Any good activities?
jueves, 2 de octubre de 2008
First day fun
Teaching young adults at Tourism has given me a different slant on first-day activities. Firstly, the first day of English for our first year students can be a daunting experience for some - their first day at uni. and speaking in English! What we decided to do this year is divide our group (about 25 students) into sub-groups of 5-6 students. We had prepared different fun activities for each group to do: taboo, pictionary, half-crosswords, question cue cards, "tell me about you" boardgames etc. The activities were placed on different desks in the classroom and each group had about 5 minutes on each activity. When the teacher shouts "change" they move on to the next activity (which we could call "play stations"!). We've found that this type of activity really motivates students, they speak freely and enjoy themselves. This get them in a good frame of mind for continuing the course and not playing truant in future classes!
miércoles, 1 de octubre de 2008
First day activity - new level A1.2 (ex A2) or new A2 (ex B1)
Here's an activity to start your class with. It doesn't require material, is easy to set and normally enjoyable for both students and teacher.
All you need to prepare is a list of leisure or daily activities (smoke, watch tv in the morning, sing in the shower, play sport, etc ... serious and more informal stuff). the number of items is up to you (15 is enough).
Have students stand in a group in the center of the classroom. Tell them they have to listen to you carefully and observe their mates' position in the class.
Then say "those who play sport, stand here, and those who don't, stand over there" (showing different spots in the room) or "people who smoke, you stand by the door, and people who don't, stand by the window" etc ... Students have to go from one spot to the other, according to what they do or don't, until you've enumerated all the activities in your list. Students don't have to say anything but they need to observe the rest of the class.
When the activity's over, have them sit down in pairs or in groups of three, and the language part can start: they have to remember what their partner does or doesn't ("so, you listen to the radio in the morning but you don't smoke and I think you ...). After this, you can ask them to talk about another student from another group (Antonio, he smokes and he listens ... but he doesn´t ... ). A good way of revising questions and negative statements with present simple, vocabulary and getting to know your classmates. Plus they have to move around the classroom and work in pairs, so it's also a way of showing how you're going to work during the course.
You might want to have a quick revision of present simple (+, - and ?) before starting the activity to make sure students use it correctly and write the verbs you're going to use to make sure they understand them all and remember vocabulary for the second part of the activity.
This activity lasts about half an hour (depending on your students ...).
All you need to prepare is a list of leisure or daily activities (smoke, watch tv in the morning, sing in the shower, play sport, etc ... serious and more informal stuff). the number of items is up to you (15 is enough).
Have students stand in a group in the center of the classroom. Tell them they have to listen to you carefully and observe their mates' position in the class.
Then say "those who play sport, stand here, and those who don't, stand over there" (showing different spots in the room) or "people who smoke, you stand by the door, and people who don't, stand by the window" etc ... Students have to go from one spot to the other, according to what they do or don't, until you've enumerated all the activities in your list. Students don't have to say anything but they need to observe the rest of the class.
When the activity's over, have them sit down in pairs or in groups of three, and the language part can start: they have to remember what their partner does or doesn't ("so, you listen to the radio in the morning but you don't smoke and I think you ...). After this, you can ask them to talk about another student from another group (Antonio, he smokes and he listens ... but he doesn´t ... ). A good way of revising questions and negative statements with present simple, vocabulary and getting to know your classmates. Plus they have to move around the classroom and work in pairs, so it's also a way of showing how you're going to work during the course.
You might want to have a quick revision of present simple (+, - and ?) before starting the activity to make sure students use it correctly and write the verbs you're going to use to make sure they understand them all and remember vocabulary for the second part of the activity.
This activity lasts about half an hour (depending on your students ...).
martes, 30 de septiembre de 2008
Psychic
This is a variation on my usual first lesson activity, with a focus on question formation. I've done this with Intermediate /Upper-Int and probably Advanced, usually teenagers or older . Depending on the level, some eliciting/revision might be needed.
1. The first requirement is that you need your students to understand the meaning of "psychic". A combination of mime/drawing will usually achieve this - or maybe you can get a picture of a fairground fortune-teller, etc. Ask if they think there is such a thing as psychic ability and if they think they have any. Don't allow long stories about their experiences at this stage. Just yes or no. You can always get their anecdotes later.
2. You then get your students individually to produce a list of questions they would usually ask a new acquaintance. You might elicit a typical question as an example - "What's your name?" is probably the best for this, and tell them not to use it in the following exercise. Go round and check that the questions they're producing are reasonably correct - there may be some brief points to go over with them later. Encourage questions that are a little different from the normal but exclude any that might be considered insulting. I'd usually ask for about 10 questions and give up to 5/6 min. In a medium sized group (8 or 9) at Intermediate level there will probably be some students who only have 5 or 6 questions after this time but that's enough to go on to the next stage.
3. Put the students in pairs (with a stranger, of course) - if there's an odd number, a group of three will work, or there's nothing to stop the teacher from participating. You tell them that they're going to to find out if they have any psychic abilities. They must study their partner closely and without saying anything they must try to read their partner's mind for the answers to their questions. Talk them through their first question as an example/to establish some sort of time frame - "Think of your first question . Look deep into your partner's eyes - can you picture their thoughts - what do you see? OK, write the answer and go on to your next question." Repeat the last instructions at regular intervals, till they have answers to all their questions. There is no speaking in stage 3, but usually a few laughs.
4. Students ask their partners their questions and check the real answers against their mind-reading. Check quickly how many they got correct and if they want to comment on the exercise, then go over grammar and vocabulary points arising from the question formation, pronunciation points, etc.
5.Reveal your own psychic abilities by telling them that you can tell that they all desperately want now to go on to talk about Linguassist...
1. The first requirement is that you need your students to understand the meaning of "psychic". A combination of mime/drawing will usually achieve this - or maybe you can get a picture of a fairground fortune-teller, etc. Ask if they think there is such a thing as psychic ability and if they think they have any. Don't allow long stories about their experiences at this stage. Just yes or no. You can always get their anecdotes later.
2. You then get your students individually to produce a list of questions they would usually ask a new acquaintance. You might elicit a typical question as an example - "What's your name?" is probably the best for this, and tell them not to use it in the following exercise. Go round and check that the questions they're producing are reasonably correct - there may be some brief points to go over with them later. Encourage questions that are a little different from the normal but exclude any that might be considered insulting. I'd usually ask for about 10 questions and give up to 5/6 min. In a medium sized group (8 or 9) at Intermediate level there will probably be some students who only have 5 or 6 questions after this time but that's enough to go on to the next stage.
3. Put the students in pairs (with a stranger, of course) - if there's an odd number, a group of three will work, or there's nothing to stop the teacher from participating. You tell them that they're going to to find out if they have any psychic abilities. They must study their partner closely and without saying anything they must try to read their partner's mind for the answers to their questions. Talk them through their first question as an example/to establish some sort of time frame - "Think of your first question . Look deep into your partner's eyes - can you picture their thoughts - what do you see? OK, write the answer and go on to your next question." Repeat the last instructions at regular intervals, till they have answers to all their questions. There is no speaking in stage 3, but usually a few laughs.
4. Students ask their partners their questions and check the real answers against their mind-reading. Check quickly how many they got correct and if they want to comment on the exercise, then go over grammar and vocabulary points arising from the question formation, pronunciation points, etc.
5.Reveal your own psychic abilities by telling them that you can tell that they all desperately want now to go on to talk about Linguassist...
from another direction...discussion?
Can I be boring and ask this to broaden out a bit? When you look at this from another direction, not all 15 min activities are equal. This is a bit of an e-mail correspondence I had with MarkMc that I hoped might lead to a brief open discussion at Friday's session, but maybe blogging it makes more sense....
I know you realise this already, but I've got to say it anyway. EFL introductory activities when performed by EFL teachers don't on their own convey so much about their function in the class with non-native speakers. They're usually just a laugh, or an embarrassment. The ice-breaker approach. But if you're going this way though, seriously, I would be interested to know what others think about how much in class preparation,for example, pre-teaching or revision should be done for introductory activities, if any? Do you need any special materials/props? What skills should they involve? Pair work/group/whole class? Are there possible pitfalls/types of activity to avoid, eg, do you start the class, before anything else, with the activity? do you wait for any stragglers to appear? Do you do all the admin side first, check the register, give out folders and guides? Do you do the classroom management, get Ss to put their names in front of them, find the best seating arrangement...?
I know you realise this already, but I've got to say it anyway. EFL introductory activities when performed by EFL teachers don't on their own convey so much about their function in the class with non-native speakers. They're usually just a laugh, or an embarrassment. The ice-breaker approach. But if you're going this way though, seriously, I would be interested to know what others think about how much in class preparation,for example, pre-teaching or revision should be done for introductory activities, if any? Do you need any special materials/props? What skills should they involve? Pair work/group/whole class? Are there possible pitfalls/types of activity to avoid, eg, do you start the class, before anything else, with the activity? do you wait for any stragglers to appear? Do you do all the admin side first, check the register, give out folders and guides? Do you do the classroom management, get Ss to put their names in front of them, find the best seating arrangement...?
Starter for 5
OK Here's an easy one with a new class:
Tell your students to find 5 differences and/or similarities between you and your partner. Then they explain the differences or similarities to the other person sitting next to them. This practises question forms, 2nd and 3rd person forms and you usually find out some interesting information about your students if you ask them to mention something unusual they have discovered about their partners.
You may need to tell them to avoid things like living in BCN, etc and focus on jobs, hobbies, tastes in music, films and the like.
Tell your students to find 5 differences and/or similarities between you and your partner. Then they explain the differences or similarities to the other person sitting next to them. This practises question forms, 2nd and 3rd person forms and you usually find out some interesting information about your students if you ask them to mention something unusual they have discovered about their partners.
You may need to tell them to avoid things like living in BCN, etc and focus on jobs, hobbies, tastes in music, films and the like.
lunes, 29 de septiembre de 2008
The use of the Linguassist: peer teaching
Welcome to the universe of the Linguassist
If you are familiar with the Linguassist, you will work with a student who isn’t familiar with the website. You have to show him/her:
- How to enter into the Linguassist
- How to use the learning path the teacher has assigned to the class
- How to use the workbook: you will do the workbook exercises that correspond to the file you’re studying now
- How to use the Grammar book: for example try to do an exercises on adverbs (remember to do an exercise of your level)
- How to use the Vocabulary section: for example try to do a crossword on cinema
- How to use the Dictionary. Look for a word you don’t know
- How to use the Speak and listen section: have a look at the listening exercise (e.g. asking for flight information)
- How to use the Forum: send an email to your partners through the forum
- How to use the radio and the news channels: Listen to the BBC radio 1
- How to use the Newspapers section: Read some article in Newsweek or The New York Times
If you have problems to access any area, ask your teacher
Welcome to the universe of the Linguassist
If you are not familiar with the Linguassist, you will work with a student who is familiar with the website. He/she will have to show you:
- How to enter into the Linguassist
- How to use the learning path the teacher has assigned to the class
- How to use the workbook: you will do the workbook exercises that correspond to the file you’re studying now
- How to use the Grammar book: for example try to do an exercises on adverbs (remember to do an exercise of your level)
- How to use the Vocabulary section: for example try to do a crossword on cinema
- How to use the Dictionary. Look for a word you don’t know
- How to use the Speak and listen section: have a look at the listening exercise (e.g. asking for flight information)
- How to use the Forum: send an email to your partners through the forum
- How to use the radio and the news channels: Listen to the BBC radio 1
- How to use the Newspapers section: Read some article in Newsweek or The New York Times
If you have problems to access any area, ask your teacher
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