Monday, June 13, 2005

On the Ball

Yes, for this mini-dialogue, you need an actual ball.  Bring it into class and ask learners to describe it. This, of course, includes.  texture, colour, material and other characteristics.  The instructor and learners can initiate a short dialogue using one or several of the following questions: 

What is it made of?
When did you get it?
Where did you get it?
Is it heavy?
How much was it?
How much do you think it is?

Posted by jimmy at 12:36:01 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Planning/Reflecting

What did you do last night?  What are you going to do this weekend?  These are common questions that this dialogue activity can generate.

Begin by asking individuals for one activity the they did last night or that they plan to do on the weekend.  Of course, they can ask you as well.  Then, draw a simple sketch on the board that shows your past or future activity.  To keep it simple, I make a stick-figure sketch.

Distribute blank paper and have each learner draw a personal sketch of a relevant activity.  You should draw one also because this will motivate the learners.  From experience, I have discovered that allowing too much drawing time is dangerous because many learners will become bored.  Also, make sure the learners do not write their names on the sketches.

Select two of three students to demonstrate with you.  Ask one learner about last night or the weekend.  The learner will hold up the sketch and answer verbally.  Then, the learners will ask you the same question.  Once the questions have been asked and answered, switch sketches and approach another learner.  At this point, I have the entire class stand up and join in the mixer.

In addition to repitition, this mixer also exposes learners to a variety of vocabulary.  While learners may find it challenging to remember the exact answers, the sketches do make in enjoyable.  Besides, if someone is stuck on a word, the individual can show the sketch to another learner for assistance.  Again, this generates more dialogue.

Depending on the size of your class, the time span for this activity can range from five to 15 minutes.   Before they are seated, learnes can review vocabulary by shouting out the key words connected to the sketch.  Hopefully, this will have them identify the original creators of the sketches.
Posted by jimmy at 21:36:50 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

My Photo Blog

Ever since we got a digital camera, Sunmi and I have been taking photos faster than we can post them.  If you are would like to view some, please visit Corbett's Korea and More.
Posted by jimmy at 12:08:03 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Wake-Up Talk

Lately, I have been doing many exercises in divergent thinking.  Although it looks like a fancy term, it simply encourages learners to express the same message in various forms.  For example, take a second and consider all the possible variations of this utterance:

Did you sleep well?

In your next class, ask your learners to brainstorm on alternative utterances in groups.  Think about a question or statement that you normally hear immediately after getting up in the morning.

Did you sleep well last night?
Did you have a good sleep?
How was last night?
I hope you slept well.
Are you rested?

You may even introduce short, casual utterances like:
Sleep well?
Good night?
Another sleepless night?

Once you have a few starters on the board, learners can circulate and conduct mini-dialogues.

Since it expands linguistic possibilities, I find that divergent thinking is great for building confidence and motivation.
Posted by jimmy at 10:57:44 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, May 12, 2005

TV Last Night

Here are a few questions to ask your class.
Did you catch the game last night? 
Did you see ____________ last night?
What did you see on TV last night?
What did you think of it?
How was it?
Did you like it?

Partners can easily talk about something they saw on TV.   Once they've practised in pairs, they can survey the entire class and record results on the board.
Posted by jimmy at 14:35:33 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |