (по карточкам).
6. Монологическое высказывание в формате ЕГЭ (2 минуты).
7. Ролевая игра (диалог с обменом фактической информацией).
8. Модулированная ситуация в формате ЕГЭ (диалог с обменом оценочной информацией).

Часть 2. Совершенствование навыков письменных заданий

1. Варианты заданий для написания личного письма и эссе в формате ЕГЭ.
2. Необходимый лексический материал для выполнения заданий.

Часть 3. Нетрадиционные формы работы с использованием современных технологий

При составлении кейсов были использованы пособия:

1. Practice Tests for the Russian State Exam. Е. Клековкина, Малколм Манн, Стив Тейлор-Ноулз, Macmillan. 2005
2. Пособия и разработки автора Киреевой Т.В.

PART I. SPEAKING

Кейс 1: Topic 1. Family Life. Life Style. Personality. Famous People. Friends and Friendship

Speaking 1. Answer the questions.

1. Family Life

1. What is a happy family in your opinion? Why?
2. Should a young couple receive help from their parents and other relatives? Why/why not?
3. Conflicts between parents and teenagers are eternal. Do you agree? Why/why not?
4. Mutual respect is the most important part of relations between parents and children. Do you agree?
5. Say if you always share your ideas and problems with your parents. Why/why not?
6. Is it good if three generations (your parents and grandparents) live together in one household? Why/why not?
7. Young people don’t want to live with their parents. What do you think of that?
8. Is it good or bad to be an only child in the family? Why?
9. Do you agree that family life is more important for women than for men? Why?
10. Do you think that children should follow their parents’ advice in any situation? Why?
11. Do you think that parents should never hit their children? Why? Give your reasons.

2. Life Style

1. What type of house would you prefer to live in? Why?
2. What place in your house/flat do you consider the most important (kitchen, bedroom, sitting-room, etc.)? Give your reasons.
3. Do you enjoy where you live? Why/why not?
4. What place would you prefer to live in?
5. Do you enjoy your neighbourhood? Why/why not?
6. Has the standard of living changed in Russia? Give some examples.
7. Household duties (cleaning, washing up...) are relaxing and give us pleasure. Do you agree?

3. Personality. Famous People

1. Do you judge people from first impressions? Why/why not?
2. Say what is more important in a person – his character or his appearance. Why?
3. Some people are respected by everybody, others only by one or two people. Why?
4. A person’s character is usually formed in childhood. Do you agree? Why/or why not?
5. When we say a woman is beautiful, do we mean her appearance? What else can be beautiful?
6. We can’t guess a man’s character only by his appearance. Why/why not?
7. Does changing our appearance (hairstyle, clothes, image...) change our personality as well? Why/why not?
8. Do you agree that a person’s character is more important than his appearance? Why?
9. There are only advantages to being famous. Do you agree?
10. Does fame change people? Why/why not?
11. Would you like to be famous? Why/why not?
12. Do you agree that “a beauty lives an easier life”? Why?
13. Do you agree that famous people are selfish and boastful? Why/why not?

4. Friends and Friendship

1. It’s very important to have a close friend. Why/why not?
2. It’s difficult to find a good friend. Why/why not?
3. Do you agree that love is more important in life than friendship? Why/why not?
4. The best friend is the one who helps you when you need it. Do you agree?
5. You get to know your real friends when you are in a difficult situation. Do you agree?
6. Friends are people who have the same interests. Do you agree? Why/why not?
7. What points do you take into consideration when choosing a friend? Why?

Speaking 2. Give a one-minute talk on the situation.

1. Family Life. Life Style

1. What creates a warm atmosphere at home? Express your own point of view on family values.
2. What issues do you think cause conflicts between parents and teenagers? Give your reasons.
3. What role do your relatives play in your life? With whom do you usually share your thoughts, problems, and secrets? Whose advice is the most valuable? Develop these ideas.
4. Give your opinion about the division of household tasks in the family. Is it still the woman who should do most of the household tasks or should the household duties be divided between the man and the woman?
5. Sometimes three generations with very different attitudes and lifestyles live together in one household. What are some possible problems, and what can be done to keep them to a minimum?
6. Would you prefer to be an only child or one of two or three children? Is it better to be the oldest or the youngest child in the family? Give your reasons.
7. What happens when people get married? Are there any special activities or customs? Give a portrait of an ideal wife and ideal husband. What qualities would you like to have in your ideal partner? Give your reasons.
8. The International Tourism Bureau invites you to take part in the competition “Do You Know the Russian Way of Life?” The participants are to answer questions on some certain themes:

9. You have got a subject at school “Fundamentals of Family Life”. Your teacher cannot come to the lesson. She is ill. She asks you to make a report on the “Russian Family”.
10. Make a presentation of a new popular magazine “Family”, trying to attract the readers’ attention to its interesting articles on various aspects of family life.
11. Compare and contrast the American home, the British home and the Russian home.
12. Speak about your home and neighbourhood.
13. What are the typical features of homes in Russia? (in Britain/the USA)
14. A foreign visitor wants to know about housing in St. Petersburg. What information would you give?
15. Compare and contrast living in a country cottage and in an apartment.
16. Speak about the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city and in the countryside.
17. What are the main changes that have happened in housing in Russia over the last few years? Give some examples.
18. What type of accommodation do the majority of Russian people like to live in? Can you think of reasons? Why?
19. Why do you think there are homeless people in Russia? What could be done to improve the situation?

2. Personality and Famous People. Friends and Friendship

1. Do you have a really good friend? Do you think that your friendship will last? What makes you think so? What must we do in order to not make mistakes in choosing friends? Give your reasons.
2. A man’s character may be judged by observing who his/her friends and companions are. Do you agree with this idea? Give your reasons.
3. A best friend is the one who helps you when you’re really in need of help. You get to know your real friends when you are in a difficult situation. How else can you get to know your real friends? Develop these ideas.
4. “Friendship is a great human’s treasure”. How do you understand these words?
5. A local radio station is running a “Best Friend of the Year” competition. To enter, you must write a short composition describing someone you really like. What can you write?
6. Which of the following do you think are important aspects in a friendship or in a steady relationship? To have similar – tastes in music; tastes in food; habits and routines; hobbies and interests; opinions; backgrounds. What are chances of people with different tastes and personalities staying together?
7. What do you mean if you say about your friend, “her/his friendship means a lot to me”?
8. Say what you understand by “active friendship”. What must we do in order to not make mistakes in choosing friends?
9. We meet different people during our lives. Say what kind of people you like and what kind of people you dislike. Speak about reasons for your likes and dislikes.
10. Say what you first notice about a person when you meet him/her for the first time. How do you judge people from first impressions?
11. Say what is more important in a person – his character or his appearance. Give your reasons. What is easier to change – your appearance or your character? Why?
12. Give examples of nobility of character taken from works by Russian and foreign writers. Say which character is your favourite and why you like this character. Describe two literary personages who are antipodes.
13. Some people are respected by everybody, others only by one or two. Why? Express your opinion.
14. A person’s character is usually formed in childhood. Do you agree or disagree? Give your reasons. What are the essential factors that help mould a person’s character: background and environment; educational possibilities; cultural standards; or circumstances?
15. Some people may not be able to see beauty when it is near them. What do we mean when speak about someone’s beauty? What is your idea of physical beauty? Can you name some famous people who are really beautiful?
16. One of Chekhov’s characters said that everything must be beautiful in a person – face, dress, spirit and mind. How do you understand this?
17. What are the traits of an ideal friend/wife/husband? Do you think it’s good to live with an ideal? Give your reasons.
18. Do you agree that people’s eyes tell you a lot about their personality? How do you understand these words: “You must look into people as well as at them”; “Appearances are deceptive”?
19. What traits of character, in your opinion, do pupils appreciate in a teacher? Give your reasons.
20. Do you think one’s appearance is important when you want to get a job? Why? In what jobs do you think appearance is most essential? Why?

Speaking 3. Debates and Discussions

1. Consider the following: “Being married or being single”. Discuss the differences between them; the advantages and disadvantages they have; say what you would do if you were given the choice.
2. Speak on the advantages and disadvantages of living with parents and grandparents.
3. Would you prefer to be an only child or one of two or three children? Discuss what the advantages/disadvantages are of:

4. Read these ideas about friendship and say if you agree or disagree. Give your arguments.

5. A stereotype is a fixed set of ideas that is generally held about the characteristics of a particular type of person/group, which are (wrongly) believed to be shared by all the people of that type. What is your stereotype of a British/American person, Russian person?
6. Speak about possible people for this year’s title “PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR”. They can be from the world of politics, entertainment, sport, the arts or business. Speak about reasons why you think he/she deserves the title.
7. What do you understand by the word “IMAGE”? Why is image so important for media figures, like politicians, stars, etc? Is it important for you? Discuss the importance of these qualities. Which of them you consider the most important for a political leader? What other qualities, in your opinion, are necessary for a political leader to have?

8. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being famous? Does fame change people? Have you ever met a famous person or received a letter from someone famous? If not, imagine it. If you saw someone famous in a public place like a restaurant, what would you do? What would you most like and most dislike about being famous? Express your ideas.
9. You are a top model. It’s not easy to be a high-fashion model. What difficulties and challenges do they face? What ridiculous things are there in this profession? Speak about the advantages and disadvantages of being a model.

Speaking 4. Discussing Quotations, Sayings and Proverbs

1. There are famous sayings:

2. Agree or disagree with these quotations; your opinion should be followed by some appropriate comment where possible:

3. Try to explain how you understand these proverbs:

4. How do you understand these sayings about friendship:

5. Explain your understanding of the proverbs:

6. Explain your understanding of the poem:

Friendship is a thing for two,
Three or four, even more,
Like a song that is made to sing
Friendship is a doing thing.
Friends are people who share,
Friends are people who care.
They try to understand.
They give a helping hand.

7. Henry Longfellow, a famous American poet of the 19th century wrote, “Be noble in every thought and in every deed!”
Did Longfellow want his readers to be honest with themselves and with other people? Discuss what the poet meant by these words.
8. Here are English proverbs:

“Doing is better than saying”;
“Actions speak louder than words.”
Give your own explanation of them.

9. How can you explain the sayings: “When you are good to others, you are best to yourself.” Give examples from books and from your own life.
10. How can you explain these words?

11. Explain the proverb:

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost;
When health is lost, something is lost;
When character is lost, all is lost.

12. Do you think that the saying “A beauty lives an easier life” is correct? Prove your point.

Speaking 5. Dramatizing and Role-play

1. You are a top model and you meet a friend of yours in the airport. Give him/her your news and find out where he/she has been and what he/she has done recently.
2. You saw a film yesterday. You liked the play of an actress/actor who is well-known but you can’t remember her/his name. Describe her/his appearance to your friend, maybe she/he will remember the actress’s/actor’s name. Act out a conversation.
3. You’re members of a beauty contest jury. Discuss the participants and choose the most beautiful girl. Dramatize the situation.
4. You witnessed a bank robbery. Describe the criminals for the policemen. Dramatize the situation.
5. Role-play.

Card A. You have two friends you like very much, but one of the friends does not like the other one. You plan to invite both of them to your birthday party. Speak to the first friend to invite her/him.

Card B. You like your friend and want to go to her/his birthday party. However, your friend will probably invite someone else you dislike very much. You think that being in the same room with this person will ruin the party for you, so you decide not to go if that person is going. When your friend invites you, tell him/her your feelings.

6. You’ve read an advertisement in a magazine and now you dream of becoming a model. You ring up the agency and have a talk with an administrator. Act out a conversation.
7. Your family is going to receive guests or give a party. You are discussing what should be done to make the house look better. Everyone is giving his/her suggestions. Act out a conversation.
8. The husband thinks his 17-year-old daughter is too young to go out on dates. The wife disagrees. Act out a conversation.
9. Dramatize a short play in which the members of the family greet the elder daughter who has just arrived and she is talking to her mother about her trip.
10. Act out a scene in which the family is planning a day out (or holiday) and discussing various ideas. Each member of the family suggests ideas of where to go, trying to convince the others that his/her idea is the best.

Speaking 6. Give a two-minute talk on the topic.

Task 1. Give a 2-minute talk on family life.

Remember to discuss:

Task 2. Give a 2-minute talk on family life.

Remember to discuss:

Task 3. Give a 2-minute talk on your life style.

Remember to discuss:

Task 4. Give a 2-minute talk on where you live.

Remember to discuss:

Task 5. Give a 2-minute talk on personality.

Remember to discuss:

Task 6. Give a 2-minute talk on famous people.

Remember to discuss:

Task 7. Give a 2-minute talk on your best friend.

Remember to discuss:

Speaking 7. Role-play

Task 1. An Interview

A famous star/singer is giving an interview about his/her life. You are a reporter who is interested in her/his private life and asks her questions:

Remember to:

Task 2. An Interview

One student is a famous cinema star who is giving an interview. The second student is a reporter who is interested in her/his private life and asks her questions about:

Remember to:

Task 3. Giving Some Advice

Your friend is in a bad mood today. Try to talk to him:

Remember to:

Speaking 8. Simulated Situation

Task 1. How to be successful in life

You and your friend are discussing what to do to be successful in life. You have three options for discussion:

Remember to:

Task 2. Family Celebrations

You and your friend have a task to write a report about a family celebration. You are given 4 options for discussion:A holiday celebration; A wedding reception; A christening; A birthday party

Discuss all these options and choose one you both like most of all. Give reasons for your choice.

Remember to:

Task 3. Discussing a New Baby in Your Family

You and your sister/brother are discussing the arrival of a new baby in your family. Discuss the following options and choose one you both like most of all. Give reasons for your choice.

Troubles; Duties; Fun; Happiness

Remember to:

Task 4. Discussing a Birthday Party

You and your relative (sister, brother, cousin...) are discussing your birthday party. There are 4 options to choose from. You have to decide on one of them:

*Home party with relatives
*Home party with your friends
*Going to a disco bar
*A barbecue party in the countryside

Remember to:

Task 5. Choosing a Present

You and your sister/brother are thinking of what you can present your mum. Discuss the following options and choose one you both like most of all: Vase; Candy; Flowers; Home-made pie

Remember to:

Task 6. Choosing a Present

It’s March 7th. You want to make a pleasant surprise for your Mum tomorrow. You can:

Discuss it with your sister/brother and choose one activity you both prefer.

Remember to:

Useful Vocabulary

Task 7. Choosing a Present

You and your mother/sister/brother are discussing a present you are going to give to your Granny’s 50th birthday. Discuss the following options and choose one you both like most of all: A watch; A TV set; A dress; A necklace

Remember to:

to be continued

By Tatyana Kireeva ,
Gymnasium No. 2, Saint-Petersburg