Preparation for skills activities

Top-down features: The combination of two activities used in the initial part of the lesson has several advantages related to the Top-down approach. By this activity, students create a little oral speech during pair-discussions. Students’ background knowledge is evaluated through pictures: students are able to evaluate each other, and the teacher also can do this once he/she listens to their responses. The answers are analyzed while summarizing the ideas. Furthermore, this activity is a useful way to improve students’ critical thinking skills through analyzing, connecting and discussing the pictures. They exchange their own ideas with others’ as pairs change in every 60 seconds. Therefore, they can develop and strengthen their perspectives at the end of the discussions.
Bottom-up features: Matching vocabulary is a good example of Bottom-up approach, as it is a beneficial way of teaching new words. Simultaneously, students are able to learn how to write these words correctly, which prepositions are used together with them, how they are utilized in real-life communication and how to pronounce them correctly. This activity helps to have a clearer view about the topic that will be discussed soon. Moreover, it enables students to correct their mistakes if they have misused these collocations before the lesson.