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Suggested
Activities
(for comprehension and communicative
practice)
For a comprehensive source of activities.
A.
One-Minute Speeches and Debates
Speeches
At some schools,
students are required to give a one-minute speech to their friends at the start
of each class about their hobbies, free-time activities, school, etc. It is important for students to be able to express
their likes and their dislikes and this activity is a great way of
encouraging them to express their opinions.
For this activity,
each student in the class can be provided with a grading sheet, on which
different aspects of the speech can be rated on a scale of 1- 5. For example:
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Please circle one: ←(weak) (strong)→
Creativity 1 2 3 4 5
Pronunciation 1 2 3 4 5
Grammar 1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
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This way, the
speaker can receive positive feedback and encouragement from classmates. Also, the other students in the class can practice
communicative listening-comprehension skills.
Furthermore, if
there is an AET present, the AET can mark the speech, as well.
Debate
Debate is also a
great way to encourage independent thought. Help your students argue objectively about something
they feel strongly for, or against, by giving them starting points.
Start by eliciting
ideas for possible topics. Then allow
students, in small groups (preferably pairs) to choose one of the topics. Next get them to think of arguments both
"for" and "against" their chosen topic.
A debate is like a
set of scales: you have to weigh up each side of the argument and then
decide which argument you agree with, and how strongly you will be able to
present (and defend) your case.
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Topics for debate.
-School uniforms should be banned.
-We should be able to bring our own lunch to school.
-School holidays should be longer.
-English should not be a compulsory subject.
-All students should be able to choose their favorite subjects.
Then get the students to think of arguments "for" and
"against" the topic. For example, here
are some ideas about the first topic: "School uniforms should be
banned."
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For
-School uniforms should be banned because they are very expensive and
we grow taller every year.
-School uniforms suppress individuality! Everyone wears the same thing and it is boring.
-School uniforms are too strict and we get cold in the winter.
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Against
-School uniforms should not be banned because we can all look the same and be equal.
-It is too difficult to decide what to wear each day for school so school
uniforms should not be banned.
-School uniforms are very neat and give the school an identity.
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Finally, get the
students to present their ideas to the rest of the class.
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B. Gestures
and Drama
Gestures
Gestures and eye contact
are important as part of non-verbal communication. English speakers use
gestures more readily than many Japanese speakers. Sometimes these gestures have different meanings from
the Japanese ones. If it is a team
teaching class, the AET can easily demonstrate some gestures. Pictures can also help you understand the meanings of
the gestures.
Drama in the
Classroom
Play a section of
video with the sound turned down and ask the students to improvise (make up
the words or actions) to show they understand the meaning. Write and perform a skit using props available to you
at school. Put on a performance for another class
to show them how you are using your English. Many students like karaoke so why not sing songs in
class and devise learning materials around the text?
C. Computers
and the Internet
Students like
technology, such as computers and the internet. Make use of a variety of software and use the
internet to get information. Give students tasks
to investigate and let them experience the virtual world of the internet. Writing an
e-mail to a friend and exchanging opinions about a common topic are just two
possible activities. Ask students to
research something that interests them in English on the internet. Make them give a presentation of their findings. Communicate with students in other countries. Ask the AET for help.
For more
information on communicating with other students through student exchange
programs, please see the "Explore the World Through
Opportunities" article on this website, written by Justin Dart.
D. Comprehension
of Student's Own Work
Have the students
design their own learning and review materials to share with the rest of
the class. They can make their own true/false
quizzes, word quizzes, and games that you can use as assessment resources. This way, revision for final examinations is not so
daunting.
E. Reviewing
and Speaking Tests
When learning a foreign
language, it is important to remember and use the material that has been
learned previously. Students often
learn material for a test and then forget it. But learning a language is cumulative (i.e. always
adding to your ability) so basic material is very important and should be
reinforced as often as possible.
Review in class
time can provide a break in a busy schedule because the students can put
away their textbooks and enjoy different activities. In each chapter, perhaps only half of the words and
phrases are really important, so make your review activities relate to
them. Students will learn more in a
communicative context if you invent fun role-plays and dialogues for them
to revise vocabulary and grammar points in a variety of situations. They can practice using review words in English
sentences to check that they really understand them, rather than simply
recognize them.
There are many
activities which are useful for review and the AET’ｓvisit and it is a good opportunity to try new ideas. Remind your students that in order to improve their
English ability, they need to understand and remember what they have
already learned.
Valuable Points for
Consideration-“Noticing”
Many teachers often
get disheartened when they have spent a considerable period of time
preparing for a lesson only to find that, by the end of the lesson, the
students have still not fully mastered the grammar or intended target
language.
There is a concept
that is rapidly becoming widely accepted in the teaching of a second or
foreign language throughout the world. It is known as “noticing”
a language, as per Jeremy Cross writing for the TESL-EJ on behalf of the
British Council. Linguistics specialists argue that, in order for a student
to be able to reproduce the new target language satisfactorily, they must
completely understand it and have assimilated it into their own lexis-
ready for next available use.
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