WHO AM I?
Technical Drawing and Materials

Level: Summer ESL+D / ESL beginner to low-intermediate
Language Focus: Simple Present + Prepositions of place + descriptive vocabulary

Design Focus: Technical drawing and materials

Time: 3 hours 25 min. (3h activities + 25min. break+debrief)

Prep time: 2.5 hours

Lesson Description:

In this activity, students practice both descriptive and design vocabulary through direct observation. The teacher uses a combination of oral description, drawing, and writing to introduced articles, prepositions; the final descriptive text will enable an organic introduction to the Present Indicative during peer review. Students work in teams to piece together a complete description (visual+text) of their composition to later engage in a guessing game. Students translate descriptive analysis into a multi-modal communication system—oral description, notetaking, and directed drawing— through direct observation, listening and speaking.

Teams’ arrangement in space and final productions. ESL adult students, Summer 2016. School of Public Engagement at The New School; instructor, Niberca Polo

Juan Dávalos, “Inside LaidOut,” Parsons BFA Communication Design Thesis, 2005. Courtesy of the artist.

FOR TEACHER:

Readings

•  Prepositions of Place
• Technical Drawing, by David Goetsch (Section 1: Basics; 2. Technical Drawing with Instruments, page 45)
• Technical drawing vocabulary 

Visual Aids

• Prepositions: AT/ON/In Pyramid
• English Indicative Tense graph 

FOR STUDENTS:

Readings

• “Line, Color, Form: The Language of Art and Design” Jesse Day. (Chapter 4: Materials, pages 54-63)

Handouts

• Engineering drawings
• Descriptive words for written exercises

Worksheets

• Simple Present and Prepositions