Exploring the Internet and Flickr, I found a lesson plan using Flickr to work with ESL students. The lesson involves using Flickr Commons to find pairs of pictures depicting different activities, feelings, etc. Place these into your favorites file. They can then be downloaded and used in your classroom as long as you document who the author was and where you obtained it. The pictures can be either embedded into a word document with the questions written down or for a large group the pictures can be projected onto a screen or white board. Depending on the size of your group, they are broken into small groups. Each view either picture a or b and describe what they see. They need to use their English to tell what is happening in the pictures, what the people in the pictures are feeling or experiencing. They then exchange pictures and repeat the exercise for that picture. When they have finished describing the pictures, the groups discuss the differences between the two pictures. This activity was designed for students of intermediate English fluency to prepare them for FCE or CAE Proficiency testing (Beard).
The students I work with are in first through fifth grade and many speak some English, but many do not understand English so lesson are processed through a translator. I would like to use the idea from this lesson plan but adapt it as follows for my students. I would take pairs of pictures, i.e. I chose one of a boy playing in the rain or sprinkler and the other of a girl playing in the water at the sea. The students explain what they can identify in each picture. They will use the English they have to discuss the pictures. As the lesson progresses, each student will compare the two pictures, how are they alike? How are they different? Next the students will write a sentence telling something about each picture. These will be graded and placed in the student’s portfolio.
As I continue to work with the students, I will once a month repeat this activity using different pairs of pictures. The written sentences will show the student’s progress in using the English language. On a regular basis, once a week, we will use different pictures to help develop their English vocabulary. Immersion in the English language is the best way for them to learn, just as we did as infants and young children.
Beard, K., Using Flickr for English Language Classes. About.com: English as 2nd Language http://esl.about.com/od/conversationlessonplans/a/l_flickr.htm
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