Ideas for the Oral Conversation Class
Workshop Leader: Jacqueline Angi-Dobos email: jackie@niagaracc.com
The ideas presented in this workshop are ideas I have made up, adapted, or gleaned over the past 12 years. When I use someone else's idea, I give as much credit as possible. If anyone knows the original source for any ideas presented, please email me the information so I can make corrections. Thank you for your assistance. Jackie Angi-Dobos
1. Blind man's bluff
Level: All
Materials: blindfolds, water glasses, water
A) - Two games – 1) set up two or three teams
- Have 6 or 8 glasses of water ready
- Each team chooses one person to be blindfolded.
- ALL students watch the water glasses being placed in a zigzag line, then the two or three to be blindfolded are taken out of the room. While the first player is being blindfolded, the teacher quickly removes the glasses of water.
- The blindfolded 'victim' is brought into the room and his team direct him orally with commands to be careful, or to go left, or not to put his foot down now, etc. to safely guide the person around the non-existent glasses of water. When he has 'won', the blindfold is removed and it is time for the second victim.
B) - Second game – Teams choose someone to be blindfolded. The team must take their blindfolded person on a specified course. They are not allowed to touch the blindfolded person, only to give oral cues. The team to finish the course in the shortest time wins.
2. Blindfold taste-smell-feel test
Level: AllMaterials: blindfold, "food"
- Student is blindfolded, different "foods" are placed in front of him and he describes how it feels, smells, and finally tastes.
- This is best done in partners as everyone will want to try, so one partner gives the samples to his partner, then they switch roles and the rest of the samples are given to the first partner.
- Things to try: hot chocolate powder, salt, sugar, marshmallow, vinegar, ketchup, orange segment, bread, etc.
3.
Level: All
Materials: N/A
- Students sit in two lines, side by side facing the other line
- Each student talks to his partner (sitting directly opposite him) about the assigned topic until the buzzer sounds. When the buzzer sounds, one line moves down one seat so everyone has a different partner for the next topic.
- Set the timer for the length of time you wish. I usually start out with one minute and work my way up to five minutes.
- Possible topics - what do you like most about your hometown, what was your first boyfriend/girlfriend like, why did you break up, what are your goals for the future, who is your favourite "famous" person and why, etc.
- Students take turns talking about the topic and asking questions
- This gets very noisy so students need to ask for restatement and must focus their full attention on listening, thinking, and speaking in English
- Lower level students should be spread out more, while more advanced speakers should sit next to each other (to cause more interference)
4. To Tell the Truth
Level: All
Materials: Same size and shape pieces of paper
- The teacher hands out paper to each student in the class. He must write down a true strange event that happened in his life, and he must include his name at the top of the paper.
- The teacher collects the papers and randomly selects one. He then calls up three students, one of whom is the author of the paper. The three students sit at the front of the class.
- The teacher reads out the event on the paper and each of the three students must claim that that event happened to him.
- The other students may ask questions to the three students about the event trying to determine which student is telling the truth.
- At the end of the question and answer period, students vote, and the true author is revealed
- The key is for each of the contestants to have a poker face when the event is read out and to be convincing in the lie (maybe the 3 students can read the paper before it is read out.).
5. Graffiti sheets
Level: All
Materials: chart paper, pens, timer
- Tape up chart paper in different parts of the classroom (enough for one per group)
- Write a word or topic in the center of the paper
- Students walk around writing short comments stating their opinions about the topic
- When the buzzer sounds, students are assigned groups
- Each group is given one of the chart papers. They then discuss the comments stated, find the most common point of view and, as a group they decide if the point of view is one they agree with or not
- Each group presents the topic, common points of view, and the group's opinion. This can be then opened for discussion if time allows.
- Examples of graffiti sheet topics are: Marriage is …, The role parents should play in their children's lives is…., Capital punishment…., The government of a country should assist its people with….
6. Magazine ad "commercials" or skits (an idea from Stella Colton)
Level: All
Materials: Magazines
- In partners or small groups students pick out an ad in a magazine that is interesting to them.
- Groups prepare a commercial or skit designed to sell their product.
- All students in the group must participate and the commercial must be original
- Students need to come up with a "jingle" for the commercial
* Could be videotaped or judged by peers
7. Serious Interruption
Level: All
Materials: Volunteer to interrupt lesson
- A serious looking person opens the door to your classroom. He/She summons you out into the corridor. You leave with apparent distress.
- After a very brief interval you return, place students in groups and ask them to imagine what the situation could have been.
- Each group presents its theory and then discussion as to what caused the groups to come up with the theory can open the way for "gambits" and body language.
8. Story Chain
Level: All
Materials: Picture file, sticky tack
- Looking for a listening/speaking/grammar/sequencing activity? This is one activity that can be used at almost any level
- This works best in smaller groups of 8 to 12 students. If you have a larger group, you can create two circles and have two stories happening at the same time.
For lower level students:
- Have prepared as many pictures from your picture file as there are students. Generally I have 3 people pictures, a couple of “strange” pictures, some scenes, an animal, an object, a vehicle, and a building. Remember, make sure there are no words on your pictures and that the pictures are pasted onto paper and/or laminated. Pictures should come from a variety of magazines to have a broad spectrum of styles and cultures.
- Arrange the pictures as you wish. I generally arrange them as follows:
1 person 2.scene (i.e. a mountain and lake)
3.person 4.strange (i.e. a peach and razor blade)
5.strange (i.e. a stop sign on the side of a cliff) 6.vehicle (i.e. a bicycle, boat, car, spaceship)
7.building 8.person
9.animal 10.scene (i.e. a garden)
11.object (i.e. a cup or pillow) 12.scene
- Adhere one picture to the board (for the whole class) or place on the table (for a group).
- The first student says one or two sentences about the first picture. If the picture is a person, a name is assigned and that name is written down for others ease of memory.
- Adhere second picture to the board.
- The second student must repeat exactly what the first student said and then add to the story using the second picture as a guide.
- Adhere third picture to the board.
- The third student must repeat exactly what the first two students said and then add to the story using the third picture as a guide.
- I usually start with the weakest student so that he or she has the easiest time. I have done this exercise with students as low as level one and as high as level five.
For more advanced students:
- It's fun to do a story chain with no visuals too. I usually start the story and then student one continues. When I say stop, he/she stops and the next student continues. This goes on until the thread of the story gets lost or the last student speaks.
- When the thread gets lost, I ask students to retell the story so we can fix where we lost it. I ask questions to make the students find connections between not common things. For instance, if student 3 says that "Sarah" met "Bill" and fell in love; but student 6 says Bill married "Sally", I ask how this could happen. By their answers, holes are filled in and we can continue with the story. The final student must complete the story.
9. Picture speaking
Level: All
Materials: Picture file
- Prepare timer for between 1 and 5 minutes
- Prepare enough pictures from file to allow everyone to speak; or assign 1 or 2 students a day to speak
- A student is called to the front, he is given a picture and the timer is started. The student has 15 seconds to look at the picture and then must begin speaking about it until the timer buzzes. Students lose points for lateness in starting, breaks in speech, confusion, etc.
10. Emotions charades
Level: All
Materials: emotions cards
- I love doing this one
- Again there are two teams, with one student acting out the emotion for his team.
- The student chooses a card with an emotion written on it (sadness, anger, happiness, etc.)
- His team must guess the emotion the student acts out.
----------------------------------------------------
Marina Soroka in TESL Ontario's Contact magazine (Volume 28, Number 3 Summer 2002) gave us some ideas too (# 36, 37, 38, and 39)11. Number speaking
Level: All
Materials: N/A
- Partners use only numbers to talk (1 – 30) to learn how to express emotion with tone, volume, body language, etc. and not just with words.
- e.g. an angry teenager arguing with her teacher.
12. Who's speaking?
Level: All
Materials: N/A
- Teacher writes a statement on the blackboard then the partners or groups have to figure out who's speaking – age, sex, relationship- and what the situation is.
- Partners act out their own ideas and the class has to figure them out as above
13. Phrasal verb acting
Level: All
Materials: list of phrasal verbs
- Act out a list of phrasal verbs with other students guessing what the phrasal verb is
14. Where are we and reply
Level: All
Materials: Prepared cards
- Two teams participate.
- Team one, student one reads out a phrase from a card, the rest of the team has to guess where the phrase would be said and reply appropriately
- Then it switches to team two
- If either team can't guess or can't give a reply, the opposing team can try
-e.g. Card reads: "Fill'er up!" The situation is at a gas station. An appropriate reply would be, "Should I check your oil?"
- "What's the special today?" – restaurant – "The special is chicken and mashed potatoes."
--------------------------------------------------15. Topic switch
Level: All
Materials: N/A
- Students talk for 2, 3, or 5 minutes
- They cannot pause for longer than 1 second.
- A student stands at the front of the class, the timer is set and, with the introduction of the first topic, time begins.
- Topics are introduced fairly quickly with more advanced students and less frequently with less advanced students.
- Time begins – Talk about cars ….. stop, talk about cats …… stop, talk about school…… stop, talk about money ….. etc. until time is up.
16. Draw What I Say (Idea from A Conversation Book by Tina Kasloff Carver & Sandra Douglas Fotinos)
Level: All Publisher: Prentice Hall Regents, NJ
Materials: Photocopied pictures of scenes or people
-An "artist" is chosen. That person proceeds to the chalkboard at the front of the room while all other students receive a copy of a hand drawn picture.
- The picture can be of a simple room, or person, or scene.
- The teacher draws the basic line of the room, etc. on the board.
- Next the students in turn give the artist directions. NO hand movement is allowed.
- Students must use descriptive words, prepositions, sizes, etc. to enable to artist to draw something resembling what the other students have on paper.
- This is a lot of fun, and of course, a great learning activity for the students.
17. Bag of Objects
Level: All
Materials: two bags, objects
- Teacher places an object in a bag. Without looking, the student must describe how it feels and give its dimensions. The class must try to guess what it is. If the class gives up, the student describing can guess what it is before presenting the object to the class.
- Even if the student describing the object knows what it is, he cannot give this away. He must only describe how it feels, the dimensions, etc.
18. Alien
Level: All
Materials: Common objects
- Students must pretend they are from outer space.
- Each student takes an object from a bag and returns to his seat. He then examines the object.
- The first student then comes to the front of the class and describes his object fully giving a use that he thinks the object could have after his description. The other students try to guess what the object really is.
- The objects can be very simple (such as a pencil, notebook, bookend, etc.).
- One of my students when describing a pencil concluded that it must be used as a weapon because of the sharpened point on the end.
19. Ann Landers Hour
Level: AllMaterials: Gossip column letters
- Read out a letter written to Ann Landers. Make sure everyone understands the letter, then divide the class into small groups.
- In the groups, students discuss the best answer for this letter.
- When the timer buzzes, discussion stops and classroom discussion opens.
- Which is the best answer and why? Also, some students may want to know the answer given by the columnist.
- Next letter is read out and group discussion begins again.
20. Once… by Pizazz Games Inc.
Level: AllMaterials: Once … cards
- I use this game for three different types of games
1) A student looks at his chosen card, picks an opening line and tells a story very convincingly. The other students have to vote on if it were a true story or not.
- I put the students names on the chalkboard and give them a point if they guess correctly and give the story-teller as many points as students who guessed incorrectly.
2) A student has 30 seconds to think about the opening line on his card and then must talk for 1, 2, or 5 minutes about it.
3) Student A starts a story chain from the opening line on the card. When the teacher says stop, student B continues, until the stop, then student C continues and so on.
21. Password by Milton Bradley
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Materials: Password game
- Two teams playing
- Set timer for 30 seconds or one minute
- Player one tries to explain as many words on his two cards as possible in the time given. He can not use any form of the word on the card in his definitions.
- The player may skip words he doesn't know
- One point is given for every word guessed correctly by team
22. Pictionary by Pictionary Incorporated
Level: All
Materials: Pictionary game or your own words
- This is a great game!
- This is done in teams using the chalkboard at the front of the room to draw on
- If the words in the game are too hard, write your own words.
- No use of the game board, rather, role a die to pick a colour category and the points are recorded on the front board.
- Remember, no letters, numbers or body gestures allowed
23. Trivial Pursuit (Horn Abbot) / Teacher's Quiz (Canada Games)/QWR (Canada Games) (objectives cards)
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Materials: Games
- All of these games can be played in teams on the chalkboard
- Roll a die to determine which category the question is to be from
- Ask the question to the first player on the first team, if he answers correctly, a second question is asked to his team
- Then the first player on the second team is asked a question, if he answers correctly, a second question is asked to his team.
- Whenever the wrong answer is given, the other team has one opportunity to answer the question to gain a point and whether they answer correctly or not, it is then their turn.
- A time limit for answering the question must be given (maybe 5 or 10 seconds)
24. Whatever Next by Living and Learning (Cambridge
Level: AllMaterials: Whatever Next game
- This board game that I have is missing the board. If I ever wanted to use the board, I could easily make another by looking at the picture on the back of the box.
- There are 3 sets of cards in the box, a 'chance' set to move forward or back in the game, an 'activity' card where the player has to do something like hold his hand over his head until his next turn or lie on the floor and scratch his ankle.
- The third set of cards are acting/miming cards!!!!
- There are two levels, A – easier and B – harder
- Using the acting/miming cards only, divide the class into two groups
- Team one, player 1 draws a card and acts out A, if his team guesses correctly he can act out B.
- There is one point given for a correct guess.
- Then it is team 2's turn.
- If a team cannot guess correctly, the other team has one chance to win the point and then takes over the turn.
-30 seconds to 1 minute is given to act out and guess, 5 or 10 seconds is given for the other team to guess what the first team could not.
25. Actual Commercials
Level: All
Materials: Videotape of TV commercials, video camera
- Show videotape of TV commercials
- Use for great discussion of double meanings, and whether or not the commerical is good (why or why not). Talk about selling techniques, jingles, props, etc.
- Then, with the writing teacher, have students write out possible commercials.
- Form groups and have group look at all their written out commercials and choose the one they wish to perform.
- Perform the commercials for the rest of the class and videotape them to show during lunch in the cafeteria
26. Movie Spoofs
Level: Intermediate/AdvancedMaterials: props, video camera
- In groups, students decide on a movie to spoof
- Students choose roles, rehearse lines and actions, and then perform for the class.
- It's better if this can be prepared one day and performed the next so that props can be brought in.
- Again taping and showing during lunch is great
27. Magazine ad jingles
Level: AllMaterials: Magazines
- In partners or small groups choose 4 or 5 ads from a magazine
- Develop a catchy jingle for each ad
- Should use rhyming words; a specified line length or beat count can be assigned if desired
28. Presenting a Story
Level: AllMaterials: Picture file
- Groups of 2 to 4 students are given 3 or more pictures from picture file.
- Each set of pictures should include a person, a place, and a thing
- The more abstract or off-the-wall the person, place, or thing is, the harder it is.
- Students are given between 5 and 15 minutes to prepare a story based on their pictures
- Groups present their story to the class with each member of the group presenting a part.
29. Vocabulary speaking
Level: AllMaterials: vocabulary
- Same as number 6 except that the student is given a word to speak about rather than a picture.
30. Opposites Game
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- 2 teams
Round 1
Team 1 student 1 says a word
Team 2 student 1 must give the correct opposite within 5 seconds
Round 2
Team 2 student 2 says a word
Team 1 student 2 must give the correct opposite within 5 seconds
Cannot repeat a word already used. Points are given for every correct opposite.
31. Alphabet game
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- Students must say words in their group following the alphabet order.
- i.e. 1: apple 2: boy 3. circle, etc.
- Teacher can make it harder by allowing only nouns or verbs, etc.
32. Last letter game
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- 1st student says a word, 2nd student must say a word beginning with the last letter of student one's word, etc.
i.e. 1: boy 2: yellow 3: winter 4: race 5: elephant, etc.
33. Scoop news presentation – from Niagara College International Department
- see attached copy from files
Level: Intermediate/AdvancedMaterials: transparency, marker, news item
34. Lie or Truth
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- This is best at the beginning of term when students don't know too much about each other.
- Each student says one lie and one truth (or 2 truths) about himself. The other students can ask one or two questions of clarification. Then there is a vote to find the lie.
- The student receives points for everyone that believed his lie. I then usually give out Hershey's Kisses - one per point
35. Home Country Presentations
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- There are books on this, so just a few ideas
- Eating habits
- Customs and traditions
- Favourite place to go on vacation
- Marriage traditions
- Students can work in groups if more than one from the same country, but then the presentation is longer
- Encourage use of pictures, etc.
36. Ball Toss
Level: AllMaterials: Ball
- Bring a medium size, soft beach ball to class
- Ask a question and throw the ball to a student. The student must answer the question as soon as he catches the ball and then he throws it back to the teacher, or to another student who then asks a question while throwing the ball to a different student.
37. Find someone who….
Level: AllMaterials: Typed question sheet
- I've seen this used as a grammar game in Betty Schrampher Azar books, but I love to use it as an oral game.
- Give the students copies of "Find someone who…"
- Students must find someone different for each description and have them sign the sheet
- Depending on your situation, this can be done in the classroom, or if in an English speaking school, out in the corridors
- A time limit is given and the person with the most signatures wins
- Possible descriptions are: Find someone who… Has taught in high school, Has blue eyes, Wears glasses, Drinks milk everyday, Has a pet, Has a birthday in February, Has read more than two books this week, Plays a musical instrument, etc.
-**NOTE: Students are not allowed to show the paper, but rather to verbalize the question and listen to the answer**
38. Role Plays
Level: AllMaterials: maybe some props
- There are books on this one too. Possible ideas that have worked well for me are when one student is "there" already and the other one arrives and has to initiate conversation with a minimum of 3 information questions.
- Examples: Student A is on the bus, student B wants to sit beside him.
- Student A is in the doctor's waiting room, student B arrives and wants to find out why Student A is there, what the doctor is like, etc.
- Student B is new to the school and asks Student A (in the cafeteria) for help in getting oriented and catching up on missed lessons.
- Student B tries to start a relationship with Student A – in a bar, in a classroom setting, on a bus
- These are simple examples, but there are some great role play books out there that take you to new depths.
- Kenneth O. Gangel in his book, 24 Ways to Improve Your Teaching (Victor Books), gave a little outline of how a roleplay can be effective
1. Preparation
a. Define the problem
b. Create a readiness for the role(s)
c. Establish the situation
d. Cast the characters
e. Brief and warm up
f. Consider the training
2. Playing
g. Actingh. Stopping
i. Involving the audience
j. Analyzing the audience
k. Evaluating
- I recommend these steps to everyone who uses roleplays.
39. Debates
Level: Intermediate/advanced Materials: N/A
- Best is to work with the writing teacher on this one
- Students brainstorm for possible topics, then topics are voted on to narrow down the list to just enough for the class's needs
- Groups are assigned
- Each group votes on which topic they would like
- The two groups for each topic are given 'for' or 'against' sides by a toss of a coin
- In the writing class the debate is prepared
- The debate takes place in the oral classroom with grading on presentation, grammar, pronunciation, etc..
40. Field trips
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- Trips outside the school are great conversation stimulators
- I have taken students to many places. Examples are: museums, police stations, libraries, parades, restaurants, tourist attractions (great presentation idea – what is a famous tourist attraction in your home town, give all the details and try to sell us on the idea of taking a trip to experience it.), grocery stores, malls, etc.
- At malls it's good to play, Find Someone Who…
- After the trip is over, students - in groups- discuss the value of the trip, 2 things they learned, 1 thing they would change, and note recommendations.
- This is then opened up to classroom discussion
41. Newscasters
Level: AllMaterials: video of news program, video camera
- Students watch a news program in class then discuss the roles of the different speakers
- The class is broken up into groups, each group finds news from home, the school, the neighbourhood, etc.
- The groups present the news with an anchor and co-anchor, a sportscaster, a weather reporter, and maybe a news reporter on location.
- Groups can videotape their programs separately and then play them in class, or they can be videotaped in class with the newscasts playing in the cafeteria at lunch time for peers to watch.
42. Charades
Level: AllMaterials: vocabulary words
- This is great for students to act out new vocabulary or new concepts learned
- This works best if there are two teams with one student at a time acting out the charade for his team.
43. Songs
Level: AllMaterials: Songs or chants
- Jazz chants are great to learn new vocabulary and learn the proper rhythm for speaking
- Also, students can create their own jazz chants to perform with their group
- Another great idea is for students to translate childhood songs from their language to English and try to fit the words to the original music and make it work in English.
44. Names Of (After Dinner Games published by Lagoon Books, UK, 1996)
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- Students sit in a circle and learn the rhythm for this game. It is SLAP the knees, CLAP the hands, CLICK right fingers, CLICK left fingers. So: slap, clap, click, click.
- Speaking is only done on the click, click
-.Student one gives the category and then the other students must say words that fit the catergory.
- Here is the example from the book,
"Player 1 – SLAP, CLAP, "NAMES" "OF"
SLAP, CLAP, "CAPITAL" "CITIES"
Player 2 - SLAP, CLAP, "PA – RIS"
Player 3 - SLAP, CLAP, "RO – ME"
Player 4 - SLAP, CLAP, "NEW" "YORK"
- This may sound simple, but it gets complicated when the students are trying to keep the rhythm and think of words in the category. It is a lot of fun to play.
45. Murder
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- A great parlour game and one that works in the classroom too.
- One person is the murderer, one is the police detective, and the rest are all possible suspects and victims. – this is determined by drawing a pieces of paper out of a hat.
- The detective asks the group questions trying to find out who the murderer is by trying to determine who is lying. If the detective is sure the person is the murderer, he says so, if the person is the murderer, the game is over, but if he is not, he is dead and the detective moves on to the next person. In the meantime, the murderer is busy winking at people, which signifies the person is dead and that person must die audibly.
46. Story endings
Level: AllMaterials: Story
- Read or tell half of a very good story. Write character names on the board for easy reference
- Divide class into groups, groups must make up a story ending for that story.
- Groups then present their stories to the class; the class votes on the best ending
47. I Spy
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- The first student says: "I spy with my little eye something that is green (or living, etc.)
- The other students have to guess what it is with the winner taking the next turn.
48. Twenty Questions
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- A student thinks of something and gives one or two hints to start the group off
- The group is then allowed to ask 20 yes/no questions to guess what the student is thinking of
49. Snakes and Ladders Game by Canada
Level: AllMaterials: Snakes and Ladders Game, question cards
- Play as usual for a small group of 4
- Or, play as teams for a larger group
- When a player lands on a snake, if he can answer a question correctly from the card pile, he can avoid going down the snake.
- When a player lands on a ladder, he must answer a question correctly from the card pile to be able to go up the ladder
- Each player must answer a question correctly to finish
50. Tic Tac Toe by Playtoy Industries
Level: AllMaterials: Tic Tac Toe game or chalkboard
- This is played similar to Hollywood Squares
- Assign 1 person to answer questions for one column (in other words, 3 people needed for this)
- Assign 1 person to read the questions out
- Assign 2 people or 2 small groups to guess if the answer is right or not
- Play: If team one wants space row 2 number 2, the question is read out to the column 2 person
- The column 2 person answers with any answer, either right or wrong, but he must sound convincing
- Team one guesses if the answer is right or not. If he guesses correctly and the answer is wrong, Team one must guess the right answer to win the space. If he can't it's the other teams turn. If he guesses correctly and the answer is right, he wins the space and it's the other team's turn.
51. Scattergories Junior by Hasbro Canada Inc.
Level: AllMaterials: Scattergories
- Scattergories can be played by 4 individual players or by small groups – small groups creates conversation
- Column 1 from the card is put on the overhead for groups or is face up in front of the players for individuals
- A letter from the alphabet is drawn from the box to be the first letter of all the words used.
- The categories from the game are fairly simple, but some may need to be discussed with the class.
- Example from column one using the letter 'S': 1. Christmas things – stocking 2. Summer vacation things – shore 3. Winter vacation things – snow 4. Halloween things – skeleton 5. Holiday food or drink – stuffing 6. Valentine's Day things – sentiment
52. Musical chairs
Level: AllMaterials: Picture file
- One student tells a story using pictures, cards, etc. as a starting point. When he stops speaking, everyone else sits, the one who doesn't get a chair is out and must continue the story (or start a new one).
- This helps students try to keep the story moving without gaps as the listeners will think they need to sit.
- This also helps the speaker realize where his gaps are and forces the players to listen to the story while looking for a seat and listening for gaps..
53. Coffee Hour
Level: AllMaterials: Topics, snacks
- Drinks and snacks to share are allowed and encouraged
- Students sit in groups of 3 or 4 with snacks in middle of table
- Introduce first topic and set the timer for 5 minutes or 7 minutes
- When the timer buzzes, the discussion ends and two people from each group get up and move to another table.
- The next topic is introduced, the timer is set and discussion begins
- When the timer buzzes, the other two students stand up and split so there are new groups formed again
- Introduce the next topic
- Possible topics: ideal spouse, living together or marriage, capital punishment or life imprisonment, etc.
54. Writing Creatively by Wise Owl Publications 1975
Level: AllMaterials: Writing Creatively cards
-This was set up for writing, but I use it orally.
- I use this two ways 1) a student chooses a card, reads the information and then tells a story. The other students have to guess what the student is talking about. For example: "It is your job to get rid of some of the noise in your town. Make a list of all the noises you would like to lower or get rid of. Tell how you would get the job done." (Card 6)
- 2) The other way I use this is to divide the class into groups of 3 and have one student tell the story to the other two as if it really happened (in the past). The other two need to ask questions and get lots of detail. I set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes per person for this.
55. Slang
Level: AllMaterials: Slang vocabulary words
- This is a simple vocabulary building exercise
- I introduce new vocabulary, use it in context and ask the students what it means
- I then write the definition on the board and we discuss when it can be used and when it is appropriate or not.
- After 3 or 4 words, the groups prepare a skit using all the words for presentation to the class.
- Or, students are assigned the task of finding out the definitions for next class and then they prepare skits for presentation.
56. Hot Seat
Level: AllMaterials: Chair
- Everyday a different student is invited to sit in the hot seat for five or ten minutes.
- While in the hot seat, any student may ask any question and the student in the hot seat must answer (unless it is deemed too private for general knowledge).
57. 4 Scene Sequence Cards by Milton Bradley
Level: AllMaterials: Sequence Cards
- For lower level students, they find the correct sequences and very simply say what is happening
- For example: 1) She puts the knife on the bread. 2) She cuts the bread. 3) The bread is cut. 4) She cuts the next piece.
- For more advanced level students, they should say what is happening in a story and fill in all the details.
For example (using same cards as above). Susan was very hungry. As she loved having a sandwich with fresh bread, she got a good bread knife and cut two slices of bread for a sandwich. She made a peanut butter and jam sandwich and ate it in front of the TV.
58. How do you…?
Level: AllMaterials: N/A
- Students have a hard time giving simple COMPLETE instructions for making or doing everyday things.
- For example: How do you make a cup of tea?
First you get a kettle, turn on the tap and fill it with water. Then you get a cup or mug and put a teabag in it. When the water boils, pour the water into the cup and wait for 3 minutes before removing the teabag.
59. Word Association
Level: All
Material: N/A
- Student one says a word, any word, but preferably a noun, and the next student says the first word that comes to mind. Then the next student says the first thing that comes to mind and so on, until all students have had a turn.
- Students are out when they hesitate before saying a word.
- Example of game:
Student 1 - book, student 2 – school, student 3 – teacher, student 4 – students, student 5 – fun
60. Word Association plus spelling
Level: AllMaterial: N/A
- This activity is the same as #59 with one difference – the student must spell the given word before saying his/her associated word.
-To make it very challenging – have the student spell the word backwards!!
61. “Coffeepot” page 104 in The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Travel & Holiday Games
by: The Diagram Group, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York
Level: AllMaterial: N/A
- A simple word substitution game that is easily learned and that can be hilarious.
- One player thinks of a verb. The other players try to guess what it is by asking questions, using the word “coffeepot” in place of the unknown verb.
- For instance, the verb might be sleep. Players might search for clues by asking, “Do you coffeepot with gloves on?” or “Does everyone coffeepot?”
- The first player must respond truthfully with a simple “Yes,” “No,” “I don’t know,” or “Sometimes.”
62. Yes/No
Level: AllMaterial: N/A
- Team one asks team two questions that require a yes or no answer.
- Team two must answer without using either yes or no.
- For instance: “Are you studying English right now.” “I must answer that in the affirmative.”
- Points are won when the questioning team forces the answering team to say yes or no.
63. Last Letter and Category
Level: All
Material: N/A
- Same as number 32 with one exception – students must only use words in a given category.
- For instance – if the category is “Food” then student 1 says “chicken.” Student 2 must say a word starting with the last letter of the previous word in the “Food” category, for example “nut.” And so on until there is just one student remaining.
- Students are out when they cannot rapidly think of a word to fit the last letter and category.
- Categories can be as broad or as narrow as the teacher chooses.
64. Read my Lips – Adapted from the travel book from # 61.
Level: AllMaterial: N/A
- This is a great exercise to help students practice word formation and lip movement without actually saying anything.
- A student mouths a word while the second student tries to guess what he/she is saying.
- The winner is the student forming the words whose partner guesses the most words correctly.
- Then they switch roles.
- Teacher should provide a list of words, or students should prepare a list of words based on a specific unit or topic given.
65. Three-card Story
Level: AllMaterials: Index cards with small pictures glued on them
- I used different coloured cards to make it easier for students to choose a card from three different categories. However, any method of separating categories is fine – i.e. stars drawn on one, hearts on another, etc.
- In groups of 2 to 5, student one draws three cards – each from a different category – he/she then has 30 seconds to study the cards and at the teacher’s command must begin speaking about the cards.
- Length of the talk depends on the level of the group.
- Students in group give an oral peer evaluation at the end of the set time.
- Teacher walks from group to group listening for areas of class correction or praise.
- Card categories could be – adults, children, animals, sports, work, vehicles, gardens, strange objects, etc.
66. Story Wheel page 138 - 141 in The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Travel & Holiday Games
by: The Diagram Group, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York
Level: AllMaterials: Story Wheel
- This is a fantastic, new oral activity I just found. I am making the wheel to bring to Toronto
- “A story wheel is made up of a series of card circles that have elements of a story written on them. The circles are turned individually to give different combinations of words and phrases. Participants then take turns to make up a story using the elements that have been selected.”
- “A story wheel is made up of a series of card circles that have elements of a story written on them. The circles are turned individually to give different combinations of words and phrases. Participants then take turns to make up a story using the elements that have been selected.”
- “Write helping verbs, nouns, adjectives, action verbs, and phrases on the edges of the card circles. “
- “Once the story wheel has been made, participants are able to take it in turns rotating the circles at random, and the words that appear within the rectangle must be used by another player to create a story.”
- This could be used for testing purposes. The elements taught could be written on the circles. The student closes his/her eyes and turns the wheels. Whatever is in the rectangle is what he/she will be tested on.
- This could also be used as review in class, or in groups if there are enough circles.
67. Tongue Twisters
Level: AllMaterials: tongue twisters
- This is a great ice breaker or “last 3 minute” filler
- Have students try to say tongue twisters 3 times fast – clearly!
- Examples: toy boat; Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; six, slippery, slimy snakes sleep soundly; Bobby polished black boots blacker; big black bug; red leather, yellow leather; rubber baby buggy bumpers.
TIPS: - To incorporate elements of other cultures, ask the students for magazines from their countries and use pictures from these magazines in your picture file.
- Also, use foreign names in stories and choose other country settings.
- Celebrate cultural holidays – have students share experiences of what happens at “home” on this special day.
No comments:
Post a Comment