Describi
Part 1: Lesson Description
Lesson Title
Describing Traffic and Road Signs in Basic English
Abstract
This lesson is geared towards beginning English language learners who plan to take a U.S. driving test. The goal of this lesson is for learners to be able to identify various traffic signals and/or road signs and describe their meanings for the purpose of passing a U.S. driving test and driving safely on the road.
Learner Audience / Primary Users
The primary users are beginning adult immigrant English as a Second Language learners who plan to take a U.S. driving test.
Educational Use
- Curriculum / Instruction
- Assessment
College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) Alignment
- Level: Adult Education
- Grade Level: A
- Subject: English Language Arts / Literacy
- Strand: Reading
- Sub-Strand: Reading Informational Text
- Standard Description: CCR Anchor 7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
- RI 1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas (e.g. maps,charts, photographs, etc.).
Language
English
Material Type
- Instructional Material
- Lesson Plans
- Homework and Assignments
- Images and Illustrations
- Technology (mobile devices)
Learning Goals
The purpose of this lesson is for learners to be able to:
- Identify and describe the meaning of various U.S. traffic signals and road signs
Keywords
- Designers for Learning
- Adult Education
- ESL
- Driving Test
- Road Signs
- Traffic Signals
- DMV
- Drivers
Time Required for Lesson
45 minutes- 60 minutes
Prior Knowledge
Driving Related Verbs (Stop, Go, Turn, etc.)
Colors (Red, Yellow, Green, etc.)
Directional Vocabulary (Ahead, Straight, Left, etc.)
Shapes (Triangle, Rectangle, X-gon, etc.)
Negative Forms (No, not)
Required Resources
DMV Drivers Manual for Appropriate U.S. State
Images from "Presentation Preparation" handout and/or "Evaluation Preparation" handout
Paper, low-stick glue or tape
Lesson Author & License
- Lesson Author: Lina Christie
- License: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
Part 2: Lesson
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:
- Identify and verbally state the meaning of 5 to 10 U.S. traffic signals and/or road signs
Lesson Topics
Key topics covered in this lesson include:
- Traffic signal lights
- Road signs
Context Summary
This lesson may be implemented in a basic or beginning ESL class designed to teach general life skills or one specifically related to driving.
Relevance to Practice
Adult ESL learners often immigrate to the U.S. to access better economic opportunities. In addition to their command of English being a primary challenge in securing employment, these learners can have trouble accessing transportation, which means that outside major metropolitan centers that have public transportation, they need to be licensed to drive a car in order to transport themselves to classes, job interviews, and appointments.
Key Terms and Concepts
The following definitions and terms are taken from the 2016 California Driver Handbook, pages 22-26. Please consult the driving manual or handbook for your own state as terms may vary.
- Caution
- Crossroad
- Divided
- Flashing
- Highway
- Intersection
- Merge
- Pedestrian
- Reverse
- Sharp (as in turn)
- Two-way
- Winding, windy
- Yield
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Warm-Up
Time: 2 to 5 minutes
Display examples of road signs from across the world
Find and display different road signs from across the world, ideally from the learners’ home countries.
- https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/warning-prohibition-traffic-signs.html
- http://www.shutterstock.com/s/traffic+sign/search.html
Elicit discussion regarding the signs. What are they? Where have they seen these signs? Where may they see these signs? How can they describe the signs? What do they look like? Use questions that will activate previously learned vocabulary (e.g. colors, shapes).
Introduction
Time: 5 to 8 minutes
Discuss learner motivation for obtaining a driver’s license OR
If the class is a non-driving focused class, ask the class about who has a driver’s license. If the class is a driving focused class, you can ask about who already has a driver’s license, as some learners may be licensed in their own countries but not in the U.S. Either way, elicit discussion about the purpose of a driver’s license and what kind of knowledge is required to obtain one.
Show a video
Alternatively, you can show a video to elicit discussion about the importance of traffic signals and road signs. Why do they exist? What are the consequences when drivers do not follow or understand them?
Examples:
- “No Traffic Lights vs. Traffic Lights”
- “Caught on camera, drivers ignoring traffic signs”
- “Jumping Traffic Signal on Red Light - Awareness Video” - This video may elicit interesting discussion due to cultural differences such as: the driver on the right and “orange” light instead of “yellow” light.
Presentation / Modeling / Demonstration
Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Present U.S. specific traffic signals/road signs
Select, modify, or create 5 to 10 traffic signals and/or road signs from the following handout to be taught:
Whatever you choose, you will want to consider the following:
- Shape
- Color
- Symbol or Figure
- Message
Your job as the instructor to prepare for this lesson before class will be to “reverse engineer” each signal or sign that you want to teach into its basic units as stated above using construction paper and low-stick (removable) tape or glue.
Example: You want to teach about a traffic light. To create a representation of a traffic light using paper, you would need to break down a traffic light into the shape (rectangle), color (red) and message (Stop). In other words, you can “build” a traffic light as follows:
To introduce the concept of “flashing” or “blinking,” you could add the following shapes:
Once you have figured out the signals and/or signs you will teach, you will have a finished product similar to the following to present in class:
Guided Practice
Time: 20 minutes
Have learners match signals/signs to their definitions
After you finish presenting the signs, your guided practice will be to allow students to match the definition (message) to each sign or vice versa. Depending on how many sets of signals and/or signs you made, this can be an all class or small group activity, and you can make it casual (call a student to define a sign) or competitive (make a game out of it!).
Since you should have built your signs to be modular (meaning you can remove and restick pieces), you can rearrange your initial presentation into different combinations, and the activity you present could look like the following example:
After students match the definitions to each sign, open the PowerPoint titled, Traffic Signals and Road Signs. As a whole group activity, complete the exercises in the presentation that consist of interactive flashcards of the vocabulary studied and multiple choice exercises. If you have access to tablets or computers in the classroom or a lab, allow students to complete the presentation individually or in pairs.
Evaluation
Time: 5 minutes
Have students complete a fill in the blank or matching worksheet with the chosen signals and/or signs for this lesson
The worksheet should be no more than 2 pages long, and in black and white.
Provide basic colors for your students to complete the worksheet with, OR have them label or write the color name next to the signal/sign shape.
You may print out the signs from the Presentation Preparation or use the following file:
Example Completed Worksheet:
A more advanced activity would be to have students reconstruct the signs just from memory on a blank piece of paper.
Homework
Time: 15 minutes
Explain to students that they will play an online game titled Kahoot at home to review the concepts studied using their smartphones or tablets/iPad. Give each student a handout with the instructions on how to download the Kahoot app on their mobile device and how to play the game. It is important to provide a pin number to be able to play at home. Clarify any doubts as needed.
In the following class, as an initial activity let students express if they understood the instructions, if they were able to play the game, and what they thought of that experience overall. Also allow students to talk about the vocabulary words that are still problematic for them for further review. Also play Kahoot in the classroom and let students have fun! If you feel that it is more effective to let students follow instructions and download the app in the classroom; then do so. Adjust the lesson plan based on your students' needs.
Application
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour (outside of class)
Photo essay assignment
Have students take pictures of the traffic signals and/or road signs presented in the class that they encounter to and/or from class, or that are in their neighborhood, and create a simple slide show to verbally narrate and present in the next class.
Part 3: Supplementary Resources & References
Supplementary Resources
DMV.org - Find the driving manual for any U.S. state: http://www.dmv.org/driver-handbook.php
Manual of Traffic Signs - A comprehensive listing of the most commonly used traffic signs in the United States: http://www.trafficsign.us/
Free Road Sign Practice Test on DMV.org: http://www.dmv.org/road-sign-practice-test.php
Free Road Sign Quizzes: http://quizagogo.com/u-s-road-signs/
References
California Driver Handbook 2006: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/web/eng_pdf/dl600.pdf
Attribution Statements
"No Traffic Lights Vs Traffic Lights" created by user "studio tdes" under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 license.
"I-Team: Caught on camera, drivers ignoring traffic signs" created by user "WWLP-22News" under Standard YouTube license.
"JUMPING Traffic SIGNAL on Red Light - Awareness Video" created by user "Neha Shreya" under Standard YouTube license.
"Pedestrian Walking free icon" icon created by "Scott de Jonge" under CC 3.0 BY license.
"Hold free icon" created by "Madebyoliver" under Flaticon Basic license.
"Curvy Road Warning Sign free icon" created by "Freepik" under Flaticon Basic license.
"Car front free icon" created by "Google" under CC 3.0 BY license.
This course content is offered by Designers for Learning under a CC Attribution license.
Content in this course can be considered under this license unless otherwise noted.