Activity 93- Writing a (Fun) Story

This idea is a classic, but great if you want your students to develop a taste for writing. Informal, but fun and effective! 

Level: Intermediate/ Advanced

Skill: Writing

Material Needed: sheets of paper with different stories

Instructions:

The teacher should prepare papers with different beginnings of different stories. Separate students into groups of 5 or 6 students. Use the pieces of paper to rotate among the groups.  After all the groups have had a chance to add something to each story, ask different students to read them. Students vote for the best story in the class. 

Source: Vânia Rodrigues

Picture credits: Denise Krebs/ Flickr

Activity 92- Move If

This is a very similar idea to a post published before ("Change Places If " ) but with some twists. Students will definitely enjoy working on this activity! 

Level: All Levels

Skill: speaking

Material Needed: None

Instructions:

Have students make a circle with a student in the middle. Give each student a piece of making tape. They should use that piece of tape to mark their places on the floor. The person standing in the middle gives the command. This person should say something that is true for himself/herself, “Switch places if…you are wearing jeans” and then finishes the sentence. Everyone who is wearing jeans should switch places, including the student who gave the command. There is always going to be one person in the center of the circle who is in charge of giving the next command

Source: Vânia Rodrigues, Adapted from The Monster Book of Language Teaching Activities.

Picture credits:  Doremi Girl /Flickr 

Activity 91- Yes-No Questions

Great practice if you want your students to learn and remember  how to ask yes/no questions for good!

Level: Beginner/Intermediate  

Skill: speaking

Material Needed: A set of colored paper

Instructions:

In the beginning of the semester, give each student a stiff colored piece of paper. Ask students to divide the paper into two parts. Students should write YES and NO on each part. Tell students to keep that paper, for they will use it every class to answer a question. At the beginning of each class invite a student to ask a Yes/No question. The rest of the class should answer that question by raising their papers. This is a great activity for beginning-level students to practice asking questions, and not only answering them. 

Source: Vânia Rodrigues

Picture credits: Chris Palmieri/ Flickr