Hello dear readers. I am starting a new feature. Once a week I will write about an easy peasy lesson plan that has been successful for me, and that I hope will be successful for you as well.
Scouring the internet for lesson plan ideas is like bra/shoe/toaster shopping. It can take a long time before you find something close to perfect, and even then adjustments must be made. On that note, I hope this will be helpful for all of you ESL teachers out there!
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Personality
Grades: 8-11, possibly some 7th graders
You will need: some English-Native Language dictionaries, personality quizzes and result pages (see the bottom of the post)
1. Brainstorm "Personality" on the board
- what is a personality? (translate to native language, what someone is like, personal characteristics, personality traits)
-CCQ (concept check question, meant to ensure understanding) personality using students in class (what is Roli's personality like? do you think Fanni is shy?) and/or celebrities.
- where does our personality come from? (family [genes or influences], friends, life experiences, our surroundings, zodiac signs)
In some classes I asked each student to list a personality trait.
Another idea is to challenge the students to a competition -- students work in pairs and write as many personality traits as they can.
2. Take personality quiz
I went around as the kids filled out the surveys, offering help as needed.
3. Calculate your score
4. Read and discuss results
The students read their results, and translate words as necessary.
I talked to the kids about their results. Did they agree? Which parts were true of their personality? Which parts were untrue? If they didn't agree, was there a different personality description that fit them better?
We also compared results, and I asked them what they thought of their classmates' results.
If you would like a more structured lesson (or to ensure your students actually understand their results and are not just agreeing without knowing what they are agreeing to), you could have the students translate their result (younger or less advanced students can translate the adjectives), and/or list what was true and not true for them.
It would also be fun to compare the results in the class on the board using a graph, and look for parallels. I did this activity shortly after a lesson on Zodiac signs, and it could be interesting to compare zodiac signs to these personality results.
Reflection:
Every class has loved this lesson! I have done this with 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. I think it appeals to adolescents especially as they are developmentally quite self-centered and focused on self-discovery.
Speaking levels were higher than usual! And . . . finally, relevant vocabulary!
One more thing: make sure to stress that this is not an actual "test." One of my students, upon calculating her score, changed all of her answers so that she would get the highest score.
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1. When do you feel your best?
a. In the morning
b. During the afternoon and early evening
c. Late at night
2. You usually walk
a. Fairly fast, with long steps
b. Fairly fast, with short, quick steps
c. Less fast, head up, looking the world in the face
d. Less fast, head down
e. Very slowly
3. When talking to people you
a. Stand with your arms folded
b. Have your hands clasped
c. Have one or both your hands on your hips
d. Touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e. Play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair
4. When relaxing, you sit with
a. Your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b. Your legs crossed
c. Your legs stretched out or straight
d. One leg curled under you
5. When something really amuses you, you react with
a. A big, appreciative laugh
b. A laugh, but not a loud one
c. A quiet chuckle
d. A sheepish smile
6. When you go to a party or social gathering you
a. Make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b. Make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c. Make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed
7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted. Do you..
a. Welcome the break
b. Feel extremely irritated
c. Vary between these two extremes
8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a. Red or orange
b. Black
c. Yellow or light blue
d. Green
e. Dark blue or purple
f. White
g. Brown or gray
9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep, you lie
a. Stretched out on your back
b. Stretched out face down on your stomach
c. On your side, slightly curled
d. With your head on one arm
e. With your head under the covers
10. You often dream that you are
a. Falling
b. Fighting or struggling
c. Searching for something or somebody
d. Flying or floating
e. You usually have dreamless sleep
f. Your dreams are always pleasant
Add up your points using the table below:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | | |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | | |
| 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | | | |
| 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | |
| 7 | 6 | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | | |
| 10 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 1 | |
Analysis
Over 60 points: Others see you as someone they should "handle with care" You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.
51 to 60 points: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.
41 to 50 points: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.
31 to 40 points: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful and practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest...Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.
21 to 30 points: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.
Under 21 points: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything. They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you're boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren't.
