Activities for Busy Teachers

Melanie Brooks, M.A.Senior English Language Fellow

Pair/Share (3 minutes per question)◦ Interview your partner in English◦ Write down two facts about your partner.

e.g. “Maria is a teacher”◦ Make up one sentence about your

partner that is not true.◦ Using the sentences you wrote,

introduce your colleague to the class.◦ The class members will guess which one

of your statements is false.

IntroductionsDO!

Aim – to increase student listening comprehension and ability to construct short, descriptive sentences

Students must change seats with another student if the statement is true for them.

The student left without a chair must say the next “Move if....” statement.

Move if...

What is your primary role as a teacher? How is this influenced by curriculum and

materials at your school? How is this influenced by your students’

academic goals? What else influences how you interact with

your students?

Consider Your Role As A Teacher

Role of Teacher

Teacher Beliefs

Student Needs

Curriculum

Coach

Sage

Teacher as Sage1. Teacher talks 95%

of the time2. Learning is

classroom-centered

3. Language learning = accumulation of knowledge

Teacher as Coach Students talk 75%

of time Learning takes

place both in and out of the classroom

Language learning is multi-faceted, complex

Where Is Your Classroom?

1. Increase student talk time2. Language learning takes practice3. Teacher talk = comprehensible input4. Development of automaticity5. Makes the teacher’s job easier6. How do we get there?

1. Step Off The Stage

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Use Effective Activities (Ur, 2009)

The activity practices what it aims to practice

Validity

Focus: using will to predict future events Age: teen-adult Level: Intermediate

Write a future prediction for a classmate (you don’t know who). The prediction should be short (about 2-4 sentences in length) and should be positive. Use will statements like, You will meet somebody,You will solve a problem

Predicting Future EventsDO!

Validity What was the aim of the Predicting Future

Events activity ? Did the activity practice what it aimed to

practice ? How could you modify this activity to use in

your class ?

Small Group Discussion

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Use Effective Activities

Provides ample opportunities for students to practice the target structure

Quantity

Aim – To get students to review vocabulary by writing different parts of the body1. One at a time, each student runs to the

board and writes a word in English2. After the timer goes off, words that are

spelled incorrectly or repeated are erased by the other team

3. The team with the most words on the board, wins

Body Parts

Quantity What was the aim of the Body Parts

activity? How many times were the students able to

practice that aim or goal? Was this a sufficient quantity? How could you modify this activity to use in

your classroom?

Feedback

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Use Effective Activities

Provides practice for students functioning at different levels

Differentiation

Aim – to enable students to listen for and identify words in a song.

Copy the tic-tac-toe game on the board exactly as you see it

When you hear one of the words in the song, mark an X over it

The first person with four Xs in a row, wins!

Musical Tic-Tac-Toe

Differentiation1. What was the aim of the Tic-Tac-Toe

activity?2. Could this activity work with advanced

students?3. Could this activity wok with beginning or

low-level students?4. How could you use this activity in your

class?

Small Group

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Use Effective Activities

Designed to elicit acceptable responses

Success Orientation

Aim - students will use and understand “I’ve never” statements

Directions - Each student writes a sentence, finishing

the phrase, “I’ve never...” For every statement that you have done,

raise one finger

I Have Never...

Success Orientation1. What was the aim of the activity?2. Did you feel successful about your

participation in this activity?3. Would it be possible for a student to fail at

this activity or to feel as if he or she had failed?

4. If so, how can we change the activity to ensure success?

Feedback

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Use Effective Activities

Use topics that are interesting to your students

Engagement

Aim – students will use listening comprehension to agree or disagree with statements.

Students move to different areas of the room depending on whether they agree or disagree with a statement

Two Corners

Engagement What was the aim of the Two Corners

activity? Was the activity engaging and interesting to

you? How could you use this in your class?

Feedback

Validity

Quantity

DifferentiationSuccess OrientationEngagement

Review

TPR Break Time

Question Teaching “Culture”

Chimamanda Adichie

The Danger of The Single Story

1. According to Chimamanda Adichie, what is a single story?

2. What stereotypes (single stories) do you think are taught to foreigners about Brazilians?

3. What stereotypes have you been taught about Americans?

Group DiscussionDO!

Teach your students: the difference between description and

judgment to always ask, ‘could there be any other

reason for this person’s actions besides what I have assumed?’

Instead of “Culture”, Teach Cultural Competence

Thank

You!

Contact Me:Melanie BrooksSenior English Language Fellowelanguageprograms@gmail.com