Designing Web-based Lessons

Choosing Content

Why organize lessons around content areas?

One way to organize language learning material is around content areas or topics. You may have used language textbooks that group material together in this fashion. For example, content areas can be based on personal identification, health, jobs, shopping, culture, etc. These content areas should address students’ assessed needs. Content areas give a series of lessons a unifying flow and a context for language learning.

How do I find content appropriate for my class?

There is a world of content on the Internet. Some of it is fantastic for language learners and some of it is junk. The most time consuming element of planning a Web-based Lesson is locating appropriate content for your class. This involves searching the Internet. Remember, whenever you see something that looks appropriate for your class bookmark it. Talk to other teachers and share ideas. Some content areas are loaded with material on the Internet and other are almost impossible to find information about.

Some content areas that I've had success with:

Getting to know each other

Personal information
Geography

Around Town

Maps and directions
Public Transportation
Entertainment

Community resources

Employment
Identifying job skills
Resume writing
Job Search Skills

Our Lesson Step One: Choosing Content

Let's design a CALL lesson on geography for a lower intermediate level ESL class. There is a great Web site hosted by ABC News, called ABC News Country Profiles, that has geographical information about virtually every country in the world.

Our next step in the designing our Web-based Call Lesson is defining our language objectives.