How to make kids recognize familiar words?

This game can be used in heterogeneous classes in elementary school, as well as in junior-high school for beginners or students with learning difficulties. Its aim is to make them recognize and memorize vocabulary and for learning prepositions, depending on the aim of your lesson.

Option 1.

 In this picture you can see a game that can be used for kids of different levels. Before they know how to match the pictures with the sentences, they should remember the words they have learned earlier. Thus, you can ask them what they see in each picture? e.g. "There is a table", "I see a pair of glasses".

Option 2.

If you revise prepositions, you can ask them to describe each picture with one sentence for instance, "There is a pair of glasses on the table", "The kids are under the tree". To make them speak more fluently, you can ask YES/NO Questions, e.g.

Are the glasses under the table?

No, they aren't (or just "No")

Are the glasses on the chair?

No, they aren't.

Are they on the table?

Yes, they are.

Option 3.

If you want kids to practice their reading and to recognize words, you can ask them to read the sentences and to look for the appropriate picture, as you can see in this video. Try not to use L1 until they do not understand you but if you do, tell the same words in English, so that they will repeat and memorize.

Option 4.

For more advanced kids, you can use this game as a memory one. So, they do not see any pictures or sentences and play it individually, in pairs or in small groups and connect pictures with semtences.

Nostalgia)). This post was written 10 years ago, when I was finishing a course, and for some reason it was not published. But the ideas are still relevant.

 Week 10. Reflections.

Week 1

I learned all the requirements of the course and started this blog. I called it "Don't give up". This motto is addressed both for LD students that I teach and for teachers who work with such kids. As it known, Albert Einstein and George Bush had LD but they overcame those obsticles successfully. So LD is not a sentence.


Week 2

I studied the ABCD Learning Objectives Framework and Effective Web Searches. I have never heard about these things so I had to learn them thoroughly. I learned more how to design a learning objective for my literature class based on the ABCD Model and browsed many valuable search engines. With the help of these tools I researched the new ways of preparation LD 11-graders to the matriculation exam in English Literature.

Week 3
I studied how to apply Skill-building Websites for Oral/Aural Skills and save Bookmarks with Delicious. Later I introduced this site to my students. They were very excited and opened their own accounts there, too. Now they can use their favorite and/or important sites everywhere and any time, which is necessary when they write their projects for the oral exam.


Week 4

 I studied more about Skill-building Websites for Reading/Writing Skills and Technology-enhanced Lesson Plans. This section was very important for me because what I taught had a close relevance to this part. Reading and writing skills were two skills that were developed in my translation classes. Students were asked to read some e-books for their theoretical bases of translation. They were also trained to understand the English texts by reading all carefully, then they had to translate all into Indonesian language accurately. That was an academic activity the students did from reading the text to writing the result of translation, because translation itself principally is rewriting process and product after reading activity. I also learned how to make a lesson planned enhanced with technology that can be seen at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-IlYgoe1g38MVVpbGJIUnBWSE0/edit?usp=drive_web.

On week 5, 

I did many things in relation to Project-based Learning, WebQuests, and rubrics. I learned more about Project-based Learning (PBL) as a method of teaching that allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and standards at the heart of a project (http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl/). Talking about WebQuest, I read an explanation about it at (http://zunal.com/zunal-help/help-about-whatiswebquest.php). I tried to create Project-based learning and WebQuests though it is not good yet, but I was successful in applying this web application that can be seen at http://questgarden.com/164/08/7/131110091317/.

On week 6, 

I learned more about Creating Student-centered Classes and Interactive PowerPoint. On this week 6 I made tutor blog or web http://duniaterjemah.com/for managing my online teaching for my classes and asked students to create a learner blog. One of their learner blog can be seen at http://e-teachingweb.blogspot.com/p/the.html. I also made interactive PowerPoint slides for my translation classes that can be seen at https://sites.google.com/site/seanswebskillswikifall2013/powerpoints.

On week 7, 

I learned about Learner Autonomy, the One-computer Classroom, and Mobile Devices. This section was very invaluable for me to improve students' autonomous learning, applying one-computer classroom, and using mobile devices for enhancing teaching and learning process in or out the classroom with technology.

On Week 8,

I did many things in relation to Teacher Resources Online that could be applied and practiced for online teaching and learning process and activities. On this week 8 I created Class Site of Translation Studies that can be visited on https://sites.google.com/site/translationclasssite/. This site is a sample for my translation class. This class site has some slots that are very valuable for managing and organizing my class administratively. I also made a handout of translation studies in the form of a compilation composed based on some articles from internet. I attached it on https://sites.google.com/site/translationclasssite/lesson-materials.

On week 9, 

I completed my activity of Webskills class and tasks by writing a final project that describes what I planned and did for and during the Webskills program. You can read my final project on https://sites.google.com/site/seanswebskillswikifall2013/final-projects. Beside that I also learned more about Learning styles and technology connections from some articles, taking the lesson of four models of learning style: 1) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; 2) Kolb/McCarthy Learning Cycle; 3) Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model; 4) Grasha-Riechmann Learning Styles. Those are very important and inspired me to manage my classes based students characteristics and learning capabilty.

Now on Week 10, 

it is time for me to wrap up. This is the week that makes me sad to do because I will leave my all extraordinary instructors of Webskills program, especially Mr. Sean McClelland who is very patient and smart to lead me to be a good learner of Webskill class and all lovely friend from many countries that accompany me week by week that make me warm in following this program. But I really believe that our friendship will be on forever, ever after this program finished. Let's be our brothers and sisters in the world of Education.

What should I give as my advice? It is very hard for me to give advice because all things run well and completely. However, I want to say for new participants who will take the same program of Webskills next year, you should:
1. Spend your time some hours for concentrating and focusing on all assignments and tasks given weekly, though you are very busy on your school jobs and activities.
2. Be a hard learner that has an inner motivation to run fast in your learning process because it needs extra energy, time, and thought.
3. Be patient to all duties given in this program because all will lead you to be a professional teacher.
4. Be creative on making and creating a product of technology of teaching and other tools or media for our classroom facilities, for examples, creating a blog, class site, WebQuest, and other online tools of teaching and learning.
5. Be a literate learner on technology by learning how to operate computer programs, applications, internet, and other technology in education.
That's all I can say on this week. I hope that what I learned will be useful for me, my students, and institution. A great deep thanks given to all instructors, committees, and University of Oregon staffs, and Department of Education under the United States Embassy. May God bless you all for your kindness and good deeds. Thanks.

Some more icebrakers for the first lesson.

 Here is a game "Find someone, who..." 

Ask your students general questions, for instance, "How are you today?" "What is the weather like today?" "Do you like English?" You can use some more activities from my previous post, and to make the atmosphere more relaxed, you can give them pages with the following questions, ask them to get up and to ask each other "Do you...?", "Are you...?" Make sure they don't speak L1. They are supposed to write their peers' names on the page.

For adults, you can compose a questionnaire with the following questions:

Find someone, who...

                                has more than two children

                                runs his/her own business

                                has been to America

                                speaks three languages and more

                                has pets

                                likes traveling

                                often goes on business trips

                                works on shifts

and many more. You can remove some irrelevant questions and add something new, depending on yours and your students' interests.

For kids, you can compose such questions, as:

Find someone, who...

                               likes chocolate

                               likes cats and dogs

                               is an only child in the family

                               does not like Math

                               plays football

                               whose birthday is next month

and many more.

The students walk around the room, ask each other and write their names. Then you ask them to sit down and ask: "Who likes cats and dogs?"

Possible answers: "I like them", "I like cats but I don't like dogs", etc. 
Next step is asking them to report. A student says: "Dany likes chocolate, Lena and Tanya speak three languages, Tom likes dogs but he does not like cats".

This activity helps students to get together and get interested in your course.

How to catch the students' attention.

 Icebreakers

First day of class? Are students too shy? Students don’t feel comfortable speaking English? We have you covered! Just choose whichever icebreaker questions or speaking activities you think will work best !

Icebreaker Speaking Games/Activities

Who are you?

First of all, we have “Who are you?”. It takes a little prep (just some paper and tape), but students really seem to get into it. They may not get to know each other from this one, but

they will certainly get comfortable talking to each other.

Here are some more links.

Two Truths One Lie

Next is an activity for your students to get to know each other. It can be a very short or very long activity, it's up tp you. It can even be easily turned into a game.

 

Paper Fight

This get-to-know-you activity is definitely active and can be bit hectic but if you and your students are keen, it can be an activity they will remember for a long time.  Good for building rapport between you and your students.

 

Deserted Island

The deserted island question is one that we have all done. It’s popular for a reason and students seem to really enjoy figuring out which items to take to the island. With no preparation and lots of talking, this is a good one to have in your utility belt.

 

Twenty Questions

Twenty questions is also another well-worn activity, but one that never gets old. An added bonus is that it can be used to review target vocabulary. It’s good as a warmer to get them comfortable with speaking English again.

 

Multipurpose

This next activity is an interesting one that will get them talking as well as get them thinking creatively. It can be used in a limited way to review vocabulary since it can only be used for a few words, but the few you review will definitely be stuck in their heads after this activity.

 

Personality Quiz 

Ah, personality quizzes. Accurate or not, people really seem to enjoy taking them. You might want to hide the fact that it is a personality quiz until the end. A great activity to get them talking and also a great activity to review or practice adjectives.

 

Riddles 

Next up, riddles! Logic puzzles! Knock their brains into gear and get them to think outside the box. To get the most out of this one, definitely put them in groups of three or four. Students get a lot more out of this activity when they can bounce their ideas off other students. 

Bingo Icebreaker

Use this bingo board to get your students to ask each other questions. Available as a Word file download to edit it for your needs!

 

Spot the Difference 

Last one! This one takes the most prep of all of them. The language production on this one isn’t that high either, but most students will really get into it. You can also use it to point out some extra vocabulary to get a bit more bang for your buck.

Icebreaker Conversation Questions

 

Small Talk 

Completely random questions, so random in fact, that every student can find at least a couple of questions that will pique their interest.

Have you ever…

Questions about students experiences using the present perfect (i.e. have you ever…). Everyone likes talking about themselves and the things that have happened to them! (These questions are also listed under grammar)

Comparatives / Superlatives

Questions based on comparatives (i.e. bigger, smaller, more interesting) and superlatives (i.e. the biggest, the smallest, the most interesting). Lots of questions to get students talking about

their opinions on many different topics. (These questions are also listed under grammar)

250 Conversation Starters

This is a site aimed at native speakers of English but it has a lot of questions in the “random conversation starters” section that would be suitable for intermediate and advanced students. A great extra source of questions if the questions above aren’t enough for you