Week 1

Targets:
- Be able to introduce myself
- Know basic phrases like hello, bye, good morning etc.
- Order food in a restaurant
- Identify some animals
- Describe my family and my daily routine
- Describe different jobs
- Be able to pronounce the German alphabet
- Ask for directions and other tourist information
- Hold a conversation

Notes on learning languages skills:
These are the skills I feel that are the most important...

• I can plan my own learning and organise my time
• I can make useful notes
• I can focus
• I know where to go if I need help
• I can identify strengths and areas for improvement in my learning
• I can use a suitable form to help convey meaning

Notes on the language learning process:

1. Revision- do quick activities to refresh your memory on what you did a long time ago (strengthen your knowledge) or things that you looked at recently (put it in your long-term memory)

2. Planning- plan what you need to do in other to improve on your weaknesses and achieve your targets

3. Passive knowledge and understanding- read or listen to something to widen your vocabulary, look at vocabulary lists, watch a video that introduces a new grammar point, make notes

4. Controlled practice- vocab games and grammar drills that are online or offline, test yourself

5. Free practice- set a speaking or writing task for yourself on the new thing you learnt, if you need help, ask the teacher or a friend

6. Feedback and redrafting- self-assess your progress and your work, write notes about what you have learnt, go back and do more controlled practice on things that you aren't so sure about

Lesson:

Today was the first lesson and I have chosen to learn German. I am a complete beginner so I feel quite challenged but I also think this is a great opportunity for me to learn a new language seriously. 

I started with the Duolingo German course and completed the first lesson. I learnt the German words for man, woman, girl, boy, I am a __, you, is, I etc. After that, I did some practice on the whiteboard and made some flashcards.

Future Lesson Plan:
Period 1: revise the words from the last lesson using revision activities and plan what to learn next
Period 2: learn the new topic using Duolingo and Quizlet, make notes and vocab lists
Period 3: "offline" activities to revise what I just learnt, e.g. make flashcards, whiteboard activities etc. and continue learning the topic with harder / more words
Period 4: start by doing another offline activity and then self-assess and reflect