My First Ride on a Train

Teaching aims

Students can comprehend the listening material which talks about a train traveling experience.

Students can get familiar with expressions, such as cassette and Afghanistan, especially the pronunciation of these two words.

Students can learn useful listening strategies, i.e. the sequence of various activities.

Students can talk about their own train traveling experiences.

Key and difficult points

Key point

To comprehend the listening material.

Difficult points

To learn useful listening strategies, i.e. the sequence of various activities.

To talk about their own train experiences.

Teaching procedures

Step 1: Warming-up

1. Say “Hello” to students and share my weekend to activate their experiences.

2. Let students enjoy a song named Five hundred miles to mobilize their passion and participation. The song goes like this:

If you missed the train I'm on

You will know that I am gone

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

A hundred miles a hundred miles

A hundred miles a hundred miles

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

Ask students to share the topic of this song to lead into today’s subject: My first ride on a train.

Step 2: Pre-listening

1. Word learning

Explain the confusing words to students: cassette and Afghanistan with some pictures. Emphasize the pronunciation of these two words, which will be helpful for them to understand the listening material.

2. Develop imagination

Show the title “My first ride on a train” and ask students to let their imagination run wild about what the author experienced on a train.

Step 3: While-listening

1. Extensive listening

Read the passage for students and ask them to find out the words used for describing the whole train experience. Then invite one student to write the answer on the blackboard.

2. Intensive listening

Play the tape and ask students to fill in the blanks on the PPT and remind them to focus on the sequence of various activities. Then write the key words on the blackboard. Guide students to appreciate the beauty of language “the stars shone like diamonds”.

3. Ask students to listen to the tape again and answer the question:

Why is the train called “Ghan”?

Step 4: Post-listening

Mobilize memory

Ask students to recall their train experiences in groups of four about what they see, what they do, what they feel, etc. Time is limited within 5 minutes. They can speak out their voice if ready.

Step 5: Summary and Homework

Summary: Invite a student to summarize today’s lesson. Encourage students to go out, rather than staying at home, like a couch potato.

Homework: Ask students to write an article to record their train experiences.

Blackboard design