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Intertwining Lyrics and Images in Task Designs Mr. Marvin Wacnag Lidawan
English Language Lecturer
English Language Program Department
Jubail Training Institute
Royal Commission of Jubail
KSA Abstract
This focuses on the linkages of innovations to Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) where
task design components and rudiments in formulating task- based learning activities are utilized.
Assessment of authentic materials for students’ classroom learning involvement is applied in the
selection of appropriate inputs. The lyrics and video images were preferred as interconnected
springboards for this conceptualized instructional design with the interactive aid of the viewing
skills to interplay with the macro skills. It aspires to generate the immersion of learners’ interests
in the real world environment. The lyrics are blue prints equivalent to the images where learners
can both use to wholly comprehend the given tasks. Communicative tasks, authentic materials,
tasks- based teaching and the salient features of images and lyrics with the integration of a music
video images’ rudiments support the achievement of this paper’s instructional objectives. This also
points out how task components are manipulated out of these interconnected materials to form
a worth- engrossing real –world learning environment. It is perceived that with the use of audio –
visual materials, viewing skills could be activated as the beginning stimulus for communicative
language teaching and learning to achieve desired learning upshots.
Key terms
Communicative language teaching, visual images, lyrics, authentic materials, task designs
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Introduction
Almost every learner nowadays is influenced by the growing number of trends that redirect his
interests in classroom learning. Computer games, cyberspace and other forms of social media for
modern entertainment and pastimes are types of euphoria that revert the learner’s attention. The
unique curiosities they experienced from the cyberspace are far from what they expect in the
classroom. This is an alarming phenomenon in the field of the academe that needs immediate
attention and concern. To lessen this dilemma, language educators should redefine what should
take place in the classroom. Language teaching employment should provide linkages between
classroom activities and the real world. Language educators should also define the distinctions
between what is traditional and what is modern. The need to innovate to stimulate a learner is an
application of communicative tasks that doesn’t isolate the learners from the learners ‘real
environment they are right now. I call this technique as intertwining tasks in a single springboard
for tasks designs. Intertwining is operationally used in this paper as a process to elucidate varied
activities and skills that are interrelated with each other in a sequential form. The output in the
first tasks becomes a foundation to accomplish following sequenced tasks.
Modern language teaching methods have evolved from traditional theories. They form the basis of
language proponents to discover what exists today in the world of learners which play significant
parts to what lies ahead in the breakthroughs of language teaching and learning. The methods
shouldn’t be confined as mere issues for academic discussions among language educators’
convergence in the linguistic fields but its principles should be crucially carried-out in the
learning -teaching process considering that our learners’ focus are redirected by other
environmental factors before they are exposed to the classrooms.
To find solutions for this growing observed problem, we bring these theories into reality. It is
interesting to suggest that every teacher should focus his attention to the components of language
task designs that intertwines through the use of a single interesting springboard to yield interactive
classroom activities. Forth a worthy students’ engagement of this strategy, it requires every teacher
to perceive what occurs around the learner’s environment. The innovative teacher should have
the ability to create interesting activities that relates with the enthusiasm of learners. By doing so,
motivation can be realized. To be able to achieve desired learning objectives out of one’s
innovation, it necessitates meticulous choice of appropriate materials that shall play central roles
in the interactive learning process called communicative language teaching.
The Nature of Communicative Tasks in communicative Language teaching
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Nunan (1991) declares that communicative tasks have evolved as an important component within
a program preparation, application and assessment. Tasks-based language teaching, syllabus
content and instructional processes employ communicative tasks which are expected to be engaged
by learners when they leave formal instructions illustrating that CLT’s main objective is to attain
communicative competence. The following shows the rudiments of CLT:
1. The main focus of communicative language teaching is using the language interactively
in the classroom through the designed activities,
2. The teachers should use an authentic text as a springboard which is taking place in real
world situations,
3. Focus is not only on the language but also on how these languages are learned which
provides the learners how language are formed,
4. Improves individual experiences of the students as a significant factor in classroom
learning. It further explains that prior knowledge is improved and is used to further learn
as they are being processed formally in the classroom and
5. Pedagogical learning must be situated with what happens in the learners’ real - world
environment.
Task- based language teaching is composed of communicative tasks that are straightly linked to
the goals. Task-based also is an overall approach to language learning that realizes the tasks that
learners perform relevant to the instructional procedure. Nunan (1989) again emphasizes the
elements of tasks crucial to task designs which are goal, input, activities, teacher role, student role
and settings.
To briefly describe these elements, goals stand for the general objectives or purpose in the learning
tasks. The input is the information that produces the point of exit on tasks engagement. Activities
determine what the learners’ will do using the input, the two roles refer to the interactive
relationship between the students and teachers. Settings refer to the classroom organization
demanded by the tasks and how the students are grouped in dealing with the activities. Merging
all these identified necessary components bring out interactive classroom activities where
communicative competency is hoped to be completed with the support of appropriate authentic
materials.
The aid of authentic materials
Designing language tasks prioritizes authentic materials’ essential principles. Many linguists in
language teaching and learning reveal the power of authentic materials because they serve central
roles in the manipulation of the tasks’ elements. It is then recommended that careful choice of
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authentic materials should be performed. To continue elaborating its importance, Morrow (1977)
cited by Gilmore (2007) states that authentic text is an extension of factual language made by
native speaker or writer and are constructed to express meanings. Similarly, Gilmore (2004) tells
that authentic materials specifically audio and visuals materials like movies and televisions have
much produced springboards for students and do contain varied possibilities to be explored to
achieve communicative competence, on the other hand, Breen(1995)also says that we can opt
many activities in the classroom which are parallel to how learners would prefer to learn and at
the same time deal with real life interactions. Other than that, Shrum and Glisan (2000) suggest
that authentic materials can give ways of showing factual language, using cultural concepts to
increase comprehension of the language. Furthermore, Gilmore 2004, asserts that if a teacher’s
aim is to formulate students for free and broader language use, there is a need for the teacher to
use factual patterns of language use which Kelly et al. ( 2002) agree by saying that authentic
materials are employed efficiently, English class becomes animated. He further states that
students should be given the opportunity to be engaged in cultural contents for profound
comprehension of ideas which yields focus among students by starting from lower level to a higher
level. Moreover, Clark and Siberstien (1977) as mentioned by Richards (2006) suggest that the
following advices are to be observed in the selection of authentic materials: The target language
should be connected with cultural ideas as a result of using authentic materials, authentic
materials should yield engagement to factual language, and authentic materials should be
connected in proximity to what the students’ needs and authentic materials should produce
teaching innovations among teachers who use it. At this point, we are made to understand that
authentic materials can be modified to suit learners’ needs.
Additionally, Lee (1995) recommends that the following are essential criteria in choosing authentic
materials to be employed in the classroom: reality of the text to students’ real life events,
appropriateness of details to the students, alignment of the materials to intended outcomes of
the English program and the exploitability of the authentic material as a springboard. The inner
points of these proponents speak of one thing in common- that authentic materials should
have the qualities in promoting the language learned to be applied in real life communicative
settings. To sum up, competence is achieved through the observance of CLT concepts. It is
important to identify CLT concepts through Richards (2006) which this paper attempts to
accomplish in designing the language tasks to intertwine lyrics and images of a music video. To
Richards, communicative includes the following aspects of language knowledge: the skill to
operate the language in varied uses, the skill to create some varied use of the language base from
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situations and the levels of learners, the skill to comprehend and make different passages, and
the skill to adjust interaction despite the person’s low ability in manipulating the language .
Also, according to Richards, communicative language teaching has ten core assumptions of current
language teaching. These are : second language learning can be guaranteed when students are
involved in an interface and significant forms of communications, functional classroom activities
and exercises give chances among students to absorb and relay thoughts. Effective classroom
learning tasks and exercises provide opportunities for students to negotiate meaning, expand their
language resources, notice how language is used, and take part in the meaningful interpersonal
exchange; operative classroom activities through varied tasks present students to transfer
messages ,broaden language ways ,identify how language function and interact using the
understood language; expressive communication are yielded out of effective dealings with
language details that are important, stimulating and appealing to the students; language
interaction is a universal method that needs the use of varied language abilities; language
learning is enabled by tasks and that includes finding the fundamental guidelines of language
functions and structural association; language learning is a measured method that needs the
creative functions of the language that undergoes testing for errors. Errors are ways of reflecting
learning results which aims for accuracy and fluency; students develop their personal ways to show
learning development in varied degrees. Learners also have varied needs and ways to be
motivated, effective language learning depends on learning and communication approaches,
teachers’ roles in the formal classroom as a facilitator who is going to make a favorable place to
learn and a provider of ample privileges for the students to practice and utilize language and
finally, a classroom should be a social place where students learn through cooperating and
being involved in an educative processes for no one learns effectively by himself alone.
The Inputs
Language educators’ innovative concepts will never be stationary but shall continue to rise in
fruition if language teachers have the capacity to perceive the reality that unfolds within learners
changing environment with the support of any educational institution that upholds and embraces
creativity or innovations of its language educators in an era of consecutive and non-stop changes
where the academe becomes a powerful catalyst in educational transformation. Nowadays,
motivational learning has to be abreast with the learners’ focus of interests. Since this happens, an
educator doesn’t decide of what he likes to use as tools in elucidating knowledge. It is a
commitment for any educator to be aware of the learners’ evolving world and when he had
monitored his learners’ language levels, interests and hobbies, these will determine the kind of
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materials he needs to employ. The likes of films or motion pictures, you- tube clips for moving
images or the products of social media such as blogs, Facebook, Instagram, among other forms are
possible materials as vehicles to teach the language. One possible distinctive choice of a teacher is
the material related with music where most students find time to engross with nowadays. An
example of these materials is the music video that has images and lyrics. This music video
entitled Oklahoma performed by Billy Gilman (2001) shall be the toolkit to be dealt with in this
paper. The video that tells the story is further supported by its lyrics to provide vivid ideas of
what the song is all about.
The music video’s’ Lyrics as an input
Oklahoma Gilman(2001)
Suitcase packed with all his things,
Car pulls up, the doorbell rings.
He don't want to go.
He thought he'd found his home.
But with circumstances he can't change,
Waves goodbye as they pull away,
From the life he's known,
For the last seven months or so.
She said we found the man who looks like you.
Who cried and said he never knew,
About the boy in pictures that we showed him.
A rambler in his younger days,
He knew he made a few mistakes,
But he swore he would have been there,
Had he known it.
Son we think we found your dad in Oklahoma.
A million thoughts raced through his mind.
What's his name, what's he like and will be?
Anything like the man in his dreams.
She could see the questions in his eyes.
Whispered "don't be scared my child,
I'll let you know, what we know.
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About the man we found, he looks like you.
And cried and said he never knew.
About the boy in pictures that we showed him.
A rambler in his younger days,
He knew he'd made a few mistakes.
But he swore he would've been there had he known it.
You always said that this was something that you wanted.
Son it's time to meet your Dad in Oklahoma.
One last turn he held his breath,
'Til they reached the fifth house on the left,
And all at once the tears came rolling in.
And as they pulled into the drive,
A man was waiting there outside,
Who wiped the worry from his eyes Smiled and took his hand.
And he said I'm the man who looks like you.
Who cried because I never knew.
About that boy in pictures that they showed me,
A rambler in my younger days I knew I made a few mistakes,
But I swear I would have been there had I known it.
Never again will you ever be alone,
Son welcome to your home in Oklahoma.
Choosing the Folk and Country Music Lyrics
Country music lyrics areperceived as rewarding material for language teaching. To be able to
evaluate it appropriately for teaching used, the following questions where utilized as my
conceptualized guidelines relating to the principles suggested by language proponents about
authentic materials: Does the text contain elements for the constructions of varied language tasks?
Are there language focuses perceived for the utilization of language functions? Are there
pedagogical tasks to be developed out of the material? Are the languages decent enough for the
students to manipulate in the learning process? Does the theme cater to general listeners or
audience? Are there situations in the piece that occur in real-life? Are the vocabularies easy to
understand? Does the tone and rhythm guide the students to understand the theme of the piece?
Are the syntactic structures simple for the students’ level to understand? Is the piece appropriate
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for the integration of macro skills in the language tasks? Can these materials intertwine or relate
with the activities in each macro skills? Does it have the capability to encourage visualization to
aid comprehension? Can it play as a springboard to apply the levels of thinking? Does it violate
cultural practices? Is it aligned with the learning institutions’ ELP curricular program?
The Folk and Country Music Lyrics
A folk and country music lyric entitled, Oklahoma (2001) was utilized in the language task designs
due to its easily comprehended nature of language used. It also eventually has been made into a
music video which forms parallelism to the images. Review of the folk and country music as a
song possesses features that allow its employment as a kind of a narrative where a story can be
woven out of it. As an input, basic comprehension skills could be applied from its elements. It is
also a piece that develops values through the expressions used and with its simplified language
structures, it yields language focuses appropriate for the learners. From phonological,
morphological and syntactical structural contents, this genre of music is an ideal catalyst for
language learning designs.
Definition and Nature of Country Music
Country music, according to Merriam Webster (2014) explains that it is a melodic style came
among whites in countryside areas of the southern and western United States.. The term country
and western music was adopted by the music industry in 1949. Global Britannica (2014) reveals
that country music’s roots lie in the music of the European settlers of the Appalachians and other
areas. The first singer to have its first song recorded is Fiddlin’ John Carson. Some of the
pioneering musicians were the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, who performed on radio and
in recording studios during the early 20s when this type of music started to be commercially and
electronically produced.
Nature of Country Music (n.d.) further exposes that it was in the 1930s and '40s that country music
was opened to influences, such as blues and gospel music. Its themes were scarcity, despair, and
reminiscence. In the 1930s, country music lyrics were replaced into western music. Some
alternatives include western swing and honky-tonk .In the 1940s, some people in the industry tried
to return the music’s original root but due to commerce it continued to retain its 1930s themes. In
the 1950s and 1960s, country music became a big business. Songs were recorded in Nashville
styles while others use orchestra to musically score their lyrics. New performers came into fruition
and singers such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks,
Emmylou Harris, and Lyle Lovett.
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It is observed that many contemporary country music’s contents today has evolved into varied
themes which could be easily woven to tell stories specially with the advent of images contained
in the making of its videos.
The Role of images in comprehensions
With the presence of music video, it would be easier to form parallelism of ideas which guides the
students to express different levels of comprehension. The combinations of images with lyrics
form the hub in search of meanings. Since this paper utilizes the visual element of video together
with the lyrics, images and visualization play important role in dealing with the springboards. The
following proponents have discovered the wonders of visual literacy and imagery in teaching
which supports my idea of effective learning through visual images and lyrics of a video. To
them, visualization is a powerful tool in the process of learning.
According to Ausburn (1978) visual literacy is when the mind interprets what the eyes sees. To
him a person who is well verse in visual images is expected to read and write languages
represented by visuals which includes the skill to translate and provide meanings to visual
images, to write messages and orally construct significant interactive meanings from visual
images This study is supported by Colbert et.al (1999) when they declare that visual literacy is the
skill to create details from moving images. Moreover, Lapp et. al (1999) mention that for one to
create sensible perceptions out of moving images, he becomes a reader using his critical abilities
to examine, judge and perceive significance. To them, visual knowledge refers to one’s
understanding the images at the moment and recalling what has been seen formerly to be able
to express ideas .To them, there are lots of visual communication forms that include gestures,
objects, signs and symbols which show meanings. Visual literacy for them is to be able to
comprehend what the images are all about and to understand the components of the images to
arrive at a whole idea. Oring (2000) agrees that visual symbols are employed instead of using
words to relay ideas to arouse an emotion. It is important that the audience should be able to
recognize the ideas presented. Fitzgerald (1995) further states that the production of images
signifies that visual capacity is important to use in obtaining ideas, formulating awareness
and creating effective instructional results. To continue, Kazmierezak (2001) tells that grammar,
composition and semantics of visual skills wholly expresses that images and styles of
demonstrations and denotation enable learners to interact with reality. Visual knowledge consists
of symbols where meanings are the consequences of real presence in a specific condition.
Meanings are formed by seeing and critical thinking. To them, an individual who uses
visualization is gifted with a superior degree of intelligence. Furthermore, Messaris (1995) argues
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that visual learning gives a basis of comprehension and judging artistic purposes. It sharpens oral
and written abilities and further increases students’ language terminologies to be able to speak
and write regarding images. Finally, the studies of Khafai & Resnick (1996) manifest general
assumptions on picturing and imagery. Their findings disclose that the use of visualization and
imagery in formal classroom programs starts through giving few questions to stimulate leaners.
When the questions have been embedded to the minds of the students, they are ready to
identify and decipher the messages in forms of images.
The nature of Audio-Visual materials
According to Project Pros (2012), employment of audio visual materials as teaching tools has
escalated in the current times. Because of the varied breakthroughs of technology today, the use
of audio –visual materials as teaching materials has gone popular in recent years. The
breakthroughs of technology have produced many authentic materials for educators to cater to the
needs of modern-day learners. Studies and researches found out that the learning aids educators
offer nowadays stimulate learners’ attention which generates better participation in class. Below
are some importance of audio visual materials in teaching and learning according to Project Pros
(2012):
1. Students become more engaged and motivated for they develop a learning habit with the use
of audio-visual materials,
2. The audio-visual materials are relevant because students have the vivid idea of what is presented
by teachers in the classrooms,
3. Audio visual materials are strong tools that decrease the tensions of preparing classroom
lessons on the part of the teachers. It also directs learners into desirable outputs,
4. Audio visual aids teaching method’s application is realized while they improve students’
understanding of the target language being taught,
5. Teaching materials assist in making class interactions more realistic and
6. Provide teaching proficiency to educators while students obtain a real picture of what they are
going to learn.
Visual literacy’s acquisition through the viewing skills
Cruickshank (2014) reveals his interview with Martin Scorsese on the important relationship
between film and visual literacy by citing the interviewee’s personal views on how the moving
images became a significant influence. Scorsese narrates:
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“So I was taken to the movie theater and the church. Along with the films, I saw a lot
of television shows. I was acquiring visual literacy at that time, though I did not
understand that it was happening.- in other words, how to live with the book, how to
read a few pages, savor it, go back to it. I was much more open to whatever visual
codes were hidden in films, P1.”
“What I mean by that is the storytelling of cinema through the use of the camera and
the use of light, actors, and dialogue -- all the literature of the screenplay translated
through the images. The stories were wonderful in the films, but it was also the way
of telling the story. As a young person, I started to wonder, why is the way of telling
the story so interesting? So what I began to do -- particularly because the films were
on television and sometimes shown in repertory theaters around the city -- was, I would
go and see my favorite parts again and again, and slowly but surely I began to
memorize these visually, and sometimes I would make up my own visual
interpretations P1.”
He further expresses during the interview that the global community has been filled with films as
visual motivations and that moving pictures aid individual learners to think critically through the
power of visual images if viewing skills are administered appropriately.
The viewing skill among the skills to be developed has been integrated in the designs of language
tasks. According to Television Literacy: Critical Television (1982), viewing skill is a part of the
macro skills that is an important factor in language teaching for students are guided on what they
see or watch. It becomes a tool for learners to obtain prior understanding on what they are going
to be involved in. Through the visual elements presented in films, the learners begin to use their
thinking ability based on the images that they see onscreen.
Also, visual literacy plays crucial role in language learning when images of moving or static
pictures are used as a tool in language tasks designs. To Goldstein (2008), images have long served
as an essential factor in language instructions but these aren’t seriously by learners or even
teachers. Goldstein articulates further that as a form of visual literacy, there is an interconnection
of the images and its content that needs to be explored in an environment where visual and
auditory media forms abound. These stuffs must then be used creatively in language instructions.
Using music video as a material shapes a strong concept of language education in substitute of
other films. It also elucidates the relationship of understanding reading text and the images of
motion pictures. Berk (2009) says expected learning outcomes with the use of videos could be
summarized into varied potential outcomes which are: gets students’ responses to the medium,
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concentration is directed to the material, yields class’ interests, produce the idea of eagerness in
lessons, invigorates learners, creates productive imagination, develops the habit of students to be
engrossed with the content and learning, relate with students and instructors, escalate recall of
details, strengthen comprehension, yields innovation, encourage the flow of thoughts, produce
deeper absorption of knowledge, gives a chance of expressing ideas independently, presents
vehicle for teamwork, arouse students’ enthusiasm, provides humor, presents significant images,
ensure the absence of worry and create favorable learning atmosphere.
The trend of today commands the innovative concepts of any language educator to devise a
teaching tool out of technological breakthroughs. In the case of the tasks to be designed in this
paper, its springboard utilizes the music video that yielded lyrics as results of technology. Between
lyrics and images, the lyrics interconnect comprehension question activities to reinforce the
understanding of the images. It is then appropriate to design both inputs: lyrics and video images
in sequence where the lyrical text guides every viewer to understand the images.
The task - construction process
These conceptualized task- design technique is a product of a hopeful concept to integrate the
task design components formulated by David Nunan. A music video which was carefully chosen
and is used as a springboard by the manipulation of its images and lyrics intertwined to form
the tasks. It has been perceived that before the language tasks are to be performed, the viewing
skills should be administered first. The viewing skill is divided into two: previewing and the
post-viewing skills with corresponding tasks in each category. These created tasks form the
lessons where relevant elements such as general goal, input, individual task’s specific
objectives, instructions, language focus, language functions, setting, specified macro skills
,interactive activities and expected outputs aid each other to apply the intertwined approach. As
mentioned earlier, these series of designed tasks does not absolutely mean to replace every
language educator’s innovative capabilities but serves as a jumpstart or as basis to create
worthy lessons capable to stir easy learning process among modern students.
The sample task designs
The exemplified activities in this paper doesn’t serve to control or replace the innovative capacity
of teachers over tasks designs but it attempts to encourage more creative activities from teachers’
innovative concepts catering to the learners’ needs in English as a second language’s classroom
instructions. I believe that from these introduced tasks, enhanced ideas can be constructed in
appropriately providing the needs of learners at any level in a setting where the teacher is watchful
enough in defining the aptitudes of his audience. The completion of these tasks may not be
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necessarily in series but can be altered in a way that the learning objectives of the English programs
of a learning institution being served are satisfied.
I also agree that the principles of tasks designs do not only happen with the inputs utilized in this
paper because out of innovative tendencies, teachers have the creative and strategic discretions
to modify or replace the specific materials employed only to cater the levels of learners. In
formulating the possible tasks based from the two intertwined inputs, the general goal has been
provided for competencies to be achieved in each activity. The two interconnected inputs- music
video and music lyrics to be dealt with have specific objectives in every activity which are aligned
to the general goals. The tasks too, comprise language functions and language focus. The teacher
role is to give instructions and arranged the students by different groups. And upon completion of
each activity, the students are given time to interact based from the outputs they have constructed
earlier to reinforce the learning process.
General Goal:
Comprehend the messages of moving images and the text by the manipulations of
language focuses which are useful to learners ‘daily interactions outside and inside the
classrooms.
Input: Music Video and Music lyrics
A. Pre viewing Tasks
Tasks 1: The genre of movies and expressing feelings
Specific objectives:the students are expected to:
Use the expressions of acceptance and rejection base from experiences
Classify movies according to genre
Instructions: The teacher brings out a topic regarding films. The teacher discusses the genre of
movies.
Language Focus:
I Like / I love and I dislikes/ I hate
Genre of videos/films- Drama, action, horror, suspense, science
fiction, etc.
Language functions:
Classifying videos or films
Expressing acceptance and rejection
Setting: Group the students by pairs
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Skill: Speaking
Interactive activity: Students engage in question and answer activities, alternately with partners
after an activity similar to this has been done between the teacher and the students.
Expected outputs
Student A. What kind of movie do you watch?
Student B. I watch action movies.
Student A. What kind of movie do you like to watch?
Student B. I like /love action movies.
Student A. What kind of movie don’t you like to watch?
Student B. I dislike/I hate horror movies.
Tasks 2 Expressing regularity/incidence
Specific Objective: the students are expected to:
Use expressions of regularity, frequency or incidence in a natural conversation linking
previously learned expressions.
Instructions: The teacher yields a question that will trigger possible responses related with
the language focus. Discuss frequency of actions
Language focus:
Frequency of adverbs: always, constantly, usually, regularly, often, sometimes,
occasionally, rarely, seldom, never, etc.
Language Functions:
Expressing regularity/incidence of actions made.
Integrating the kinds of movies and feelings of acceptance.
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: regrouped students with different partners
Interactive activity: Students engage in a conversation with different classmates after an activity
similar to this. Students take turns in doing the conversation.
Expected outputs:
Student A. How often do you watch movies?
Student B. I watched movies always.
Student A. What kinds of movies do you always watch?
Student B. I always watch action, horror and drama.
I like /love these movies so much.
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Student A .Where do you always watch these kinds of movies?
Student B. I always watch these movies in the cinema or at home.
Task 3
Specific Objective: the students are expected to:
Express opinions by predicting what the video’s story is all about & point out themes the
story can provide.
Instructions: The teacher asks the students to predict what the story is all about by asking the
question,” What is the story all about?” Before the students will response, the teacher has to
elucidate how to answer the questions through the introduction of the expressions to be used. Also,
the teacher explains themes and forms of themes for the students to tell.
Language focus:
Expressions of predictions such as: I guess, maybe, perhaps, I think, in my opinion,
probably, etc.
Noun forms of themes like: revenge, love, sadness, frustrations, and sorrow, among others.
Language Functions:
Theme constructions, predicting/guessing ideas.
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: Regrouped students to have different partners
Interactive activity: Students engage in a conversation after an activity similar to this.
Expected outputs:
Student A. Hello Khalid, What do you think the movie is all about?
Student B. I think the movie is all about war.
B. Post-viewing tasks
Task 1
Specific Objectives:the students are expected to :
Use the video and lyrics of the song to understand the message through the use of wh-
questions. Infer what the movie is all about by using previous expressions learned.
Instructions:
These tasks will be divided into two activities. First, the teacher allows the students to
watch the video as a whole group before giving copies of the lyrics. The students are given
enough time to read the text before they will provide written answers of the comprehension
questions. The teacher discusses the use of the Wh-questions and expressions for
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reasoning. The teacher asks the students words that they don’t understand to be explained
further for easy comprehensions. When the group has answered, each group deliberates by
defending their answers within the context of what they have read and viewed. The teacher
establishes agreement on answers for common basis.
Language focus:
Wh-questions- where, when, what, who, whose, which comprehension questions.
Constructions of complete sentences.
Conjunctions for reasoning-since, due to, because, so, etc.
Language Functions:
Inquisition or questioning and reasoning, expressing ideas in sentences.
Skill/s: Writing and speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs
Interactive activity 1:
The students meet their group mates to write and discuss their answers to the questions
and get ready to deliberate and defend all answers by the use of reasoning expressions.
The students are expected to answer the questions completely in written and then oral
form.
Interactive activity 2:
The groups give reasons or defend their answers within the contexts of the lyrics as well
as the image contents of what they have viewed. Every group will be assigned per stanza
from the lyrics.
Expected outputs for activity 1
Stanza one group 1
1. Who has stayed in a shelter home?
A young boy stayed in a shelter home.
2. What was packed?
Inside the house was a packed suitcase
3. How many months has the boy stayed in the shelter home?
The boy has stayed for several months.
4. What did the boy feel when they left the shelter home?
The boy felt sad when he left they left the shelter home.
5. Who accompanied him to another place?
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A social worker accompanied him to another place.
Stanza two Group 2
1. What did the social worker say to the boy? “
The social worker said to the boy that,” We found the man who looks like you “
2. What did the woman show the man to identify the boy?
The woman showed the man a picture.
3. Whose picture was shown to the man?
A picture of a young boy was shown to the man.
4. How did the man feel about the boy’s situation?
The man feels regretful about the boy’s situation.
5. How did the man call himself in the past?
The man called himself a rambler.
6. What is the relationship of the man to the boy?
The relationship of the man to the boy is father.
7. What is the relationship of the boy to the man?
The relationship of the boy to the man is son.
8. Where did they find the boy’s father?
The boy’s father was found in Oklahoma
Stanza 3 group 3
9. What are the three questions the boy asked himself about his father?
The three questions which the boy asked himself about his father were: What’s the name
of the man? How does the man look like?
Is he the man in my dream?
15. Who noticed the boy deeply thinking?
A Social worker noticed the boy.
16. What did she do when she saw the boy sadly wondering?
She comforted the boy when he was sadly wondering?
17. What did she say to comfort him?
She said, “Don’t be scared my child, I will let you know what we know”
Stanza 4-Group 4
18. How does the boy look like?
The boy looks like his father.
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19. What did he feel about the boy?
He felt sorry/regretful about the boy.
20. What did they show to the man?
A picture was shown to the man.
21. Whose picture was shown to the man?
A boy’s picture was shown to the man.
22. What did the father say when he was informed about the boy?
When the father was informed about the boy, “He should have been there had he known
it earlier.”
23. What did the woman say to the boy?
The woman said, “This is something that you longed wanted.”
24. Where are they meeting his father?
They are meeting his father in Oklahoma.
Stanza five-group 5
25. When they were in Oklahoma, what did the boy feel?
The boy felt nervous when they were in Oklahoma.
26. When they reached the house of his father, what did the boy do?
The boy Cried when they reached the house of his father?
27. Who was waiting for the boy?
A man was waiting for the boy.
28. Who was the man waiting outside the house?
The man waiting outside the house is his father.
29. Who welcome the boy in the family?
The boy was welcome by the family.
Stanza 6-group 6
30. What did the man do upon seeing the boy?
The man introduced himself upon seeing the boy.
31. What did he feel when they show the picture to him?
He was regretful when they should the picture to him.
32. What did he admit about himself in the past?
He admitted that he was a rambler in the past.
33. Which line states that he is sorry?
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The line that states he is sorry is, “I swear I would have been there had I known it.’
34. What did the family do?
The family welcome him.
35. What is the relationship of the boy singing about the other boy who came from the
orphanage?
The relationship of the boy singing about the boy who came to the orphanage is step
brother.
36. Who is narrating a story in the song?
The boy narrating the story is the younger step brother.
Task 2
Specific Objectives: the students are expected to:
Use the answers of the comprehension questions to create a story.
Use spatial expressions to connect events in the story.
Instructions:
It is expected that the teacher agrees common answers with the students in task 1 to form
basis where the students will construct varied versions of the story unto what happen in
every stanza using the answers of the comprehension questions. This task is a continuation
of task 1. The teacher initially introduces the spatial expressions.
Language focus:
Spatial expressions to be opted begin, continue and end the stories the students create.
Firstly Then Finally
First of all After that In the end
To start off with Next Eventually
Initially As soon as Lastly
Firstly but then Finally
First of all Then In the end
Language Functions:
Sequencing, ordering
Skill/s: Writing, speaking, listening and oral reading.
Setting: Group with varied pairs
Interactive activity:
-
Students write their versions by groups with different stanza in writing out of the answers
and to deliberate what they have made in front of the whole class. Students are encouraged
to ask questions. The teacher becomes a facilitator in their interactions.
Expected outputs:
Based from stanza number one made by group 1
1. Who has stayed in a shelter home?
A young boy stayed in a shelter home.
2. What was packed inside the house?
Inside the house was a packed suitcase.
3. How many months had the boy stayed in the shelter home?
The boy has stayed for several months.
4. What did the boy feel when they left the shelter home?
The boy felt sad when they left the shelter home.
5. Who accompanied him to Oklahoma?
A social worker accompanied him to Oklahoma.
Firstly, a young boy stayed in a shelter home. Next, inside the house was a packed suitcase. After
that, we have known that he stayed in the shelter home for several months. The boy felt sad when
he left with a social worker who accompanied him to Oklahoma.
Students’ responses are limited in this portion because the main focus is the utilization of spatial
expressions for sequencing. The teacher can soon task the students to individually create a
complete story using all the stanzas for a clearer individual composition.
Task 3
Specific Objective:the students are expected to:
Use suggestion expressions in changing the title of the lyrics and be able to give reasons
for the suggestions.
Instructions:
Let the students think of a possible title that they can give about the video’s story by using
the suggestion expressions. Discussion of the language focus must take place before the
students perform the activity.
Language focus:
-
Suggestions expressions: why don't we change it to, let’s call it, what you think of, how about
changing to, I would suggest, why not say, etc. Reasoning expressions: because, since, for the
reason that, etc.
Language use:
Suggesting and reasoning
Skill/s: Writing and speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs
Interactive Activity:
The students brainstorm possible tittles with pairs. Then ask each other a question. When
students give suggestions, each one will be asked to give reasons for the suggested
possible title.
Expected possible outputs
Student A: If you want to change story’s title, what title can you suggest?
Student B’s possible responses:
Why don't we change it to………………….. The Lost Boy
Let's call it ………………………………….. The lost Boy
What do you think of ………………… …… The Lonely boy
How about changing to ………………….... The boy that found his home.
How do you feel about this ………………. The boy in the shelter
Why not say……………………………… The boy is from Oklahoma
It would be nice to say …………….. ……. The sad boy
I suggest …………………………………….The boy’s joy
Student A: Why have you suggested the title as, “The Unseen Son?”
Student B: Because the boy has not been seen by his father for many years.
Task 4
Specific Objective:the students are expected to :
Use expressions of urgency ,purpose and reasons to express ideas about the video’s story
Instructions.
The teacher triggers responses by giving an issue on why a family is important. They write
their answers and report. The teacher discusses expressions of urgency, purpose and reason
before the activity follows.
Language focus:
-
Urgency expressions: it is important that, it is essential that, there is a need, etc.
Expressions of purposes: for, in order to, so that, to, etc.
Expressions of reasons: since, because, etc.
Language Functions:
Expressing need or urgency
Expressing purpose and reason
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs
Interactive activity:
With two persons involve, alternate questions will take place in expressing importance base
from an issue given. Student A formulates the question. Student B answers and both will
interchange roles.
Expected outputs
Issue: Importance of a family
Student A. Why is family important to you, Khalifa?
Student B. A family is important to enjoy the meaning of life.
Student B: There is a need of a family because it gives me happiness and comfort.
Task 5.
Specific Objective:the students are expected to:
Apply giving advice expressions to write sentences base from the story.
Instructions:
The teacher explains the expressions with an initial activity based from an issue on the
importance of a family to elucidate the expressions.
Language focus:
Giving advices
You should, Why don't you, How about, If I were you, you’d better stop, It would be better to,
I would strongly advise you to, my advice would be, it might be a good idea to, you might try, etc.
Language Functions:
Advising
Skill/s: Writing and speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs
-
Interactive activity:
As a follow- up activity, every group is given a situation to be reacted upon.
Expected output
Situation 1: What should have been your advice to the child if you were the social worker?
1. I reckon you should join your family for a better future.
2. Why don’t we travel to find your father in Oklahoma?
3. How about saying hello to your father?
4. If I were you, I would not stop looking for a better life.
5. You’d better pack your things and we’ll go and find your father.
6. I would strongly advise you to come with me in Oklahoma to meet your father.
7. My advice would be to travel in Oklahoma and find your dad.
8. It might be a good idea to travel and find your dad in Oklahoma.
9. You might try traveling with me in Oklahoma to find your father.
Task 6
Specific Objective: the students are expected to:
Use expressions of regrets to express thoughts based from a given situation
Instruction:
Based from situation presented by the video, students are made to simulate by using regret
expressions.
Language focus:
Regret expressions: I’m sorry, I regret, my apology, I am so / very / extremely / terribly
sorry. I shouldn’t have…,It’s all my fault, please forgive me, I cannot say/express how
sorry I am, I apologize for… / I’d like to apologize for…
Language Functions:
Expressing regrets
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs
Interactive activity:
One student will act as the father and another student, the son to simulate a scene by using
the expression/s of regrets.
Expected outputs
-
I’m sorry, my son. I didn’t know what really happened.
My apology to you my beloved child, I didn’t mean to do it.
I should have found you earlier but I’m sorry, I really didn’t know where you were my son.
Task 7
Specific Objective:the students are expected to:
Use the expressions of assurance to conclude what the story is all about through the
themes.
Instructions:
Students will recall their sentences when they were predicting what the story is all about.
Now that they know the whole story, they can express certainties about the theme of the
story.
Language focus:
Expressions of assurance/certainty
I am sure that, I can conclude that, I am absolutely sure, I’m quite sure I am certain that …,
definitely, etc.
Language Functions:
Assuring and concluding the real theme of the story
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: Group with varied pairs/ individual responses
Interactive activity:
Students recall the theme and assure about it.This activity can be further lengthen into
asking why students have arrived into an assured story’s themes because they have been
earlier taught expressions of reasoning.
Expected outputs
Student A: To you, what is really the story all about?
Student B: I can conclude that the story is all about sadness because …
Student B. I am definitely sure that the movie is all about belongingness for the reason that…
Task 10
Specific Objective: the students are expected to:
Agree and disagree to an ongoing situation in the story through the use of present
continuous tense.
Instructions:
-
The teacher gives an ongoing situation in the story. The teacher discusses the points of
agreeing and disagreeing. The teacher reviews the students on present continuous tense
before the activities follow.
Language focus:
Present continuous tense: What’s happening? What’s taking place? What’s going on?
Agree and disagree expressions
Agreeing expressions:
I agree with you 100 percent, I couldn't agree with you more, That’s so true, that’s for sure,
you're absolutely right, absolutely, that’s exactly how I feel, exactly, no doubt about it, I
was just going to say that,etc.
Disagreeing expressions:
I beg to disagree I don't think so, I’m afraid I disagree, not necessarily, that’s not always
true, that’s not always the case, no, I'm not so sure about that.
Language Functions:
Expressing on going actions / agreeing and disagreeing
Skill/s: Speaking
Setting: Group by three
Interactive activity:
Student A makes the question with a present continuous tense. Student B answers with a
present continuous tense and student C agrees or disagrees.
Expected outputs
Agreeing:
Students A: What’s happening in the story?
Student B: A boy is looking for his father.
Student C: I agree with you 100percent.
Disagreeing:
Student A: What’s taking place in the story?
Student B: A girl is looking for a mother.
Student C: I beg to disagree!
Conclusion:
The dire need to innovate is necessary in English language teaching. To be able to innovate, the
proper choice of authentic materials is expected to follow formulated fundamentals or principles
-
which are brought about by numerous proponents of English language education. They, who have
provided discoveries through tested theories leading to the emergence of methods applicable for
enriching instructions, should be the main authorities in building language learning instruments.
Among these several methods that surfaced in language teaching is the CLT which points out
that effective teaching is a task- based process to obtain the ultimate teaching goal- communicative
competence. It is a teaching approach which this paper has used in intertwining two lyrics and
images as toolkits for learning through the interventions of the task-design components. With the
kind of learners we have in this era, the necessity to stimulate them in order to catch their attention
is a central objective. And to achieve this objective, it is crucial to involve appropriate authentic
materials capable for the application of task -design’s elements. Through a teacher’s initiative,
students’ attention are riveted to interestingly engaged in introduced activities from an
innovative strategy like intertwining images and lyrics in a springboard where reality exists
among learners’ environment.
-
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