ssssDo Something Different

The aim of this session is to explore ways of challenging teachers and students to leave their comfort zone and to question their habitweb of behaviour, whilst acknowledging the value of rules, routine, rights, responsibilities and respect, which learners need in order to develop and teachers need in order to survive.

All teachers have a stock of techniques or procedures which they do not have to think about, such as starting and ending classes, writing new language on the board, arranging pairwork, correcting spoken errors and so on. These quickly become habits/rituals, which can be done without conscious thought, so that the strain of teaching is reduced and teachers can focus on other things in a lesson. However, by staying in our comfort zone, reluctant to try out new ideas, we might be preventing ourselves from being as effective as we can be.

Students too, become dependent on certain rituals, such as approaching written exercises in a certain way, working with the same partner or going straight to a bi-lingual dictionary to check a new word. This can inhibit learning rather than encourage it.

Statement swop shop

To practise giving opinions Prepare a list of about 10 statements that your students can agree and disagree with, maybe from a particular topic area in your coursebook.

For example
Maths is more interesting than History. Learning English is fun. Theres not enough Sport on our timetable. Girls like playing with dolls. Boys are good at climbing trees. Real Madrid have better players than Barcelona FC. Being a goalkeeper is the worst position to play in. An iPOD is easier to use than other MP3 players. Internet chatrooms are a good way to make new friends. 1 @Lake School Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com

Give every student a blank piece of paper. Dictate the statements to students, one by one. Or get the students to do it! Tell the students to write the statements at the top of the page if they agree, at the bottom of the page if they disagree and in the middle of the page if they are undecided. Ask students to compare their opinions in pairs, and give reasons why. Ask students to feedback to the rest of the group. Role call To revise recently learnt vocabulary, within a lexical set or topic area. Decide on lexical sets/topic areas that you would like to revise

For example

Items of furniture (sofa, bookshelf, TV unit, bed . . . ) Types of fruit & veg. Ask one of the pupils to read the register/ call the roll. Tell the pupils that instead of answering by giving their name or saying yes they must say one item from the set/topic area to be revised. Pupils must listen carefully because no item should be repeated. Dont always go in alphabetical order as its unfair on the person at the bottom of the register. You may need to change the topic halfway if you have a big class or their level and range of vocab is low. Class scribe To keep a record, for all the students in the class of the incidental or taught language that comes up during a lesson. Choose one student in the class to make a note of any new words and phrases that come up during a lesson. You can simply give the student a blank piece of paper, but to make this activity more formal, its a good idea to prepare a worksheet. You should choose a different student for each week/month, depending on how much time you spend together. Younger students will benefit from strict turn-taking and rewards. For instance, it may be a good idea to draw students names from a hat and to put a marble into a jar for every correct item that is noted down. Tell the student that s/he must make a note of any new language that is extra to the lesson. Tell the student that there will be an area on the board where you will record it, but the Class Scribe must keep a record for the whole class, which will then be photocopied at the end of the day/week/month for each student. At the end of a month/term, students can vote for the best Class Scribe and you might like to try an end of term/year vocabulary test to see what effect this regular activity has had on their new language retention. 2 @Lake School Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com

Traffic lights

To involve students in self-assessment of their learning and to provide the teacher with instant feedback on activities (rather than blank faces!) Cut circles of red, yellow and green enough to have one of each colour for each pupil. (They can be covered with plastic and kept by each student to re-use, during the year.) At the end of an activity, hand out the traffic lights to each pupil. Ask the students to assess the activity, and hold up the appropriate colour: RED = I couldnt do the activity. ORANGE = I found the activity difficult and needed more help. GREEN = I could do the activity easily without any help. OR RED = I didnt like this activity at all, it was boring. ORANGE = I thought this activity was OK. GREEN = I really liked this activity and would like to do it again.

You choose!

To help students feel involved and empowered as learners, by addressing a range of learning styles and interests. Ask students in which order they would like to do activities

For example

Would you like to speed read the text first or discuss the title first? Ask students to choose between 2 alternatives.

For example

Write an interview with a famous person containing the language you have just learned. Write a news report about a famous person containing the language you have just learned. Ask students in groups to choose activities from a menu of alternatives

For example (if you have been working on the story of Cinderella)

Prepare a WANTED poster for the Ugly Sisters. Write the invitation to the ball that the Ugly Sisters received. Write a lonely hearts column advert for the Ugly Sisters. Write a letter to a magazine from Cinderella asking for advice about dealing with her Ugly Sisters. 3 @Lake School Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com

Ask students to choose the vocabulary they would like to learn from a unit and swap with a partner, who prepares a test/quiz/game for homework based on the language their partner has given. Ask students which activities they would like to do/the order in which they would like to do the activities from the next unit. (You can always introduce

the rest of the unit in a different way.)

Ask students where they would like to sit/work to do an activity. Ask students if they would prefer to work in pairs/groups/individually. Setting goals Ask students which day/s they would like homework on. Help student/s decide on the target you/they would like to work towards.

For example

Co-operative group work Good concentration Tidy writing Learning 20 phrasal verbs Draw a picture to represent the target (such as the moon, a chequered flag, a goal). Write the target on the image. Draw a marker to show progress towards the target (such as a rocket, a racing car, a football) Decide on a reward for when the target is reached. Stick the target, the marker and the reward on the wall. Move the marker towards the target each time there is a positive example of the target activity. Have fun giving the reward. Learner diary To help students to monitor their own progress, to help students become reflective learners, to develop students self-awareness. Discuss diaries and the idea of learner diaries with your students. Tell students that they are going to write diary entries on a regular basis (decide the day and frequency) as part of their homework, but that it will not be marked/assessed. Tell students that they can write their diaries in L1 or L2. Model the diary, if possible, yourself. Take in the diaries, from time to time and respond positively to the entries. Ask students to look back over their diaries occasionally to see how much progress they have made.

4 @Lake School

Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com

You are my sunshine

To develop students self-confidence in their ability to learn, to help students recognize their positive characteristics Tell students to draw a picture of the sun and sketch a quick self-portrait (or stick a photo) in the centre. Give your students examples of positive characteristics. I can swim. Im good at having ideas. I try my best. I love helping my little sister. Tell students to write their good points / strengths in the rays around the sun. Tell the students to share their good points with their partner or in their group Display on the wall, if possible.

Design a board game

To practise any known language and vocabulary. To write instructions and/or sentences. To develop creative thinking skills and to collaborate in groups. Divide your class into groups/pairs. Give one large piece of paper to each group/pair, and 20 small pieces of paper (to write questions, forfeits, chance cards for the game). Coins or counters and a dice are also needed. Ask the students to prepare a board game. Elicit ideas (perhaps based on topics in your course book)

For example

Race around the world Cross a dangerous planet Survive the jungle Win X Factor Spend, Spend, Spend how to lose a million Elicit language for instructions and types of questions appropriate for the game.

For example

You hit some wrong notes, go back 2 squares. You meet a forest guide, go forward 3 spaces. You meet a friendly alien Discuss the idea of chance cards, forfeits etc. Tell students to plan the game first and make a draft. Tell students that they will continue this mini project over a number of lessons. When they are ready, they can make a final version of their game. 5 @Lake School Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com

Students play each others games in following lessons. Extend the activity by voting for the best game.

Class contract

To agree on a set of rules for all members of the class to observe and to record this agreement. To create a positive learning environment and sense of community. To practise language of opinion and obligation. Divide your class into groups/pairs. Ask students to brainstorm rules for the teacher and rules for the students. Feedback and agree on the rules together as a class. Write out the rules on a large paper to display in the class. Sign the teachers part of the contract and ask the students to sign theirs. Display the contract.

6 @Lake School

Email: enquiries@englishinoxford.com