Project-step 1

CLASS BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

I am teaching only one class, grade 8. They are all girls. They are about 24 students in the class. They are 14 years old. It is a mixed ability class. There are students with different level inside the class which is a challenging task for me. I have 4 outstanding students, 14 average students and 6 underachievement students. They also have different learning strategies which I should but in my consideration when I sit to plan for my lessons.


PHYSICAL CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

The classroom is too small so students are sitting in groups of 4. There is not any electronic devices inside the classroom. We have to go down stairs to the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) or computer lab if we went to use any of the electronic devices like overhead projects, proxima, smart board, computers, CDs rooms and so on. There is wireless internet connection in the class but students do not have laptops and they are not allowed to bring them to the school. When they need to use the internet they should move to the computer lab or LRC.


CURRICULUM: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The students have to study 2 books, Classbook and Skillsbook. They are called "English for Me". They are provided by the Ministry of Education in our country. The number of the units differ according to the grade. For grade 8, students have to study only 4 units. The title of the units in semester one are totally different from units in semester two. Each unit deals with different language skills such as reading, speaking, listening, writing , grammar and vocabulary. The main aims of Oman's curriculum is to help students master the language effectively so that they will be able to communicate with the speakers of the language. Students start to learn English from grade 1 gradually till the finish high school. For cycle 1 (1-4) the most focus is on reading and speaking and a little bit of writing skill beside vocabulary and basic grammatical rules. In cycle2 the focus is on the 4 skills as well as vocabulary and grammar.

However, the objective of "English for Me" grade 8 are:
Speaking

- to be able to understand daily spoken language
- to be able to give a presentation
- to be able to interact with others and take part in different kinds of interactions in a variety of contexts.

Reading
- to be able to understand different types of written texts
- to be able to understand the four general categories of a text: interactive, informative, narrative and evaluative
- to be able to read independently and to carry out post reading tasks relating to these texts.

Writing
to be able to write and respond to letters and e-mails
- to be able to write texts with the purpose of providing information
- to be able to write stories and narrate events in the past
- to be able to write texts which express and justify opinions.

Grammar and vocabulary
- to be able to understand and use grammar and vocabulary in speaking, and writing


INTERESTS/ABILITIES

My students are interested in technology and they are able to use some of the electronic devices inside the school. They do not have time to use all of them or even to log in to different websites. They have only one or two lessons in the computer lab where they learn about certain programs which is part of their curriculum. I try my best to give them the chance to log in to some blogs or website for learning the basic skills of English language. I also provide them with some websites to log to in their homes but not all students have computers or internet connection. Some of them have e-mails accounts and others not. Some of them do not know how to browse the net. I try my best to teach them how to browse the net in the break .