Session Details

🟣 SESSION 5 — STRUCTURED TEACHING (AMERICAN EMI APPROACH)

Clarity is structure.

Focus

• Organizing explanations for understanding
• Teaching with clarity and purpose
• Structuring information progressively in real time

Core Elements

• Advance organizers
• Why–How–What explanation model
• Signposting and transitions
• Chunking information for comprehension
• Making explanations meaningful and convincing

Language Integration

• Teaching phrases:
  • “Today we will…”
  • “The key idea is…”
  • “This is important because…”
  • “Let’s break this down…”
  • “First… then… finally…”

EMI Principles in Action

• Structured delivery
• Comprehension checking
• Scaffolding for understanding

Outcome

• Structured explanation template
• Structured explanation framework for EMI teaching
• Clearer and more effective teaching delivery
• Improved organization, pacing, and instructional clarity

🟣 SESSION 5 DETAILS — STRUCTURED TEACHING (AMERICAN EMI APPROACH) 

Clarity is structure.
From ideas to organized teaching

A. Main Objective

By the end of this session, you will be able to strengthen accuracy and clarity in EMI teaching by reviewing key Session 4 communication skills, including purpose-driven communication, emotionally supportive teaching, advanced false friends, grammar repair, and listener-friendly reformulation.

You will also be able to organize explanations clearly and logically, guide students step-by-step through ideas, and deliver structured EMI explanations that are easier to follow, understand, and remember.

The goal is not to sound sophisticated, but to communicate ideas accurately, clearly, and humanely in a way that students can process with confidence.

This session therefore connects accuracy before structure: first, by reducing linguistic interference and improving teaching-language clarity; then, by using structure, sequencing, signposting, and scaffolding to reduce cognitive overload during real-time EMI teaching.

B. Agenda

1. Advance Organizer & Targeted Review — Bridging Old and New Knowledge (30+ min- depending on need)

1.1. Reviewing last session content [Click HERE for Review Exercises]

1.2. Exploring this session content

(+ Core EMI Principles)

2. Session 4 Reinforcement — Accuracy Before Structure (25–30 min)

2.1.-2.2. Purpose-Driven Communication Review

Review Session 4:

• Part 2.1. Weekly Speaking Reflection + WHY Do You Teach?
• Part 2.2. TED Talk Reflection — WHY → HOW → WHAT

2.3. EMI Communication Foundations Review

Review Session 4:

• Part 2.3. Aristotle & Communication in EMI Teaching
• Stephen Krashen's Affective Filter
• The Pygmalion Effect

2.4. Advanced False Friends & Academic Interference Patterns

Complete:

• Session 4 → Part 2.4 → Activity 1 (Whole-Class EMI Language Analysis)
• Use Session 4 Answer Key.

2.5. Grammar, Tenses & Error Analysis for EMI Clarity

Complete:

• Session 4 → Part 2.5 → Activity 1 (Grammar & Tense Repair for EMI Communication)

3. Oral Practice — Structured Speaking & Teaching Flow (56–72 min)

3.1. TED Talk reflection (The Art of Being Yourself)

3.2. Organizing explanations step-by-step

3.3. Signposting & transition language practice

3.4. Video-based structured explanation practice

4. Clarity & Practice (20 min)

4.1. Simplifying complex explanations

4.2. EMI Micro-Teaching Challenge

5. Chunking Information

6. EMI Principles in Action (5 min)

7. Recap (2 min)

HW + TED Talk (1 min)

C. Core (Session Content & Activities)

1. Advance Organizer & Targeted Review — Bridging Old and New Knowledge (30+ min- depending on need)

1.1. Reviewing Last Session (As needed)

Review Exercises

1.2. Exploring This Session 

In this session, you will learn how to:

• organize explanations clearly
• guide students step-by-step
• use transition language effectively
• make explanations easier to follow

👉 Key shift: From speaking continuously → to speaking structurally

(+ Core EMI Principles — 1 min)

1. Clarity over complexity
2. Structured delivery
3. Scaffolding for understanding
4. Comprehension checking
5. Strategic use of language
6. Student engagement
7. Psychological safety

We will apply:

• Structured delivery
• Scaffolding for understanding

👉 Focus on helping students follow your thinking

2. Session 4 Reinforcement — Accuracy Before Structure (25–30 min)

Before moving into explanation structure, we will complete several high-impact activities from Session 4 that directly support clear and effective EMI teaching.

2.1.+ 2.2. Purpose-Driven Communication Review

See Session 4:

• Part 2.1. Weekly Speaking Reflection + WHY Do You Teach?
• Part 2.2. TED Talk Reflection — WHY → HOW → WHAT

2.3. EMI Communication Foundations Review

See Session 4:

• Part 2.3. Aristotle & Communication in EMI Teaching
• Stephen Krashen's Affective Filter
• The Pygmalion Effect

2.4. Advanced False Friends & Academic Interference Patterns

Complete:

Session 4 → Part 2.4 → Activity 1 (Whole-Class EMI Language Analysis)

2.5. Grammar, Tenses & Error Analysis for EMI Clarity

Complete:

Session 4 → Part 2.5
→ Activity 1 (Grammar & Tense Repair for EMI Communication)

[→ Activity 2 — EMI Sentence Simplification & Cognitive Load Reduction]

If we have enough time...

[2.6. Transition Language & Logical Flow in Teaching

Complete:

Session 4 → Part 2.6

2.7. Reformulation & Real-Time Teaching Language Repair Activities

Complete:

Session 4 → Part 2.7]

POLLEVERYWHERE:
ECH- Oral Communication Course 1: MID-COURSE REFLECTION

Click HERE

+ The 10 Biggest Challenges in EMI Oral Communication (session 4)

3. Oral Practice — Structured Speaking & Teaching Flow (50+ min)

3.1. TED Talk Reflection (10–12 min)

TED Talk:

[Briefly discuss: "The Art of Being Yourself" - Caroline McHugh

Many EMI teachers focus so much on correctness that they lose authenticity, confidence, and communicative presence. Effective communication is not only about accuracy. It is also about being human, clear, and genuinely connected to learners.

REFLECTION QUESTION: “How can teachers remain intellectually rigorous while still communicating in a human, authentic, and emotionally supportive way?”]

Then: “How to speak so that people want to listen” — Julian Treasure

 Work with a partner.

💡 Key Ideas from the Talk

Good speakers:

• guide listeners clearly
• structure ideas carefully
• use pacing effectively
• emphasize key points
• make ideas easy to process

👉 Step 1 — Pair Discussion (5–6 min)

Discuss with your partner:

• What makes the speaker easy to follow?
• How does he organize ideas?
• What makes explanations memorable?
• How does pacing affect understanding?
• How can structure improve EMI teaching?

👉 Step 2 — Whole-Class Discussion (4–6 min)

Be ready to share:

• one communication technique you noticed
• one thing you want to improve in your own teaching

3.2. Organizing Explanations Step-by-Step (12–15 min)

The “American Teaching” Structure Model or the ECH Structured Teaching Framework

Use the following structure:

ADVANCE ORGANIZER, THEN

1. State the objective
2. Introduce the idea
3. Break it into steps
4. Give an example
5. Check understanding
6. Summarize the key point

Whole-Class Demonstration

Choose a simple concept from your discipline.

Examples:

• Dental plaque
• Gingivitis
• Hypoglycemia
• Patient consent
• Academic integrity

As a class, organize the explanation using the six-step model.

EMI Reflection

Discuss:

• Which step is most often missing from university teaching?
• Which step helps students most?
• How does structure reduce cognitive overload?

Exercise: Organizing Explanations Clearly 

👉 Focus

• one idea at a time
• logical sequence
• clear progression
• short explanation blocks

Examples

❌ “Photosynthesis is a process that involves several mechanisms related to energy conversion and chlorophyll activity which we will examine now.”

✅ “Photosynthesis is how plants produce energy. First, plants absorb sunlight. Then, they convert it into energy.”

❌ “The treatment includes several procedures that may vary depending on patient conditions and additional factors.”

✅ “The treatment has three main steps. First… Second… Finally…”

Exercise — Reorganize the Explanation

👉 Simplify and organize the explanation.

1. Periodontal disease results from bacterial accumulation, inflammation, lifestyle factors, and individual susceptibility that together affect oral health.
2. Evidence-based practice integrates scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences to support decision-making.
3. Academic integrity involves honesty, transparency, proper citation, and ethical behavior throughout academic work.
4. Local anesthesia blocks nerve signals, reducing pain perception during dental procedures.
5. Artificial intelligence can support diagnosis, treatment planning, and data analysis in healthcare.

3.3. Signposting & Transition Language Practice

Useful Signposting Language

Beginning

• Today we will discuss...
• Let us start with...
• The objective is...

Sequencing

• First...
• Next...
• Then...
• Finally...

Clarifying

• In other words...
• What this means is...
• Let me simplify that...

Emphasizing

• The key idea is...
• It is important to remember...

Transitioning

• Now let us move to...
• This leads us to...
• Another important point is...

Exercise 1 — Add Signposting

Add appropriate signposting language.

1. We examine the symptoms. We identify the cause. We select treatment.
2. We collect the data. We analyze the results. We draw conclusions.
3. We review the literature. We identify the gap. We formulate the research question.
4. We assess the patient. We establish the diagnosis. We create a treatment plan.
5. We explain the procedure. We obtain consent. We begin treatment.

Exercise 2 — Whole-Class Speaking Challenge

Choose one topic:

• Oral hygiene
• Dental caries
• Professionalism
• Patient-centered care
• Evidence-based practice

Explain it using at least:

• one sequence marker
• one clarification phrase
• one transition phrase

The class identifies the signposts used.

Exercise 3 — Add Signposting

👉 Focus

• guide the listener
• show progression
• make connections explicit

👉 Add transition language to these explanations.

Example:

“We analyze the symptoms. We identify the cause. We choose treatment.”

✅ “First, we analyze the symptoms. Then, we identify the cause. Finally, we choose treatment.”

1. We review the article. We evaluate the evidence. We apply the findings.
2. We explain the procedure. We answer questions. We obtain consent.
3. We collect patient information. We assess risks. We develop a treatment plan.
4. We identify the learning objective. We design activities. We assess understanding.

3.4. Video-Based Structured Explanation Practice — From Theory to Structured Teaching (12–15 min)

In the previous sessions, we focused on speaking more fluently.
This session, we focus on helping students follow our explanations more clearly.

Video

Task

Watching the short video above: The Secret to Better Learning in the Classroom, by John Spencer. 

Step 1 — Quick Understanding 

• What is the main idea of the video?
• How did the speaker organize the explanation?
• What made the explanation easy to follow?

👉 Focus not only on the content, but also on how the speaker teaches the idea.

Step 2 — Observe the Teaching Techniques

Structure

• How did the speaker introduce the concept?
• How did he sequence ideas?
• Did the explanation feel easy to follow? Why?

Scaffolding

• How did the speaker simplify the concept?
• How did visuals support understanding?
• How did examples reduce confusion?

EMI Communication

• What transition language did the speaker use?
• How did pacing affect understanding?
• What made the explanation clear?

👉 Focus on communication techniques you can apply in your own EMI teaching.

Step 3 — Explain the Idea

As a whole class, reconstruct the explanation using:

• Objective
• Step-by-step explanation
• Example
• Summary

👉 Use signposting language such as:

• First…
• Then…
• For example…
• The key idea is…
• Finally…

👉 Keep explanations short, clear, and organized.

4. Clarity & Practice (20+ min)

4.1. Simplifying Complex Explanations (10–12 min)

👉 Focus

• avoid overload
• reduce unnecessary detail
• simplify language
• teach progressively

Examples

❌ “The pathophysiology of the condition demonstrates multifactorial interactions.”

✅ “Several factors interact to cause this condition.”

❌ “This phenomenon can be interpreted through multidimensional analysis.”

✅ “We can understand this using several perspectives.”

Exercise — Simplify & Teach

👉 Explain each idea as if speaking to first-year students.

1. The process requires multiple interacting mechanisms.
2. The results demonstrate significant variation among participants.
3. This concept involves several interconnected variables.
4. The treatment protocol must be adjusted according to patient response.
5. The theory explains how learning develops progressively over time.
6. The methodology incorporates both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
7. Cognitive load may interfere with information processing.
8. Professional judgment requires the integration of multiple sources of evidence.
9. Diagnosis depends on the interpretation of several clinical indicators.
10. Academic performance is influenced by multiple environmental and personal factors.

4.2. EMI Micro-Teaching Challenge (12–15 min)

Now apply everything we have practiced:

• structure
• sequencing
• signposting
• simplification
• listener awareness

Choose ONE topic.

You have 30–60 seconds to explain it to a first-year student.

Use:

• Objective
• Step-by-step explanation
• Example
• Summary

Topics:

1. Hypoglycemia
2. Professionalism
3. Patient consent
4. Diagnosis
5. Curriculum design
6. Academic integrity
7. Data analysis
8. Evidence-based practice
9. Critical thinking
10. Cognitive load
11. Dental plaque
12. Gingivitis
13. Periodontal disease
14. Oral hygiene
15. Dental caries
16. Local anesthesia
17. Infection control
18. Patient-centered care
19. Lifelong learning
20. Artificial intelligence in healthcare

Whole-Class Feedback

Discuss:

• Was the explanation clear?
• Was it logically structured?
• Were signposts used effectively?
• Was the language easy to understand?
• How could it be improved?

Key EMI Principle

Great EMI teaching is not demonstrating how much the teacher knows.

Great EMI teaching is helping students understand what they need to know.

5. Chunking Information for Comprehension

Chunking is the process of breaking complex information into smaller, meaningful sections and presenting them in a logical sequence so learners can understand one idea before moving to the next.

In EMI classrooms, chunking reduces cognitive overload and helps students process information progressively rather than all at once.

How We Can Use Chunking:

5.1. Using the WHY → HOW → WHAT Framework

Instead of presenting all information simultaneously, we organized explanations into three manageable chunks:

WHY – Why is this important?

• Establishes relevance and motivation.

HOW – How does it work?

• Explains the process or mechanism.

WHAT – What do students need to know?

• Presents the key concepts, facts, or takeaways.

Example: Periodontal Disease

WHY

• Why is periodontal disease important?
• It is a major cause of tooth loss and affects oral health.

HOW

• How does it develop?
• Plaque accumulates, inflammation occurs, and supporting tissues become damaged.

WHAT

• What should students know?
• Signs, symptoms, prevention, and treatment options.

5.2. Using Advance Organizers

Without Chunking

"We'll discuss causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of periodontal disease."

With Chunking

"Today we will examine periodontal disease in four steps:

1. Causes
2. Symptoms
3. Treatment
4. Prevention"

Benefit: Students know where they are and what comes next.

5.3. Using Signposting and Transitions

Without Chunking

"The patient presents with inflammation and plaque accumulation and we should evaluate risk factors and discuss treatment options and long-term maintenance."

With Chunking

"First, let's identify the problem."

"Next, let's examine the causes."

"Now, let's discuss treatment."

"Finally, we'll review long-term maintenance."

Benefit: The information remains the same, but the organization improves comprehension.

5.4. Explaining a Procedure Step by Step

Without Chunking

"The procedure begins with examination followed by anesthesia preparation tissue management implant placement suturing and postoperative instructions."

With Chunking

"Let's break this procedure into five steps:

Step 1: Examination

Step 2: Anesthesia

Step 3: Implant Placement

Step 4: Suturing

Step 5: Postoperative Care"

Benefit: Students can process each stage before moving to the next.

Chunking is one of the practical ways we implement:

✓ Structured delivery

✓ Advance organizers

✓ Signposting and transitions

✓ WHY → HOW → WHAT explanations

✓ Clarity over complexity

Key Takeaway

Chunking means organizing information into small, meaningful sections so students can understand one idea at a time and build understanding progressively.

Structure organizes the explanation; chunking makes the explanation learnable.

6. EMI Principles in Action (5 min)

6.1. Structured Delivery (2 min)

Use:

• objectives
• steps
• examples
• summaries

instead of long improvised explanations.

6.2. Scaffolding for Understanding (3 min)

Break difficult ideas into smaller parts.

Guide students progressively.

Use transitions and comprehension checks frequently.

Good EMI teaching is not giving students
all the information at once.
Good EMI teaching is guiding students
progressively through understanding.

7. Recap (2 min)

✔ Organize explanations step-by-step
✔ Use signposting language
✔ Guide students clearly through ideas
✔ Reduce cognitive overload
✔ Prioritize clarity over complexity

HW

2-minute Structured Explanation Recording

Choose ONE:

• Explain a concept
• Explain a process
• Explain a procedure

Requirements

• clear structure
• signposting language
• short explanation blocks
• one example
• one summary sentence

🎥 TED Talk (Homework)

Watch:

“The secret structure of Steve Jobs's speech" by Nancy Duarte

🔚 Final Reflection & Closing (3–4 min || If time permits)

Before we finish, try one more time:

👉 Explain one idea in 20–30 seconds using:

objective → steps → example → summary

Was your explanation clearer than before?

👉 Key idea: Good EMI teaching is not only about speaking English — it is about organizing thinking clearly for students.

Session Handout

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