I have just come across a document called 'Checklist of activities to get pupils talking' downloadable here on my Google Drive.
I prepared it for a training session for student teachers. There are loads and loads of ways to get pupils talking in a lesson, but this list may be of use to someone!
Thanks to the many teachers who have shared their ideas with me over my 4 decades of teaching. Core books I have to had which will have informed some of these ideas are:
- Routledge Teaching Guide - A practical guide to teaching foreign languages in the secondary school
- Routledge - Learning to teach foreign languages in the secondary school
- CILT: Something to say? Vee Harris, James Burch, Barry Jones, Jane Darcy
I compiled this before acquiring the ALL publication 'It's good to talk' [link here] and look forward to learning even more strategies. You never ever stop learning.!
Checklist of activities to get pupils talking!
Most can be modelled by teacher - whole class repetition – then led by pupils as ‘teacher clones’ in pair / group work. ‘Teacher clone effect!’
Ranked roughly in order of stage: predictable/supported - Unpredictable/unsupported
Contents
- READ ALOUD
- INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD
- COMPREHENSION
- RANDOMISE
- DISGUISE THE TEXT
- MIME
- CARD GAMES
- PICTURE GAMES
- SONG AND RAP
- GAMES (non-card!)
- INFORMATION GAP
- OPEN DISCUSSIONS
- GROUP CHALLENGES
|
Activity ‘name’ (helps to
make memorable for pupils .. don’t need to explain every time!) |
Notes |
READ ALOUD
|
Full text Could be
models dialogue, conversation, presentation, substitution table. |
|
Choral repetition |
Imitative – all involved but narrow |
|
Choral performance |
Read with different characteristics of performance: To the beat of a
metronome / drums / clicking Vary way it is said (volume, emotion,, speed) |
|
Read aloud text |
Variations: Teacher / pupils alternate Switch when you have had enough! Rewards for good performance Memorise |
|
Reading auditions |
As above in pairs With expression . body language. Facial expression |
|
Puppet show |
Read aloud as a puppet (create a theatre?!) |
|
CTBG - Open pairs performance |
Pair read in front of others. Class gives feedback on appropriate
criteria. ‘CTBG’ - catch them being good! |
|
Memorisation |
Memorise text gradually. Gradually hide words / letters Substitution tables gradually withdrawn |
|
Against the clock |
Time how long it takes to say the text x times |
|
Recording studio |
‘Final product’ encourages rehearsal |
|
Act up! |
Add own words to drama Emotional roles Resolving a dispute Planning a party Adding extra to the dialogue drawing on known – ideas,.
Justifications With props – restaurant Add extra dimensions – emotions, problems |
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD
|
|
|
Hot Potato reading |
Pupil reads and passes to another by saying their name
when not expecting it |
|
Closed pairs practice |
Pairs practise to rehearse for performance. |
|
Marathon |
Read aloud until mistake spotted! |
|
Pass the parcel |
When music stop, pupil holding parcel reads the next bit |
|
Musical pass the mobile phone |
Pupil has back to class. Class pass the old phone while
music playing. Music stops. Pupil with phone says next phrase (can disguise
voice) . Pupil has to guess the person. |
|
Human punctuation |
Switch at punctuation mark |
|
On the ball (for real!) |
Teacher throw squeeze to pupils at random with text, they
throw back with next section |
|
On the ball |
Teacher read – stop – challenge: next word? |
COMPREHENSION
|
|
|
Q/A work – pointed questions |
Pattern practice: Closed / alternatives / open Teacher / Pupil / Teaching Assistant / Native speakers NB Guidance needed
(can be daunting / demotivating if not done well – lamentable!) |
|
True or false chanting |
Repeat if true, silent if false |
RANDOMISE
|
|
|
Reverse read aloud |
Say word Pupil say sentence containing the word |
|
Random reading |
Read sentence at random. Stop. Pupils supply next
sentence. |
|
Hangman |
Give letters |
|
Audio Hangman |
Talk about letters it begins with /
finishes with It’s a phrase to say when you leave .. |
DISGUISE THE TEXT
|
|
|
Beat the pen |
Start to write the text
/ hide – guess or ask to continue |
|
Sound then rhythm |
Sound first syllable and clap the rest. Pupils supply full
sentence. |
|
Closed mouth speaking (Mouth full speaking?) Humming |
Say with mouth closed and work out phrase form rhythm and
intonation |
|
Heads and tails |
Display just the top / bottom |
|
Topsy turvey |
Display text upside down |
|
Chinese whispers |
Start each row with a phrase to be ‘passed along’ through
whispering. Winner raises hand and
says aloud phrase correctly. |
|
Translation challenge |
Gradually reveal En/TL from fixed dialogue Live challenge with substitution tables |
MIME
|
Mime words / sentences within the text |
|
Sign language |
Work out the phrase from the sign language |
|
Lip reading |
Mouth the word /
phrase – pupil says the word/phrase |
|
Trace in the sky |
Trace in the air the word
/ phrase – pupil says the word/phrase |
|
Trace on your back |
Trace on back the word
/ phrase – pupil says the word/phrase |
|
Special envoy |
One pupil sent out of class. Class decide on phrase to be mimed. Pupil
returns and has to guess. |
|
Class knock-down |
Teams take it in turn to send out fellow team member.
Decide on who mimes what. Team member returns. Each mimes. When they com in they are timed
in guessing the mimes. Shortest time wins. |
|
Make the teacher mime |
Pupil says word / sentence. If correct, T mimes. |
|
Charades |
T/P mimes. Class interprets. Class says phrase / word |
|
Team charades |
Two teams A and B compete to guess sentences mimed by
volunteer from their team quicker than the other team. After each mime,
volunteer selects person to guess. Scores point if correct. Then
moves to next card. |
CARD GAMES
|
|
|
Fill the gaps |
In pairs – each has the info the other one needs. |
|
Secret choice |
Teacher guesses pupil’s secret choice all class knows
choice) for one round (10?). Pupil
gets points for each incorrect guesses. Pupils take it in turns to guess Teacher’s secret choice.
Same scoring. Winner = most points (i.e. most incorrect guesses from
opponent). |
|
Pelmanism |
Uncover matching pairs
/groups of cards. |
|
Ask/hide/find the card |
Pupils request card and keep. When all distributed, pupils have to recall who had which
card and request it. |
|
Slow reveal |
gradually reveal a card – first to say phrase. |
|
Quick flash |
Show card very quickly – can they say it? |
|
Noughts and crosses |
Translate / Give
the phrase represented in the square to gain the square (or it goes to
other team) |
|
Happy Families |
Pupils guess who has which card and requests it in TL. Supply phrases to play game |
PICTURE GAMES
|
|
|
Pictionary |
Teams draw word / phrase to illustrate. Teams members guess within a time limit. |
|
Taboo |
Team member draws word / phrase to define in TL without
using specific words. Team members guess word, |
|
Generation game conveyor belt |
Words shown as on a conveyor belt. Memorise words. Recall – point per item recalled. |
|
Kim’s game |
Show words. Then hide all Memorise words Recall – point per item recalled. |
|
Through the keyhole |
Guess 8 images Call out words seen (Can be done with paper an dcut out keyhole!) |
|
Beat the blur? |
Call out word before unblurred |
SONG AND RAP
|
|
|
Singalong song |
Memorable. Could
focus on one part (chorus?) |
|
‘Pick up a
song’ ‘On connaît la chanson’ |
Fade out – are they still in time when you come in again? |
|
Raps |
Could create their own |
|
Chanting |
Rhythmic chanting of elements |
GAMES (non-card!)
|
|
|
Chain game |
‘I went to market and I bought A’ ‘I went to market and I bought B and A’ ‘I went to market and I bought C and B and A |
|
Bingo |
Pupils create 3x3 grid filled with 9 of the 20 words /
[phrases available. (Or teacher creates in adavcen). Then Pupil ‘calls’ for whole class. Then group games where one is caller. |
|
Noughts and crosses |
Translate / Give
the phrase represented in the square to gain the square (or it goes to
other team) |
|
Battleships |
Plot location of ships (say, 10 within a grid of 8x8) Pupil uses phrases to target grid reference. If square has a ship, they win a point (or the number of
points in the grid). Can be with or without support of text. |
|
Trapdoor |
Each pair makes random choice of 3 to complete each of say
5 phrases. Take it in turns to guess the other’s choice.
If incorrect, play passes to opponent. |
|
Mastermind |
As trapdoor, but no phrases in between. |
|
Give us a clue |
Listening charades |
|
20 questions game |
Discover word / phrase by asking questions (animal,
vegetable, mineral ? Yes/No only answers allowed. |
|
Blockbusters |
Select hexagon. Answer challenge aloud to claim the
hexagon. Winner crosses the board before the other team. |
|
Millionaire |
Quizmaster: teacher or pupil. Pupil representing team answers. Can call on rest of team
(ask th e audience) phone a friend (in team) or 50:50. Can be built into a big TV show! |
|
Flippity randomiser translations |
Make a sentence from the randomiser (roulette? Fruit
machine?) |
|
Scruples |
Anticipate what someone would do … (High prep, but worth it!) |
|
Monopoly |
Play and interact in TL. |
|
Scrabble |
Play and interact in TL |
|
Pictionary |
Play and interact in TL |
|
Logic games |
Discuss reasoning for choices
|
INFORMATION GAP
|
Partner A / Partner B given info the other needs. |
|
Fill the gaps |
In pairs – each has the info the other one needs. |
OPEN DISCUSSIONS
|
|
|
Surveys |
Carry out surveys for a graph / feedback. |
|
Find someone who /.. |
Info hunt to fill in grid |
|
Group Talk! |
Prompt: several images to discuss / give opinions and
justifications Train in key phrases to question / react / give opinion See slides and Greg Horton talk |
|
Diamond ranking |
Groups discuss relative importance etc of cards /
statements and rank in order of
importance. |
|
Celebrity interviews |
Wear masks and ask / answer questions. |
|
Picture mystery (guess who owns house etc.) |
Ask questions to match owner with house. |
GROUP CHALLENGES
|
|
|
Quest in a 3D world! |
Explore a 3D world with partner school. |
|
Escape Room games |
Play with a group and discuss in TL! |
|
Practical Projects |
Make chatterbox game – then play! Design ideal house |
