Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation, Listening, Writing | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, online photos, photoblogging, photos in the language classroom, visual aids
As a continuation of my previous posting, here are two more whole language activities centered around online news photos:
2. Photoblogging. Some of the same sites that post weekly albums offer community interaction through photoblogging. Share one of the editor’s picks of the week with the class. Read the caption aloud and explain the meaning of any unfamiliar vocabulary or grammar. In pairs students can discuss their reactions to the photo. Prompts can be given, for example:
- Have you seen anything similar to this before?
- Does this photo help you learn anything new?
- What do you feel when you look at this photo?
- If you had to title this photo yourself, what title would you choose?
This brief oral exchange should serve as preparation for a writing activity. Have students write a personal reaction to the photo in 4-5 sentences. Once they submit it to you and receive feedback, they can be encouraged to post their comments online.
TIP 1: A selected photo can be the springboard for classroom discussion. On the MSNBC site, the editor includes a thought-provoking question that nicely suits this purpose.
TIP 2: Choose a photo with a caption that contextualizes vocabulary or grammar recently learned.
3. Audio commentaries. This is a variation of the previous activity and would have to be done in a language lab. Have students view 6-8 of the editor’s picks. Allow them time to select one photo and write 4-5 sentences about their personal reaction to it. Have them submit their writings to you for review. While you are providing corrections and feedback, students can work in pairs to come up with original titles for all the photos. Come back together as a class, view the photos again, and have volunteers call out suggested titles. Next, using their corrected writings, students must record their comments and send the audio files to you. As a class, you can playback these short recordings. The author will remain silent while the others guess which photo he or she is talking about.
TIP: Listen to the audio recordings once more after class and provide one-on-one feedback regarding each student’s pronunciation.
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation | Tags: communicative activity, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, teaching with photos, using photos in the language classroom, visual aids, whole language activity
I love finding new uses for common teaching tools. Photos have always been one of my favorite visual aids because images evoke both emotion and thought. It’s unusual for someone not to have anything to say about an image. At the very least, a photo can be described objectively. What or who is shown? Describe what you see. However, if we bring a photo into language learning, the goal is to get the most and not the least use out of it.
Photos can stimulate writing, prompt group discussion, and put into practice newly learned language items and structures. In previous postings, I’ve shared ways to use photos in a pronunciation lesson on intonation and a grammar lesson on the passive voice. I also suggested using photos as a means to engage students at the start of a lesson. Today let’s begin to explore whole language activities based on photos. I’ll share one activity in this posting and two more in the next posting.
A number of sites offer albums titled This Week in Photos. Among them are:
Online news photos are coupled with captions, so students will automatically be faced with two forms of information: image and text. I give preference to MSNBC for two reasons: one, the editors note graphic content before actually displaying a photo and, two, the size of one collection is not overwhelming (approximately a dozen photos in each weekly album). Using recently taken photos can facilitate the following activity:
- Categorizing with a partner. Students can work in pairs or small groups and select one or two photos for each category:
- Having Importance Politically
- Having Importance Economically
- Having Importance Socially
- Most Powerful Image
If in a language lab, partners can discuss choices at their assigned computer. If in a classroom, the teacher could print out 10-12 photos from one album and post them around the room for viewing. Choices can be compared as a whole class, with each small group being asked to explain one of their choices. (Example: Which photo did you think had the most importance politically and why?) An optional writing assignment can be to express one’s personal reaction to a selected photo (perhaps the one that was voted Most Power Image by the majority).
TIP: Let some of the top choices in other categories lead into a current events discussion.
(To Be Continued)
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation | Tags: back-to-school activity, class web, class-created web, classroom web, English With Jennifer, first week of school, get-to-know you activity, ice breaker, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, new school year
This is the second of the two promised activities for the first week back to school. As I explained, each one was originally intended for elementary and middle school children. They have been modified and expanded for the adult ESL classroom.
Activity: Classroom web (Original submitted by Melissa Walker of Graham, NC)
Object: To weave a web of yarn as a class to symbolize the interaction and the unity needed in the classroom.
STEP 1: Bring a large ball of yarn to class and ask everyone to stand in a circle.
STEP 2: Model what you want the students to say to introduce themselves. How much information shared will depend on the students’ language level. Suggestions:
- Name
- Home country
- One thing you like – OR – one interesting fact
- One language goal – OR – how long you’ve been studying English
STEP 3: After you make your own introduction, hold on to one end of the yarn and throw it to a student across from you. That student will introduce himself or herself in a similar manner, hold on to the string that connects him/her to you, and then throw the ball of yarn to another student. The game continues, and as it does, a web is formed.
Model:
“My name is Jennifer. I’m from the U.S. I like to cook new dishes I see on TV. I’ve been teaching English since 1996.” [Throw]
[Catch] “My name is Alex. I’m from China. I like sports. I’ve been studying English for about four years.” [Throw]
STEP 4: When the game is over, ask the students what the yarn reminds them of. If they don’t know the word “web,” teach it. Explain the importance of everyone’s participation and the need to respect both the group and the individuals in the classroom. Ask them to remember this activity as they begin to study together as a class.
SUGGESTIONS:
- Step 4 could lead into a short discussion of classroom rules. E.g., no interrupting and always come prepared to participate.)
- You could do both this activity and the previous one, the class-create puzzles. You might use the puzzles more as an ice breaker and then use the web to focus on language goals and classroom rules.
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation, Grammar, Pronunciation | Tags: communicative activity, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, new school year, new semester, start of the school year
For many, September will be the start of a new school year. But even if you’re in a year-round program, you might consider the following activity as a warm-up to one of your lessons.
Level: Intermediate to advanced (You can increase or decrease the complexity of the language depending on the students’ level.)
STEP 1: Prepare a list of 8-10 instructions that begin with the phrase: Find someone who… Each statement should relate to summer activities. Suggestions:
- Find someone who went to the beach this summer.
- Find someone who worked a lot this summer.
- Find someone who visited relatives this summer.
- Find someone who ate at an outdoor café this summer.
- Find someone who went swimming at least once this summer.
- Find someone who made a new friend this summer.
- Find someone who saw a good movie this summer.
- Find someone who practiced his/ her English this summer.
STEP 2: Make and distribute copies of the instructions to the students. Model the construction of a yes-no question based on the first instruction. Example: “You need to find someone who went to the beach this summer. What question can you ask? …Did you go to the beach this summer?” Have students work in pairs to form the remaining questions. Correct their work as a class. They will each have their own copy of the class survey for the next step.
VARIATION: You can create the 8-10 questions yourself, but prepare the survey as a word scramble. Students must rewrite the questions with correct word order.
Example: go / you/ this/ beach/ to/ the/ summer/ beach/ did?
> Did you go to the beach this summer?
STEP 3: Have students walk around the room asking one another the questions they just formed. They must find one person who can answer affirmatively to each question. They should try to find a different person for each question.
SUGGESTIONS: You can create questions that foreshadow the lesson topic. Questions can use:
- Regular verbs in the simple past tense
- Irregular verbs in the simple past tense
- Passive verbs
- Causative verbs
- Phrasal verbs
- Idioms
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS:
- You can use yes-no questions to model rising intonation if you’re teaching a pronunciation class.
- You can use the questions formed and the information collected to model reported questions and statements: I asked three people if they had gone to the beach, and they all said they hadn’t.
- You can let small discussions result from the findings. For example, who saw a good movie? Can they retell the plot? This could facilitate a lesson on Wh- questions.
Tired of using the same ice breakers? Check back soon for first-week activities with a new group of students!
If your curriculum allows for flexibility, consider basing some lessons around group activities. The activities should be driven by themes that appeal to your students. A single theme and a set of clear procedures make for an enjoyable, constructive class. The following activities require small groups of students (approx. 4 per group) to use speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to meet the objectives.
- GROUP TRIP
Objective: To plan a group trip for a budgeted amount of money.
Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to plan a group trip. They have a budget of $2,000. Together they must choose a destination, a means of travel, and lodging. They should also list options for food and entertainment. Groups will present their trip plans to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group for this purpose, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the presentations, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This trip summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Future tenses (especially be going to and will).
- GROUP FUNDRAISER
Objective: To plan a fundraiser as a small group.
Present the students with a dilemma. For example, tell them that some classmates are facing eviction from their apartment. They need rent money fast (say, $1,500). Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to plan a group fundraiser. They may get ideas from websites such as Do-It-Yourself Fundraising Ideas or Fundraising Tips.Com. Together they must choose a fundraiser, a date, and a time. If a location is needed, they should specify the site. Each member should have an assigned role in the execution of the fundraiser. Groups will present their fundraising plans to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group for this purpose, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the final presentation, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Modals for necessity, obligation, and/ or possibility.
- GROUP DONATION
Objective: To decide where to make a group donation.
This activity could be the logical follow-up to the group fundraiser. Tell students they must decide the best way to donate $2,000. They may research local charities online or look at recent news headlines to identify local residents in need of financial aid. Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to make their decision. Sites such as Charity Navigator may be used. Background information on the recipient(s) is needed to justify their donation and will be part of their presentation to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the final presentation, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Active and passive voice (e.g., donate/ be donated).
NOTE: Alternatives to online information include hard copies of web pages and brochures.
OTHER THEMES: Group Party, Group Business, Group Dinner
Filed under: Conversation, Grammar | Tags: activities with resumes, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, using resumes
Free sample résumés are available online. Consider some possibilities these free resources create for intermediate and advanced students:
- Q & A: Copy different sample résumés for the class (1 for every 2 students). Ask students to work in pairs and hand out one résumé to each pair. Students should form 8-10 factual questions based on their fictitious candidate’s experience. They should use both past and present tenses. Pairs exchange sets of questions along with the accompanying resumes. They now answer the questions they received in full sentences. The work is corrected by the authors of the questions and reviewed later by the teacher.
- VERB TENSE REVIEW: Copy different sample résumés for the class (1 for every 2 students). Ask students to work in pairs and hand out one résumé to each pair. Challenge students to find examples of past and present facts. You can have them record their findings in chart form, using complete sentences. Offer them a model:
|
PAST FACTS |
PRESENT FACTS |
|
|
- PRACTICE WITH Used To (be) and Used to (being): Copy enough sample résumés for everyone in the class. Try to copy résumés from one job category, e.g., Administrative Assistant or Computer Technician. Students may work as a whole class or in smaller groups if the class is large. If they work as a class, the teacher will play the role of a head hunter and the students will be job candidates. If they work in smaller groups, one person in each group can be assigned the role of a head hunter. Explain who a head hunter is. Prepare a set of job requirements or qualifications that the head hunter can search for: people skills, knowledge of a foreign language, team player, etc. Job candidates must first skim their résumés to gain familiarity with the experience listed. When the head hunter states a requirement or qualification, the candidates can scan for applicable details. Challenge job candidates to offer information using one of the used to constructions. Model: (Head hunter) “I’m looking for someone with good people skills.” (Candidate) “I’m used to talking to people and helping them solve their computer problems.” / (Head hunter) “I’m looking for someone who can speak another language.” (Candidate) “I used to work in a bilingual office. I can speak Spanish.”
- MOCK INTERVIEW – Select a number of general interview questions and list them on the board. Copy enough sample résumés for everyone in the class. Working with a partner, students can take turns playing the role of a job candidate and base their answers on their assigned résumés.
- RÉSUMÉ WRITING – Free templates are also available, making it easier for students to write their own résumés. For older students who already have work experience, bringing their résumés up to date is useful professionally and serves a meaningful writing practice. Younger students might interview an older friend or relative and base the résumé on that other person’s experience.
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation, Writing | Tags: classroom debates, debates, debating, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, online resources
The Internet is full of resources for ESL, although many of them are not actually designed to facilitate language learning. The trick is finding a good site among the thousands out there. Then you must consider how to put the site to good use.
I recently stumbled upon the site of I.D.E.A., the International Debate Education Association. This site has a good-sized database of topics, from global climate change to sports. For each topic, there is some background info provided (labeled as “context”). This introductory paragraph could be used as a reading or listening passage (with the teacher reading aloud). Appropriate vocabulary should be highlighted. Each page then presents in two-column form the pros and cons, followed by all the possible motions (conclusions). There is also a “Database Junior,” which seems to have been created for younger students. The language seems at a lower reading level than the main database, making it accessible for intermediate students.
Teaching tools on this site include suggested exercises, such as an argument assembly activity that requires students to work together to assemble the pieces of an argument into a logical order. (The teacher will have cut up the argument beforehand.) This great exercise integrates reading and speaking skills and develops their critical thinking skills as well. Other possibilities I’ve thought of include:
- Class debates with the two sides represented by two groups of students, who are given time to gain familiarity with the information from the site before the start of the debate.
- Paired presentations in which each student is assigned a position on a main point. Debate topics generally have around 5-7 points with each point discussed from two different positions (pro and con). This works out well for classes of 10-14 students. Presentations are made in twos, so partners should prepare together. Students are given time to gain familiarity with the information from the site, but during the actual presentation they may not read.
- Writing practice at the sentence level, paragraph level, or essay level. At the sentence or paragraph level, students should only work with one main point and its pros and cons. They can use the information to practice statements of contrast: although, despite, etc. They can also use the information for one main point to structure a paragraph. They’ll need to compose a unifying topic sentence, insert a transition from pro to con, and end with a concluding sentence. At the essay level, several of the key points can be used from a given debate topic. You might teach them the point-by-by format (pro-con for Point 1, pro-con for Point 2, etc.) and assist them in developing a thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion.
- Independent study is certainly possible via the online forums run by I.D.E.A. Students can not only read other debates online, they may also write on a discussion board. The discussion threads I reviewed were civil and stimulating, making it an appropriate place for our language learners to engage in self-expression.
Filed under: Conversation, Methodology, Writing | Tags: correcting language learners, dangers of correcting ELLs, English With Jennifer, error correction, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL
Teachers are supposed to correct students, right? But could there ever be too much correction? Are there times when correcting isn’t appropriate? I’d argue yes. I’ll offer two reasons why. Perhaps you may suggest even more.
- The danger of taking away authorship
I usually have to coach myself when doing revisions for my students. It’s easy to correct something blatantly wrong like lack of subject-verb agreement or parallel structure, but instances of awkward wording push me toward the temptation to rewrite too much of the student’s composition. I force myself to correct only what is most essential and leave the ideas and spirit (or shall we call it simply tone?) of the writing intact. Sometimes what I offer is a list of alternative phrases, and I ask the student to consider them in the next revision. This way the final choice is made by the student and not me. The student’s voice must still be clearly heard instead of my own when I read the final draft.
- The danger of stymieing self-expression
A related danger to overcorrecting is causing a negative reaction: the student who experiences constant correction can come to fear taking risks in his or her speaking or writing. The student will either avoid opportunities for self-expression or come to depend on prompting by and guidance from the teacher. For this reason, teachers must often allow for uninterrupted speech (i.e. let students finish their statement before providing feedback) and give preference to a series of revisions over a single but voluminous set of proofreader’s marks, comments, and suggestions.
TIPS: I like correcting students’ compositions through Microsoft Word. Under the “Review” option there are two features that come in handy. Sometimes I utilize track changes for an error that the student has tried but failed to successfully correct. I also like inserting comments in the margins rather than the actual text. It keeps the text clean, but forces the student’s attention where I want it to go. Finally, highlighting in colors can work effectively. If a student often forgets periods at the end of a sentence, you can highlight the final word of every problematic sentence in the same color. Another repeated error can be highlighted in a different color.
Filed under: Conversation, Methodology | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, the breakfast club, warm-up activity
Warm-up activities put students in the right frame of mind to study and use English. Ideally, these are 5-to-10-minute communicative exercises that encourage interaction, collaboration, and self-expression. They are especially practical after a weekend-break and in longer lessons that allow an hour or more of class time. But even if you teach relatively short lessons of 45-minutes or less, a good warm-up activity can either be condensed or saved for a time when the language focus of that activity relates to a lesson topic in your syllabus. Then the warm-up activity seamlessly becomes part of your lesson plan.
Here’s one warm-up activity for you to consider. I call it The Breakfast Club. (Yes, I’m a fan of that John Hughes film from the ‘80s.)
Level: High beginner to low intermediate
Language focus: Question formation in the simple past tense
Objective: To form small groups based on what students have in common
STEP 1 – The first part of this activity tests students listening comprehension. This is especially good for students who have yet to fully wake up or who are quiet by nature. They aren’t immediately asked to produce language, but merely respond. The teacher asks a series of questions about the students’ recent past actions. Students who can answer affirmatively to a given question form a small group. The teacher’s goal is to ask enough questions so that a number of small groups with roughly even numbers form. Model:
T = teacher
- T – Who had breakfast today? …Almost everyone! Okay. All of you who had breakfast, please stand here to my right. You are now a group. You are The Breakfast Club.
- T- Now listen to my next question. Who drank coffee this morning? …Just a few of you. All right. You four can stand here on my left. You are now a group. You are The Coffee Club.
- T – Okay. We still have two students sitting. They aren’t in a group. So let’s see. Can I get them in a group? Everyone, listen to my next question. Did an alarm clock wake you up this morning? …Wow! Many of you woke up with an alarm this morning. Okay. All of you will be a group in the back of the classroom. You are The Alarm Clock Club.
- T– Now only three people are in The Breakfast Club and no one is in The Coffee Club. Let’s see. Can I get a few people back in The Coffee Club? Who had more than three cups of coffee yesterday?…Ah-ha! Two of you! You two can come back here on my left and be in The Coffee Club.
- T – The Alarm Clock Club is quite large. Can I make it smaller? Listen to my question. How many of you in The Alarm Clock Club went to bed after 11:00pm last night? …Okay. About half of you. So those who went to bed early are still in The Alarm Clock Club. The rest of you are a new group. You are The Night Club. You can now sit down in your small groups.
STEP 2 – In their small groups, students must now produce language. They must ask one another questions relating to the group topic. Each student will have a turn answering questions from the group. Each member should pose a question to the student whose turn it is. Model:
The Night Club
Student A – When did you go to sleep last night?
Student B – I went to sleep around midnight.
Student C – Why did you go to sleep so late?
Student B – I wanted to watch TV.
Student D – What time did you wake up this morning?
Student B – I woke up at 8:00.
Do you have a favorite warm-up activity? Please share it.
Filed under: Conversation, Grammar | Tags: amnesia game, conversation game, EnglishwithJennifer, if only, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, present progressive tense
(Originally published in my book Brainstorming. Moscow: Manager, 2001. This is an updated version.)
Amnesia is a game I created to practice expressing regret and longing (If only/ I wish) or habitual behavior (You’re always + ing). You may focus on only one structure or choose to practice at least two through this activity. So that my illustration is clear, I’ll focus on only one.
Level: High intermediate to advanced
Format: Small groups of 3-5 students
Objective: To help someone recall his or her fictitious identity
STEP 1 – In advance prepare several sets of role cards. Each set should have one “victim” of amnesia* and four supporting roles. You can choose political figures, celebrities, and characters from well-known books. Choose people your students know or professions they are familiar with. Suggestions:
Bill Clinton* (former U.S. president): Hillary (wife), Chelsea (daughter), Al Gore (former vice-president), a body guard
Arnold Shwarzenegger* (actor and current Governor of California): Maria Shriver (wife and journalist), Danny DeVito (film co-star), movie fan, resident of California
Captain of an airplane*: the co-pilot, a flight attendant, spouse, a son/ daughter
Heart surgeon*: nurse, medical student, recent patient, parent
STEP 2 – In class, have students form small groups (3-5 members). Give one set of role cards to each group so that only the supporting roles are assigned. The number of role cards given should be one less than the number of students in a group. Do no hand out the card of the “victim”. Explain that the student without a card has amnesia. The others must help this person recall his/ her identity. These students may now view the card of the “victim” to learn his/ her identity. They will assume their assigned roles and provide clues using the structure: be always + (verb in the “-ing” form). Model with group of 4:
Student 1 (nurse): I often assist you in your work. Patients are always telling me how lucky they are because of you.
Student 2 (medical student): I watch you and learn from you. You’re always telling me something useful about surgery or how the body works.
Student 3 (recent patient): You saved my life. I’m not always trying to catch my breath like I used to. A new heart gave me new life.
Student 4 (amnesia victim): Am I a heart surgeon?
STEP 3 – The “victim” must listen to one clue from each member in the group before guessing his/ her identity. Additional clues may be offered if necessary.
STEP 4 – Have the groups switch sets of cards or pass out new sets and let the game continue. Be sure that different members of each group take turns being the “victim”.
