Fun Grammar Games and Activities
Peter Lucantoni
Peter Lucantoni
• Started teaching in 1979 in UK• Lived and worked in Europe and Middle East, now
based in Cyprus• Author, Educational Consultant & Teacher Trainer
for Cambridge University Press• Cambridge TKT, CELTYL, CELTA & DELTA trainer• Cambridge CELTYL assessor• Examiner for Cambridge ESOL speaking
examinations• Classroom teacher
• What is ‘grammar’?
Discuss with your colleagues and try to agree on a working definition.
What is grammar?
system combininggrammatical roles meaning
Grammar is a set of rules for ……….words to express ………. . It is the ……….of a language. Words are given ‘labels’ to help us to identify their ………. .
What is grammar?
Grammar is a set of rules for combiningwords to express meaning. It is the system of a language. Words are given ‘labels’ to help us to identify their grammatical roles.
What is communicative grammar?
Communicative grammar is based on the communicative approach to the teaching of a second language. Language structures must not be taught in isolation but integrated to the four skills of language. In this way, a structure is practiced orally and in written form. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_definition_of_communicative_grammar
Grammatical patterns must not only be learned at the utterance level but at the discourse level; the main objective focuses on the development of communicative grammatical competence, which is understood as the ability to use and understand a structure in a variety of situations spontaneously. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_definition_of_communicative_grammar
What is communicative grammar?
• Needs to be an active involvement in the learning process
• Examples from texts need to be isolated and used as a basis for tasks
• Tasks should focus on both concept and form of target grammar
• Students should be encouraged to find other examples and work out rules for themselves
Adapted from: Thacker with Puchta & Stranks, English in Mind Teacher’s Book 2, Cambridge University Press, 2009
What is communicative grammar?
• What is communicative language teaching?
Discuss with your colleagues and try to agree on a working definition.
What is CLT?
‘Communicative language teaching can be understood as a set of principles about the goals of language teaching, how learners learn a language, the kinds of classroom activities that best facilitate learning, and the roles of teachers and learners in the classroom.’
Jack Richards, Communicative Language Teaching Today, Cambridge University Press, 2006
What is CLT?
CLT is not a ‘method’
• CLT “is best considered an approach rather than a method” (Richards & Rogers)
• Teachers are free to interpret the ‘rules’• Wide variety of classroom techniques feasible • CLT should move us away from learners who are
‘structurally competent’ but ‘communicatively incompetent’ (Johnson 1981)
What is CLT?
However …• “it is clearly not possible to engage in purposeful
communication in a language without being able to formulate the structures of that language as well” (McDonough & Shaw 2000: 25)
• “it is essential for teachers to interpret the rules and strike a balance between consolidating structures and developing communicative competence in their E2L students” (Lucantoni 2002: 14)
What is CLT?
• We need to ensure that learning at this level is focused on tasks and problem-solving
• Learners need to be interacting with someone else (but teachers should not regard learners working on their own as bad!)
• Learners learn to use language already acquired to complete tasks
• Teachers should provide support & assistance in language areas where learners have problems
How does CLT affect our teaching?
‘Language without grammar would … leave us seriously handicapped ‘(Batstone, 2000)
Why?
How does CLT affect our teaching?
• Noticing – an active process in which learners become aware of structure and notice connections between form and meaning
• Structuring – bringing new grammar patterns into learners’ internal grammars. Usually requires controlled practice
• Procedurising – making the new grammar ready for instant and fluent use in communication Rob Batstone, Grammar, OUP 2000
How does CLT affect our teaching?
From letters to grammar
• Listen to the letters• Think of a grammatical and meaningful
phrase that uses each letter as the first letter of a word. The order of the letters is not important.
• Examples: A, D, I, F = A day in France, Fried dates are incredible I ate David’s fruit
• G P O S• H Y T V• C K L W• In groups, choose 4 letters and give
them to another group to make a phrase
From letters to grammar
Question-Question
Ali >>> <<< BadraPretty good. Where are you going?I’m nosey. Can I come with you?I said ‘How are you?’Hi, Badra, how are you?
I’m ok. What about you?What did you say?Ahhh, that’s my secret! Why do you want to know? Are you crazy?
Ali Hello, how are you?Badra What did you say?Ali I said ‘How are you?’Badra I’m ok, what about you?Ali Pretty good. Where are you going?Badra Ahhh, that’s my secret! Why do you
want to know?Ali I’m nosey! Can I come with you?Badra Are you crazy?!
Question-Question
Useful questions
• What did you say?• Why do you ask?• Can you say that again?• Can we stop this?• Are you deaf?• What do you mean?
Topic vocabulary quiz
Girl’s name TransportCountry FruitCapital city SportVegetable ColourMonth/Day FurnitureClothing AnimalFeeling Famous person
Who could …?
• This activity practises the structures either … or & neither … nor
• But it also provides reading and writing skills development in a communicative and learner-centred manner
Age 31Home MuscatHobbies Loves music,
plays pianoJob DoctorSpeaks Arabic, English
& some FrenchOther Dislikes pets SALMA
Possible candidates
Possible candidates
Age 48Home FrankfurtHobbies Stamp
collector, weightlifting
Job Dairy farmerSpeaks GermanOther Vegetarian
HARRY
1 help move heavy furniture?2 sing a song?3 advise you about your health?4 cook a meal?5 entertain a visitor from Greece?6 drive you to the airport?7 teach you how to play better football?8 entertain an Arabic-speaking visitor?9 tell you about collecting things?10 …
Who could …?
Alphabet dialogue
• Create a paired dialogue so that each line begins with the next letter of the alphabet
• For example:Ahmed, how are you?Bad, really bad!Come on, it can’t be that bad!Do you think I’m joking? E ???
The world
• Listen to the words• Think about in which country you can
write them• Example: ‘coffee’ could go in Italy
because the coffee is good there, or in Brazil because coffee beans grow there
• Discuss with your partners and give reasons for your choices
The world
coffeepeace
water
music
coffee
football
history
wild animals
oil
chocolate
mountains
fishing
The world
• Where did you put coffee?• Why did you put coffee in Brazil?• I put coffee in Brazil• I chose Brazil because …• I agree / disagree• So did I / I didn’t
Presenting a new product
– Umbrella– Paper clip– Candle– Fork– Coat hanger– Highlighter– Chopsticks
• Choose the product you want to present• Think of five new features for it• Draw and label it, showing the new
features• Look at the talk skeleton and make
notes about your product• Prepare and deliver your presentation to
the class
Presenting a new product
• Thank you very much for coming to our presentation.• Our wonderful new product is called ……….• I’m going to tell you about it. Afterwards, you can ask
questions.• The ………. is fantastic!• Firstly ……….• Secondly ……….• Also ……….• And ……….• Finally ……….• We believe that our ………. is ………. • I have time to answer two or three questions now• Thank you all for listening!
Presenting a new product
Mistakes maze
• This activity gives learners an opportunity to focus on identifying grammar mistakes, in order to make their way through a maze
• Furthermore, learners work on correcting grammar mistakes, and can also create their own mistakes maze
IN. I live with my mum and dad on number 20.
1. I’ve got a letter from my cousin.2. He’s quite interested at cooking.3. What’s the capital of Italy?4. Have you got my new CD?5. They’re Mr Saleem’s books.6. There are lots of interestings
things to do in Salalah.7. Has he got short curly hair?
Mistakes maze
8. Ahmed and I are both live in the same house.
9. Said doesn’t like meat.10. Giraffes clean sometimes their
ears with their tongues.
11. I’m wearing my green and yellow shirt.
12. I’m going to drawing that dinosaur.
13. At first, did they had a lot to eat?
14. Our bus was late this night.
Mistakes maze
IN. I live with my mum and dad on number 20.1. I’ve got a letter from my cousin.2. He’s quite interested at cooking.3. What’s the capital of Italy?4. Have you got my new CD?5. They’re Mr Saleem’s books.6. There are lots of interestings things to do in Salalah.7. Has he got short curly hair?8. Ahmed and I are both live in the same house.9. Said doesn’t like meat.10. Giraffes clean sometimes their ears with their tongues.11. I’m wearing my green and yellow shirt.12. I’m going to drawing that dinosaur.13. At first, did they had a lot to eat?14. Our bus was late this night.
Right? Go to 3Wrong? Go to 14
Right? Go to 8Wrong? Go to 6
Mistakes maze
• In this activity, learners look at a text which contains ‘nonsense’ words, and try to make sense of it from a grammatical perspective
• In addition, they use their knowledge of grammar in order to create the story
Sloobie
A sloobie is a brumpting silop which draches in a layod. It okuls from Klooblie, a zert in Fring. In order to ning a sloobie, the layod is larted by a ticfrous layoder.
Sloobie
Use these words: country, fish, dancing, river,
comes, Asia, lives
A sloobie is a brumpting silop. It draches in a layod. It okuls from Klooblie. Klooblie is a zert in Fring.
Sloobie
Top Related