Submitted by Sally Trowbridge on 1 October, 2012 - 11:52
“Writing poems? No, this wouldn’t work with my students!” If you feel skeptical about getting your students to try their hand at composing poems or songs in class, try this activity.
Submitted by Katherine Bilsb... on 1 May, 2012 - 08:32
This is a simple pairwork activity that can be used with low level groups to provide practice in the present simple question form – What does he/she do on…?, days of the week, times and leisure act
Show a picture of a cake and present on the board. Elicit what special day it is (birthday). Get Ss to tell you about presents they got or would like for their last/next birthday.
Load the Monster shopping trip story. If using the flash version, do the pre-story puzzle together and introduce the monsters. Play the story. Give the Ss part 1 of the activity sheet, and they tick the presents which were bought.
Give the Ss part 2 of the activity sheet. Get them to circle the answers they know, and leave the answers they don't know. Play the story again - Ss check/complete their answers.
Give the Ss, in pairs or small groups, the text of the story cut up into paragraphs. Ss read and order the paragraphs. Then they can stick the paragraphs onto paper and draw a picture to illustrate each one.
Give the Ss part 3 of the activity sheet. They draw and label a present, encourage them to say why they chose that present.
Re-tell then re-enact the story. As a class, encourage the Ss to retell what they remember of the story, to a degree of detail or simplicity as appropriate to level. Then, get stronger, more out-going Ss to volunteer for key roles, and re-enact the story, with help and suggestions from the teacher and other Ss as to what to say, where to stand, etc. Finally, put Ss in groups to re-enact the story based on the model re-enactment created by the whole class. Some groups may like to volunteer to re-enact the story as a play for the class. The teacher might like to video these, depending on equipment available.
Role-play a shopping trip. Set up role play situation, e.g. it's your teacher's birthday and you need to buy her a present, and put the Ss in groups of three (two friends, one shopkeeper for all the different shops). Demonstrate a role play with the TA and/or stronger Ss, role plays could focus on language for suggestions (Let's buy her some chocolates, etc), and/or functional shopping language (Can I have, here you are, etc). Depending on how much support the Ss need, provide a written example on board, and/or get the Ss to write their role play down before acting out. Some groups may like to volunteer to re-enact the story as a play for the class. The teacher might like to video these, depending on equipment available.
Using part 4 of the activity sheet, Ss write a paragraph describing their ideal birthday party. Ss should describe where it is, who's there, what presents they get, what theme it is, what games and activities they do, etc. They can use present simple or would as appropriate to level. Then they can illustrate their writing and display it in the classroom if possible.
Load the What can it be song. Review body parts of people and animals and do the pre-song matching activity together. Play Simon Says (e.g. Simon Says touch your head, flap your wings, etc).
Listen and watch the song. Give Ss page 1 of the activity sheet and they complete. Listen again to check.
Play the song and the Ss sing along, with their activity sheets to help them if necessary.
Ss work in pairs and quiz each other, using the activity sheet, e.g. What has a minotaur got? or It's got a man's body and a bull's head - what is it?
Ss design and write about their own creature on page 2 of the activity sheet.
Ss add more verses to the song, based on the creatures they designed in the previous stage. Then sing the song again with the new verses!
Submitted by Katherine Bilsb... on 26 October, 2011 - 16:00
This is a simple speaking activity that can be used with A2 level groups to provide practice in using prepositions of place and giving clear instructions.
