This is a simple speaking activity that can provide practice for describing personalities. The lesson is designed for adults but could also be used with older teenagers.

Author
Derek Spafford

Level: A2+

Age: Adults or Senior YLs

Preparation
Make one copy of the worksheet per student.

Procedure

  • On the board write Do you doodle? When do you doodle? Ask students if they know what doodle means. If nobody knows, invite students to speculate. Offer a few clues: Most people doodle when they are waiting or bored. You need a pencil or a pen to doodle. Finally explain the meaning or invite a student to look up the word in a dictionary and explain to the rest of the class.
  • Give each student a copy of the handout and tell them to spend three minutes doodling. They should doodle in each box. They should concentrate on their doodling and not copy or speak.
  • When students have finished doodling, put them into pairs; A and B.
  • Draw this key on the board:

1 = The way you see yourself

2 = The way other people see you

3 = The way you want to be seen

4 = The real you

  • Explain that they are going to pretend to be psychoanalysts. They should take turns to analyse each other’s doodles, using the key as a guide.
  • Put students into new pairs to repeat the speaking part of the activity.


Extension

Collect the worksheets in and then hand them out again in a random order. Students write a brief analysis of their doodler using the key as a guide.

Downloads
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Comments

Submitted by lisahj65 on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 15:01

I had something similar to this years ago from (IIRC) Recipes for Tired Teachers or some such Friday afternoon-y type of book. It always went down brilliantly at all levels. Thanks for reminding me of it!

Submitted by sheleen1 on Thu, 02/07/2013 - 10:12

I used this exercise with my adult class last night and they loved it!!! They embraced the concept fully and made both profound and light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek analyses. Great idea, thanks!!

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