The Silent Way

Teacher: Florea Maria-Cristina

Grade: 3rd
Lesson: Colours
Type of lesson: acquiring new vocabulary concerning the colours in the target language
Skills: speaking, listening
Purpose: The lesson aims at enabling Ss to use the target language for self-expression, to
develop independence from the teacher, and to develop their own inner criteria for
correctness. It is intended for the Ss to learn to take responsibility for their own learning by
becoming aware of and controlling how they use certain learning strategies in class.
Didactic Strategies:
Methods: The Silent Way
Techniques: rods, teachers silence, self-correction gestures, peer connection,
structured feedback
Organization: frontal activities
Materials: Sound-Colour Chart, Word-Chart, pointer
Objectives:
O1. to create an interactive environment
O2. to approach language inductively and automatically
O3. to recognise the colour in English
O4. to spell all the colours correctly using the Sound-Color Chart
O5. to pronounce every colour correctly
O6. to associate every colour with specific objects of that same colour
Timing: 50

PROCEDURE
Warm-up

Interaction: T-Ss

Speaking

Timing:
3

The T greets the Ss and they greet the T back.

The T checks the Ss homework orally, encouraging them when it is required and
allowing them to self-correct if necessary.

Lead-in

Interaction: T-Ss

Speaking

Timing:
4

O1. to create an interactive environment

The T states the objectives and the subject matter of the lesson, raising the Ss
curiosity this way.

Then the T asks the Ss if they can give examples of things which are of the same
colour as a certain object which she is holding in her hand. She does this two more
times. The Ss respond without the T interfering by using words.

Activity 1: Teachers silence

Interaction: T-Ss

Speaking, listening

Timing:
10

O2. to approach language inductively and automatically

Using the Sound-Colour Chart, without saying anything, the T points to the letters of
the English alphabet from a to z, which the Ss have to pronounce. The T uses gestures,
not words, in order to make the Ss aware that they have mispronounced a letter. Then
the T starts pointing to letters at random. The same activity is repeated, but faster this
time.

Activity 2: Rods

Interaction: T-Ss

Speaking

Timing:
10

O2. to approach language inductively and automatically

O4. to spell all the colours correctly using the Sound-Color Chart

After a short break which announces Ss they are about to start another activity, the T
puts a number of coloured wooden blocks on the table. Then, she points to a
succession of letters, which the Ss have to pronounce in order to form a word. So, the
T successively points to r, e, d, after which she holds up the red rod which she
picks up from the table and shows it to the class. All the Ss spell red one more time.

Then the T assigns one S to come in front of the class. She hands him/her the red rod
and shows the S through gestures that he/she has to use the Sound-Colour Chart in
order to spell the word red, then to find it on the Word-Chart and put the pointer on
it. The same activity is repeated with all the other colours. The T takes one rod at a
time and points to all the letters that form the word in order for the Ss to associate the
word with its meaning.

Activity 3: Rods; Peer Connection

Interaction: T-Ss, S-S

Speaking

Timing:
10

O2. to approach language inductively and automatically

O3. to recognise the colour in English
O5. to pronounce every colour correctly

Next, the T points to a particular rod and taps out: a black rod. One S points to the
rod and pronounces what the T has just tapped out. He then comes to the Word-Chart
and finds the three words there.

Ss take turns in coming in front of the class, picking a coloured rod, mentioning the
colour of the rod (a yellow rod; a pink rod) and pointing to the words on the
Word-Chart.

If Ss encounter pronunciation difficulties, the T looks at the other Ss, which means
that they can help their classmate pronounce the words correctly. Ss wait for the Ts
acceptance gesture, which consists of a nod. Sometimes, the T uses her fingers in

order to show the Ss how many items the pronounced language segment has. By point
to the index, for instance, the Ss know that the second word has been mispronounced.

Activity 4: Word-Chart

Interaction: T-Ss, S-S

Speaking

Timing:
10

O6. to associate every colour with specific objects of that same colour

The T scatters a number of small objects on the table in front of the classroom, each of
different colours the Ss have learned today. The T chooses one item: a green pencil.
She holds the pencil high so that everyone can see it, then she moves towards the
Word-Chart and points to the words a, green and pencil. She names one S to
pronounce these words, pointing to them again.

Then other Ss move close to the table, pick one object and hold it high. They have to
go to the Word-Chart and point to the colour of the object. Then the T points to the
complete structure: a, blue, book. The Ss have to repeat this operation and to
pronounce what they are pointing to.

Follow-up: Structured Feedback

Interaction: T-Ss

__ _______

Timing:
3

Ss are invited to make observations about what they have learned. The T accepts their
comments in a nondefensive manner, but rather in an informative one, which would
only help her improve the future class.