Okuma-Konuşma, The Design of Everyday Objects

UNIT 5 READING 1 THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY OBJECTS

Suggested Video: 10 Usability Heuristics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWc0Fd2AS3s

Lead in: Either brainstorm about design or put the selected keywords on the board and try to make the students reflect on them

Keywords: create, craftsman, tools, carve, decorate, ornament, available, handy, confusing

Remind the word forms of

function: to function, functionality, functional,

produce: to produce, product, producer, production

consume: to consume, consumption, consumer

use: to use, user, usable, usability

Pre-Reading

Use photograph of the lemon squeezer on page 168 or the photograph of the chair on page 170 for the unit as a discussion opener. Have students read getting into the topic and getting a first idea about the article questions. Ask several students to share their answers. If you cannot get any answers from the students, get closer to them and ask if they have any “everyday objects” on their table, pocket or inside their bag. Have one student stand up and show his or her object to classmates and encourage the student and/or several different students to answer some of your questions. For example: “Do you think this object is well designed or poorly designed?”, “Is it simple to use?”, “Is it worth buying?”, “Do you have a better alternative of this object? Can you show it to you friends?”, “Did you like its color, shape?”

Note: This reading text is very appropriate for jig saw reading so it’s better if you do not use the words functionality, usability and emotional responsein your warm-up section otherwise students may lose their curiosity while other groups are speaking.

Suggested While-Reading

Divide the classroom into 4-5 groups (depending on the number of students) or you can ask the students to make their own groups.

Par.1, 2, 3____1st group (background information, early designers, functionality)

Par. 4, 5, 6____ 2nd group (usability, characteristics of a well-designed and usable product, main                                              concern of the designers)

Par. 7, 8   ____ 3rd group (emotional response, expressing personal identity)

Par. 9      ____   4th group (discussing the 3 basic principles of design by looking at three watches on page 172

Give them around 10 minutes to read only the paragraphs that belong to their group and also ask them not to read more. Tell them they will paraphrase and report their own paragraphs. You may circulate through the classroom, assisting students with difficult lines or vocabulary. The primary goal is to encourage active interaction within the group so let them discuss their paragraphs freely.

When the time is up, each group starts talking about their paragraphs. It’s better not to interrupt or paraphrase the speaker. You may overlook the students’ grammar and vocabulary mistakes in order to keep the teacher talk at minimum. After each group finishes speaking, ask some questions to the other students who have not read those paragraphs.

Post-Reading Questions:

Par. 2: Who were the craftsmen? Why do you think craftsmen made different things for rich and the poor? How did industrialization change the meaning of fine objects?

Par.3:What’s functionality? Could you give me an example of a beautiful but not a functional product?
Par. 4: Could you give me an example of a high-tech product which is not usable? Tell me a multi-functional product that you have? Are you using all of its functions?

Usability: the quality of being of practical use

Par. 5: What are visual signs? What are the factors that make a product usable?

Par. 6:What’s the main concern of the designers? If you were a mobile phone designer; which functions would you probably include?

Par. 7: Do you have an emotional response to an object? (It can be a ring, pen, key case, t-shirt etc.)

Par. 8: Is there any object that expresses the culture that you belong to, your social group or belief? (It can be rosary, evil eye bead or it can be not using plastic bags to protect the environment)

How do you feel when you use that object?

Par. 9: How would you describe a person who prefers to use the 1st, 2nd or the 3rd watch?

Which one reflects your style? Which watch would you like to be given as a present? Why?

Collocations:hand-made, mass-produced, produced on demand, user-friendly, poorly/well designed