:) Hello! I'm back again. I just got back from Pangkor Island....attending a course there for 3 days. I would like to share a few tips about English classroom activities. This course was organized by JPN Perak and the person who was responsible giving so much inputs was Mr. Jeremy Bishop, Second English Language Co-ordinator (SELC) from Manchester, England. I would like to share a few here. Hopefully, English teachers might find it useful in class;
Chants for Everyone!
Alphabet Chants
The following are simple chants to help students remember the sounds made by each letter of the alphabet. Of course the words used in the examples may be changed according to your students' vocabulary skills.
The general rhythm of each chant is the same. Please note the [CLAP] markings in the first sample. This follows stressed syllables.
This is intended as a fun review, not a forced drill or rote memory project. Teach one or two sounds a day like this. Vary chant by saying it loudly, saying it softly, saying it fast, saying it slowly, saying it up high, saying it down low, asking all the boys to say it, asking everyone wearing red to say it, etc. After students have memorized new sound, do a quick review of old sounds. With just five to ten minutes a day of this review, even the youngest learners will be able to associate words with their initial sounds.
A [CLAP] says /a/ [CLAP] like ap-[CLAP] -ple.
A [CLAP] says /a/ [CLAP] /a/ [CLAP] /a/ [CLAP].
B says /b/ like baseball.
B says /b/ /b/ /b/.
C says /c/ like cookie.
C say /c/ /c/ /c/.
D says /d/ like dinosaur.
D says /d/ /d/ /d/.
E says /e/ like elephant.
E says /e/ /e/ /e/.
F says /f/ like fireman.
F says /f/ /f/ /f/.
G says /g/ like goldfish.
G says /g/ /g/ /g/.
H says /h/ like hospital.
H says /h/ /h/ /h/.
I says /i/ like igloo.
I says /i/ /i/ /i/.
J says /j/ like jumping.
J says /j/ /j/ /j/.
K says /k/ like kitten.
K says /k/ /k/ /k/.
L says /l/ like listen.
L says /l/ /l/ /l/.
M says /m/ like mother.
M says /m/ /m/ /m/.
N says /n/ like nurse.
N says /n/ /n/ /n/.
O says /o/ like octopus.
O says /o/ /o/ /o/.
P says /p/ like pencil.
P says /p/ /p/ /p/.
Q says /q/ like queen.
Q says /q/ /q/ /q/.
R says /r/ like rabbit.
R says /r/ /r/ /r/.
S says /s/ like snowman.
S says /s/ /s/ /s/.
T says /t/ like turtle.
T says /t/ /t/ /t/.
U says /u/ like umbrella.
U says /u/ /u/ /u/.
V says /v/ like van.
V says /v/ /v/ /v/.
X says /x/ like X-ray.
X says /x/ /x/ /x/.
Y says /y/ like yellow.
Y says /y/ /y/ /y/.
Z says /z/ like zebra.
Z says /z/ /z/ /z/.
* I find the above chant is suitable to teach the YEAR 1 pupils.
Clothes Chant
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This is designed as a fun review of basic clothing items. It is suggested that you introduce this activity using the group exercise. The first few times through the chant, the teacher will need to lead the activity. As students grow more comfortable with modifying questions and responses, the teacher may reduce his or her level of involvement until students are solely on their own.
As leaders develop within the student group, the teacher may begin practicing with these using the individual exercise. (This also helps to prevent the better students from growing bored while slower students are learning the required vocabulary.)
With five to ten minutes of practice per day, within one or two weeks, most (if not every) student should be able to complete the individual exercise. At this point, students should be able to include learn terminology in new contexts. (i.e. "Is So-ri's shirt red?" "No, it's not. It's brown." or following simple instructions such as "Colour the boy's shoes purple.")
Group:
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes today.
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks today.
Continue for other articles of clothing (pants, skirt, shirt, dress, hat, etc.).
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Individual:
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes to-day [CLAP].
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks to-day [CLAP].
Continue for other articles of clothing (pants, skirt, shirt, dress, hat, etc.).
Five Little Firefighters
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Five little firefighters (Show five fingers)
Sleeping in a row. (Rest cheeks on hands and close eyes.)
RING goes the bell--
Down the pole they go. (Pretend to slide down pole.)
They jump on the engine (Jump.)
And put out the fire. (Pretend to squirt with a hose.)
Now they're back home--
My, but they're tired! (Stretch and yawn.)
Going on a Bear Hunt
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This popular children's chant is a great way to teach basic prepositions!
Let's go on a bear hunt. (Slap hands together.)
I see a wheat field.
Can't go over it. Let's go through it. (Move hands as if to part wheat.)
I see a bridge.
Can't go around it. Let's go over it. (Stack hands on top of one another.)
I see a lake.
Can't go over it, can't go under it, let's swim. (Make swimming motions with arms.)
I see a tree.
Can't go over it, can't go under it, let's go up it. (Climb with arms.)
I don't see any bears. (Look around)
Let's go down. (Pretend to climb down.)
I see a swamp.
Can't go over it, can't go under it, let's go through it. (Move hands as if to wade through swamp.)
I see a cave.
Can't go over it, can't go under it, let's go in. (Lean over as if to crawl through a small hole; slowly slap knees.)
I see two eyes. I see two ears. (Point to eyes; point to ears.)
I see a nose. I see a mouth. (Point to nose; point to mouth.)
Yikes! It's a bear! (Place palms on cheeks in show of surprise.)
Let's get out of here. (Quickly run backward.)
"I Like to Eat"
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"Do you like,"
"Do you like,"
"Do you like [food]?"
"Yes, I like,"
"Yes, I like,"
"Yes, I like [food]!"
OR
"No, I don't,"
"No, I don't,"
"No, I don't like [food]!"
Review with class:
"Does s/he like,"
"Does s/he like,"
"Does s/he like [food]?"
"Yes, s/he does,"
"Yes, s/he does,"
"Yes, s/he does like [food]!"
"Yes, s/he does,"
"Yes, s/he does,"
"S/he likes it very much!"
"No, s/he doesn't,"
"No, s/he doesn't,"
"No, s/he doesn't like [food]!"
"No, s/he doesn't,"
"No, s/he doesn't,"
S/he doesn't like it at all!"
Mix a Pancake
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This simple classic children's verse is particularly effective if children can follow the process outlined and make pancakes in class. If this is not feasible, students will still enjoy pantomiming the actions described.
Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in a pan;
Fry the pancake,
Toss the pancake,
Catch it if you can.
Open Them, Shut Them
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Begin with hands held in front of you.
Open, shut them. (Hold hands open, palms up; close hands, making fists.)
Open, shut them. (Repeat.)
Give a little clap. (Clap.)
Open, shut them. (Hold hands open, palms up; close hands, making fists.)
Put them in your lap. (Fold hands and place them in your lap.)
Shake My Wiggles Out
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I'm going to . . .
Shake, shake, shake my wiggles out
Shake, shake, shake my wiggles out
Shake, shake, shake my wiggles out
Going to wiggle my waggles away.
I'm going to . . .
Stretch my body out . . .
Clap my crazies out . . .
Yawn my sleepies out . . .
Shake my wiggles out.
Tall and Small
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I'm very, very tall. (Raise hands above head; stand on tiptoes.)
I'm very, very small. (Crouch down close to ground.)
Sometimes tall, (Up again.)
Sometimes small. (Down again.)
Guess what I am now! (Students choose a position; teacher may ask, "Are you tall or small?" Student should be able to respond correctly.)
"Tall" and "small" may be replaced with "young" and "old," "heavy" and "thin," "hot" and "cold," "pretty" and "ugly," etc.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
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Many teachers may remember this activity from their own childhoods. It is usually played with a jump rope. (Two students turn the jump rope, while another performs the actions described.) In the ESL setting, you may play it with jump rope out of doors or perform the actions as a class indoors. (The jump rope variation may be too difficult for very young students.)
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Show your shoe.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
That will do!
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Say your prayers.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Switch off the light.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Say "Good night!"
Ten Little Fingers
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A fun way for students to review names of various body parts
I have ten little fingers and ten little toes, (Kids point to portions of body as they repeat words.)
Two little arms and one little nose,
One little mouth and two little ears,
Two little eyes for smiles and tears,
One little head and two little feet,
One little chin, that's (student's name) complete!
Today
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A: "Where did you go today?"
A: "Where did you go today?"
B: "Today I went to [place (i.e. school)]."
B: "Today I went to [place]."
B: "That's what I did today!"
B: "That what I did today!"
A : "Today s/he went to [place]."
A: "Today s/he went to [place]."
A: "That's what s/he did today!"
A: "That's what s/he did today!"
Suggestion: Teach basic structure of chant, then choose a student to be B and perform the role of A. After A has mirrored B's response, B becomes the next player A and chooses someone else to be B. You may wish to have all students stand, then sit down after they have performed roles B and A. This will ensure that all students get one turn before any student gets a second turn.
Traffic Lights
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The red at the top
Tells us to STOP!
The green below
Tells us to GO!
The yellow in the middle
Tells us to WAIT!
Please don't worry--
You won't be late!
Who Took the Cookies?
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Another classic children's chant, this is a fun game for teaching the quesion "who?".
Class: Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
Teacher: [Student's name] took the cookies from the cookie jar!
[Student]: Who, me?
Class: Yes, you.
[Student]: Couldn't be.
Class: Then who?
[Student]: [Next student's name] took the cookies from the cookie jar!
[Next student]: Who, me?
Continue in pattern
*We could use the above chants for pupils with pronunciation problems. Great for practising choral speaking too.
LANGUAGE GAMES FOR LARGE CLASSES THAT REQUIRE NO PREPARATION!
Game Structure practised
1. Simon says
Students must only follow the teacher’s instructions if preceded by “Simon says …” Following instructions with imperatives.
2. Hangman
The teacher thinks of a word , e.g. TABLE, and writes the same number of letters on the board using small lines _ _ _ _ _ .
Students must ask questions about the letters in the word and try to guess it. If they guess a letter correctly, the teacher must write it in the right place. If not, the teacher must write the incorrect letter under the word – only 10 wrong letters are allowed
Question forms: Is there a “y”? and the alphabet
3. I went to the supermarket.
Student 1: a loaf of bread
I went to the supermarket and I bought a loaf of bread.
Student 2: a tin of peas (+ a loaf of bread)
I went to the supemarket and I bought a loaf of bread and a tine of peas.
Good to do in small groups at the same time. Food vocabulary/quantities/containers
4. 20 questions
The teacher thinks of an object of a famous person and the students must guess what or who it is. The teacher can only answer their questions “yes’ or “no” Question forms : Yes/No questions
o Is s/he ….? Was s/he ….?
o Does/Did s/he….?
o Is it made of …?
o Can you …. it? etc
5. What’s my line?
The teacher thinks of a job and mimes an action which is typical of it. The students must guess it and again the teacher can only answer yes/no Question forms: Yes/No questions
o Do you …. ?
o Do you have to …? etc
6. Where’s the fly?
The teacher imagines a fly somewhere in the room. or in a picture. The students have to guess where it is. Again only yes/no questions are allowed. Question forms and prepositions
o Is it under the carpet?
7. Yes/No Game
Students have to answer the teacher’s questions without using “yes” or “no”.
Artificial practice of short answers and alternative ways of answering “yes’ and “no”.
8. Whose is it?
Student A goes out of the classroom and the class decide on an object that belongs to student B. Student B comes in again and must find the owner of the object. o Is this your/his/her watch?
o Is this yours/his/hers?
9. Alibi
Student A and B go out of the class for 5 minutes to establish an alibi for 8pm-10pm the night before. The class then questions each student in turn (while the other remains outside) to see if they can find a discrepancy in their story and so disprove it. Question forms: Wh- questions, yes/no questions
o What were you doing between 9 and 10?
o What did you do?
o Where did you go?
o Did you …?
10. Describing person in class
Each student writes a description of someone in the class without giving the name. These are read out and the other students have to guess who it is. Lexis of description
o S/he’s tall.
o S/he’s got short hair.
o S/he’s wearing ….
11. The Mime Game
Student A mimes an action and the other students have to guess what s/he’s doing? Present Continuous
o Are you frying an egg?
12. Introductions
Students introdcue themselves around the circle and must remember the names of all the others who went before. Students who know each other can adopt unusual names:
Student A: I’m John.
Student B: I’m Debra and his name’s John.
Student C: My name’s Fred, this is Debra
and that’s John. Introductions:
o My/her/his name’s …
o This/that is ….
13. The Fortune Teller
Students work in pairs and write down some predictions for their friends, e.g. You’ll have 12 boys and 3 girls.
You’ll live in a big house. etc
Students then take their partner’s hand and give them some predictions for the future.
Will Future
14. What’s your neighbour wearing?
Ask students to stand back to back with another student, then ask them to describe as much as they can what that person is weraing, colour of eyes, type of hair, etc. (Don’t tell them that they’ll have to do this in advance!)
Colours, clothes, general description vocabulary.
Present Continuous
15. I see
Variation of “I Spy”. Student A says “ I see something beginning with “B” – the others must guess what it is. This can also be used with specific pictures. Classroom vocabulary
o Is it a …?
16. Word Hunt (using text book)
Using any text book, dialogue or exercise, the teacher decides on a word and students must guess which word it is.
Yes/No questions
Prepositions
Parts of speech
Ordinal numbers
o Is it at the top of the page?
o Is it a noun?
o Is it on the third line?
o Does it begin with …?
:clap: :clap: :clap: