Monday, November 30, 2015

Welcome Back, Teacher!.


Fall is slowly approaching. The weather is not as hot. Fewer children are running around your city and when you do see them they are carrying backpacks. Some may even be wearing uniforms. Your afternoons are louder. Filled with groups of loud, excited teens that haven't seen much of each other during the summer. Stores are filled with signs of books, lined paper, and pencils. Yes, it is time to go back to school.

The first days before school starts can be one of excitement and anxiety. What will your students be like? What great games and projects are they going to do? What books will you be using in your instruction? What if they ask you something you don't know the answer to? What will you do if they don't like you? What if you get stuck with a class or student you absolutely cannot stand?

Normal jittery questions arise before that first school day. But have no fear with careful planning and the right attitude, your academic year should go by smoothly. Check the "Toolbox & Warmers" page for ideas on how to make your lessons more effective and entertaining. These simple activities can be used to fill up extra time for the days your lesson plan goes under time or use these ideas to improve the language and/or vocabulary skills of your students.

On Their Best Behavior

Remember the first day you went back to school. Did your teacher know you rarely did homework? Was the instructor annoyed by your constant interruptions or sidebar talk? Did you start showing up late and /or rolling your eyes when you had to leave your seat for a game? Of course not! During the first few days of school, everyone is on their best behavior. Even you.

Deep Breathes
So don't stress, Teacher. The beginning of school is the perfect time to get to know your students and for the students to find out about you. Enjoy this easy ride with a few starter activities:

Guess about the teacher: Ask students to guess different facts about you.(I.e., What country you are from, places you've been, likes, dislikes, your age, etc. Anything you are comfortable sharing. Another way to do this activity is to have regalia items or photos that represent your interest and where you are from. Have students discuss each photo or item and guess how they are connected to you.

Four corners: a physical game where students go to the four corners within the room. Each corner has a sign: Yes, No, Maybe, and I'm not sure. Shout out a question about pop culture, a popular news story, a preference, etc. The questions must be appropriate to the level and in the form of a yes or no response. Students go to the corner that answers the given question and must discuss in English the reason for their answers. Lower levels can just introduce themselves to the people in their corner.

Question darts: For lower levels, place the words: "sentence" and "questions" around the board multiple times. Have a student throw a ball at the board. If it hits "sentence", students give a sentence. If it's correct, they get a point for their team. If the sentence is incorrect, the points go to the other team. If the ball hits "question", students ask a question correctly for points.

For higher levels, have question words(who, what,etc.) on the board. Students throw the ball and create a question with that word. Correctly ask questions get a point. Double points if another team member can answer it correctly. Minus points for incorrect responses and questions. No repeats.