The weekly column

Article 103, July 2002

An EFL Lesson Plan Featuring Authentic Cooking Experience

By Connie Chow

Introduction & Aim

An English exam question of my boy sparked off the idea of an EFL lesson based on authentic, practical language use. My boy did not write a single word on the answer sheet, and upon my inquiry, he confessed that he did not know how to attempt the question. First, he did not understand what instructions were and the language required of him. Second, he had no hands-on experience in baking a cake or cooking noodles, which was more of an excuse than the fact (See appendix).

Goals

The purpose of this lesson is to teach authentic language use and provide hands-on experience, catering for learners with different intelligence profiles, namely bodily-kinesthetic and interpersonal talents. It also opens avenue to cross-discipline cooperation between EFL and home science. An added benefit is cultural awareness of western styled food and meal.

Proficiency Level: Elementary and lower-intermediate

Target Learners: Teens and adults

Objectives:

Materials: Instant noodles, canned soup, jelly or pudding powder, popcorns, pancake mixture, cocoa drink, etc; cooking utensils; home science lab

In Class

1. Briefly introduce the theme and objectives.
2. Teacher presents common instant or easy-to-prepare food products. Point out western-style ones.
3. Ask if learners like them. Students are to share their favourites and cooking experience, if any. Draw their attention to vocabulary.
4. Pick one exemplary item. Two learners come forward, one being the reader and the other writer. Open the package and copy the preparation instructions on to the chalkboard. Remind them to replace the brands with the generic name of the food item. Check class comprehension. Introduce adverbs of sequence, and add them in the right place.
5. Students pair up and are assigned different food products. They are to work out the meaning of instructions and prepare the food items.
6. The class share among themselves the final products and elect the 'best cook'.

Follow-up

Home assignment: Learners pick their favourite easy-to-prepare recipe and write up the preparation directions. Additional credit will be given if they demonstrate mastery of imperatives and adverbs of sequence.

Next session: Pairs agree on a recipe to prepare. Bring their own ingredients and present their method of preparation. Extra credits are given for pooling of effort to prepare a 3- or 4-course meal with starter, soup, main dish, desert and/or drink.

Lesson Plan Highlights

1. Involvement. Most of the time, learners are busy working out the language themselves.
2. Scaffolding. The lesson is structured with language explanation, demonstration, pairwork and bilingual package instructions.
3. Hands-on experience.
4. Projection effect. Learners are directed to pay attention to names of food, preparation instructions, simple recipe, courses of meal, package descriptions (ingredients, expiry date, weight and serving size, storage instructions, nutrition information, etc.)

Appendix - A Question from a Form-One Exam Paper

Giving Instruction (10 marks)

Write a paragraph by using these words ("First", "Then", "Next", "After that", and "Finally") at the beginning of the instruction.

For example:

Our class will have a party this coming Friday. First, we have to decide the time and the place for our party. Then, we need to invite our teachers and classmates to come. Next, some of us should stay after school to decorate the place. After that, we have to decide what activities we will do at the party. Finally, let us go to the supermarket together to buy some snacks and soft drink.

Now, you have to write a paragraph to tell us how to make something. For example, you may tell us how to make a cake, cook noodles or make a model car.

About the Author

Connie Chow (homelyconnie@ctimail3.com) is EFL certified, and currently teaching part-time at a vocational institute in Hong Kong.

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