Template for Thematic Units

Sample of a Content-Based CALLA lesson

Learning Strategies

Activity 1: Try this vocabulary activity

What are your personal learning strategies for:

• Learning new information
• Remembering and recalling information
  
• Practicing skills
• Overcoming anxiety about learning
  

Teaching Learning Strategies in the Language Classroom

CALLA summary (PowerPoint)

Learning Strategies packet
(pdf file)

Activity 2: Think-aloud practice

• Select a theme for your Unit.
• Decide on the three content areas you will address.
• Identify initial objectives for content, language, and learning strategies (you may need to modify these as the unit develops).
• Correlate your objectives to content subject standards and to TESOL standards.
• Make an outline using the calendar in the Guidelines.
• List the materials you will need.
• Develop one lesson from your unit to share with a group next week.

Further References:

• The World of CALLA: http://calla.ws You will find resources, handouts, a mailing list, message forum, and contact information on our site.
• Strategic Learning Unlimited: http://jillrobbins.com Jill’s site has more learning strategies resources and presentations.
• National Capital Foreign Language Resource Center: http://nclrc.org NCLRC’s site has teacher guides for learning strategies and foreign language teaching resources. Of particular interest is the secondary foreign language strategies instruction guide, "Sailing the Five Cs With Learning Strategies"
• Strategy Training for Second Language Learners by Andrew Cohen http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0302cohen.html
• Bibliography of Learner Autonomy articles: http://ec.hku.hk/autonomy/bibliog.html