PRACTICAL INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
И.В.Королько
Многопрофильная гимназия №41 имени А. Пушкина, г. Тараз
Picture Stories (elementary and above)
Time: One lesson Alternative:
Materials: Magazine photos
Procedure: Divide class into groups of 2-4 students. Pass out magazine photos to each group. Magazine photos can include people, places, or events. Teachers can pass one photo per group or a set of different photos. Have each group make up a story based on the magazine photos they have received. Teachers can have students use new vocabulary words in the stories as well. Cut photos into pieces like a puzzle and have students reassemble the pieces before making up a story about the photo.
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Team Games (elementary and above): This is a good game to review a new concept in grammar or new vocabulary.
15-20 minutes Time Materials: Procedure:
Questions
Bell or keys (2 sets)
Divide the class into two groups.
Have each team stand in a line in front of a desk or table. The first person in each line should be a student from each team.
Explain that the teacher will ask a question and the student who rings their bell or shakes their keys first must answer the question within 5 seconds. If they answer the question correctly their team will get one point. If they answer it incorrectly, they will lose a point and the student representing the other team will have an opportunity to answer the question. If the other team answers correctly, they get a point, but they also lose a point if they answer incorrectly.
If neither team answers correctly, you can either tell them the answer or open it up to the rest of both teams. The first student who answers correctly gets a point for their team.
5. The team with the most points wins.
Group Predictions (intermediate): Helps students practice will, future continuous, and future
perfect.
Time: 20 minutes
Procedure: 1. Divide class into groups of 4-5 students.
Ask everyone in the group to imagine what the other people in their group will be doing in 10 years.
Have the group discuss each of the predictions and decide the best one. They should write a prediction for everyone in the group.
Have students present the predictions to the class or go tape them to the wall for everyone to see.
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Magic Moments (intermediate): Helps students practice past continuous tense.
Time: 15 minutes Questionnaire
Materials: 1. Ask students if they have younger brothers or sisters. Ask those who have if they
can remember where they were and what they were doing when someone told them
they had a new brother or sister.
2. Divide students into pairs and give each pair a questionnaire.
3. Have students ask each other uestions from the questionnaire.
4. When they have finished, ask them each to tell the class one interesting fact
about their partner.
Sample Magic Moments Questionnaire
Can you remember what you were doing when:
Your first tooth fell out?
You first realized you could read?
You got your first 5?
Someone invited you on your first date?
Package Tour (intermediate or above)
Time: One lesson
Materials: Paper, pens, markers .
Procedure: 1. Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students.
2. Ask each group to imagine they are inhabitants from an imaginary country. Build facts about the country by having them answer the following questions (you may change or add to the questions):
Where is the country?
Is it an island or part of a continent? What continent?
What is the climate like?
What is the landscape like?
What are the main geographical areas?
What are the people like?
What are the main industries and crops?
What is its political system?
What are the main towns?
What is it famous for?
What are the national cuisines?
Students can add to the facts about the country. The more details they establish, the better.
3. Have the students draw a map of the country based on the facts they have written down. .
4. Tell them there are some package tours being developed for the country. They should make a tourist brochure that tells about their country. The brochure should make tourists want to come to the country.
5. You can take the brochures to other classes and have them decide which country they would like to tour.
Middlemen (elementary or above): This is a role play between students. Any scenario involving
two or more students can be used to do a role plaу.
Time: 10-15 minutes per role play
Materials: Role cards for each group
Procedure: 1. Divide the class into three groups by counting off.
Have all of the “1s" line up on the left side of the classroom, the “2s” facing them on the right side of the classroom and the “3s" standing in between them. This should make several groups of 3 students.
Explain they are going to role play three situations, each involving an argument between two people, the “1s" and "2s”. They will not speak to each other directly, but should make their views known to the “3s" who will help them try and find a compromise solution.
Give out the appropriate cards for the first situation to the "1s" and “2s" and ask the “3s” to listen to the “1s” first.
When they have heard the complaint of the "1s", they should go and explain it to the “2s", listen to their reply, and report back to the “1s”, trying all the time to help both sides reach a compromise and settle their differences. This should continue until both sides have reached a satisfactory agreement.
Have the “1s” and “3s" change places and give them the second scenario. Have them act this out until a compromise has been made.
Have the “1s" and “2s" change places now and give them the third scenario. Have them act this out until a compromise has been reached.
Scenario 1
Flatmate 1: You flatmate is very inconsiderate; never washes the dishes and holds late night
parties in your flat. He knows you have to get up early!
Flatmate 2: You flatmate is very inconsiderate; he insists on keeping a dog that barks early in
the morning. He knows you get up late! And he is much too tidy- always cleaning
your things away so that you can’t find them.
Scenario 2
Neighbour 1: Your next-door neighbour always parks her car right in front of your driveway. It’s
very annoying, because it means that you can’t get your car in and out.
Neighbour 2: Your neighbour’s house is always full of visitors. It’s very annoying because
they often make a lot of noise just when you want to do some work, but also
because they park their cars all down the street and it’s hard for you to find a place
to park your car.
Scenario 3
Parent: You are having an argument with your teenage daughter. You think she is too
young to go to parties and come back late at night.
Daughter: You are having an argument with your parents. They won’t let you go out to
friends’ parties, and say you are too young to stay out late. It’s not fair-all your
friends go to parties!
After you have finished the role play, bring the group back together to discuss the results.
