Strategy: Make Me Complete: A Puzzle of Photographs

Using a puzzle of photographs for teaching English language and literature to students is a profound tool to effective learning. This measures student’s comprehension skills and permit them to discover notions by themselves. This strategy helps teachers teach writing to ESL students for their better understanding on how descriptive essay works.



The topic of the lesson is about arts and culture. In this case, the objectives of the lesson are at the end of the lesson, 90% of the students must have generated ideas by developing a visual image of the place described in words in their reading; respond from a develop visual image of the activities described in the article; and create a video presentation that depicts about the economic dilemma of the country, and how the government lifts them from their low spirits. The teacher will use the Great Depression Era and WWII of 1929-1945 to integrate arts and culture. For this, the materials being used are the lyrics of the song, speakers, puzzle of photographs, whole prints of photographs, worksheet, meta-cards, platform, and microphone.

To start with, the teacher can begin with a greeting and play the song entitled Light and Shade by Fra Lippi that will catalyze and condition the students to get their interest prior to topic that will be discussed afterwards. Let the students sing and feel the meaning of the song and ask them about what do they think about the song and why. This will permit students to taste the juice of the language even more. After this, by employing ESA (Engage-Study-Activate) method of teaching. Students will experience the three phases which are engagement, study and activate.

As for the Engage phase, the teacher will give each student a piece of photograph about the Great Depression War in America from 1935-1945. After that, they try to find the other pieces of their photograph. They may roam around and ask their classmates if they have the portions of their photograph. They are given 5 minutes to find their group members who share portions of their photograph.

For the Study phase, if they have completed the photograph, they kindly give it to the teacher. The teacher will provide them with the whole photograph of it. Now, students sit together as a group. They have to arrange their chairs in circle for brainstorming. By utilizing the whole photograph they have right now, they are going to analyze it (the photograph). After analyzing the photograph, they will record their thoughts on their worksheet. (The teacher will distribute the worksheet for their analysis to each group). They have 10 minutes to accomplish their activity. Furthermore, the teacher must use Higher Order Thinking Skills questions on the worksheet for the students prompt analysis and discussion.

On the other hand, the Activate phase is each group will post their photographs on the whiteboard and tell us about their analysis. In connection with this, they have to utilize the platform and the microphone. Please take note that this activity has five members per group. All the groups should have their report that conforms to their analysis about their photographs. Then, in line with their analysis, the teacher presents to them the three photographs. The teacher will give feedback about the performance of each group.

Moreover, the teacher throws another HOTS question to students like for example “how did these people survive?” and “what did the government do to help these people from being homeless, starvation, unemployment, economic breakdown? “To further the investigation, the teacher will present the article about The Great Depression. This is a pair activity. They may choose their partner. They must read thoroughly the article. After 10 minutes of reading, the teacher will give them meta-cards for them to think and write five words that they can describe in relation to the article they have read. Finally, each pair will report their answers in complete sentences as they elaborate more about the article.

For the evaluation, each group (3 members) will create a 7-minute video presentation about the current status or development of your native country that conforms to the economic dilemma being experienced by the people, and how the government lifts these people from their low spirits? They have one week to comply with their requirements. They will be guided by the rubrics for their video presentation.

How to teach writing to ESL students using descriptive essay is easier when you use puzzle of photographs in class. It attracts the attention of students to engage well in the lesson being presented by the teacher. In reality, students enjoy the class and are motivated to learn when teacher exposes them to fun experiences and memorable lessons that bring great impacts in their lives.