That's extraordinary

 Hello!

We are going to do a listening activity related to unit 3 That's extraordinary. It's about a paralimpic swimmer. This video is engaging, inspiring, and provides an authentic perspective on the life of a Paralympic athlete. It is a great choice as it introduces themes of perseverance, inclusion, and sports, making it relatable and meaningful.

The main objectives of this session are: 

- To develop listening comprehension skills using authentic materials. 

- To expand vocabulary related to sports, disabilities, and personal achievements. 

- To enhance our ability to extract key information from spoken texts. 

- To encourage oral communication through discussion and reflection.

Sequence of Activities: 

1. Pre-listening: Discussion about sports, disabilities, and the Paralympic Games.  Introduction of key vocabulary using images and contextual examples. 

2. During listening: Using EDPUZZLE, I edited the video into short, manageable segments and embedded comprehension questions (multiple choice, open-ended, and fill-in-the-gaps) to ensure active engagement. 

Edpuzzle video activity

3. Post-listening: Group discussion on the most inspiring aspects of the video. Students will work in pairs to create a short profile of a Paralympic athlete and present it to the class.

Flipped Classroom:

I implemented a partially flipped classroom approach. Students were required to watch the EDPUZZLE video at home and complete the interactive questions. This allowed them to familiarize themselves with the content before coming to class. In the classroom, we focused on post-listening tasks, including group discussions and presentations. This approach enabled a more interactive and communicative lesson, as students arrived prepared and ready to engage in meaningful conversations.

Highlights and Enjoyable Aspects 

Students found the video highly inspiring and engaging. EDPUZZLE's interactive features kept students motivated and provided instant feedback on their comprehension. The group discussion and athlete profile activity encouraged collaboration and creativity. The flipped approach allowed for more in-depth discussions during class time.

Areas for Improvement:

Next time, I would consider incorporating a follow-up activity where students research another Paralympic athlete and share their findings. Some students found some parts of the video challenging to understand; I could provide subtitles or a transcript to aid comprehension. I could include a debate activity on the importance of inclusion in sports to deepen engagement.

Reading in L2

Reading is a unique and personal experience, yet it also reflects the environment in which we find ourselves. The images depict different types of readers: people in a library, a man reading a newspaper in the street, children reading at school, an older woman sharing a book about plants with a child, and individuals reading digitally on a tablet. Each of them engages with reading differently, and their book choices may have been personal or guided by someone else. I particularly relate to the image of the library and the children reading at school. Just like those who enjoy a book in a quiet space, I have always valued reading as both a personal and academic pursuit. Additionally, the image of children in a classroom reminds me of my own language-learning journey, where I relied on graded readers in English to develop my skills. Now, whenever possible, I read books in their original language—if a book is written in English, I read it in English; otherwise, I read it in Spanish. The format of reading also influences my experience. Although I frequently read online for work, I prefer physical books when reading for pleasure. There is something about the feel of turning pages that a screen cannot replace. However, time is a crucial factor. While reading for work is a constant part of my routine, leisure reading is often reserved for vacations when I can truly immerse myself in a story without distractions. Over the years, my reading habits have evolved, but the enjoyment of reading remains unchanged. Whether on paper or digitally, in Spanish or English, every book opens a door to new ideas, stories, and perspectives. How have your reading habits changed over time?