Multimedia Teaching Resource on TED-Ed

Fantastic content-based teaching resources including lesson plans, videos, discussion questions and more on a range of very interesting subjects.

I loved this one about lying, by Noah Zandan!

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-language-of-lying-noah-zandan

Fun Prepositions of Place/ Room Description Activity

Materials

• 1 home-decor type magazine for at least small group/pair of students
• a large sheet of blank paper for each group and a marker
• different color markers to checking each other's work

 
Warm-up

• Elicit prepositions of place and write on board.
• Ask students to describe the room you are in: students take in turns to write each other's ideas on the board.
• Encourage them to use as many different prepositions of place, and to make the richest descriptions possible.

DESCRIPTION ACTIVITY

Living Room by Maliz Ong

1. Put students in small groups with a sheet of paper and a magazine each.
2. Spread out groups so they can work without overhearing each  other. 
3. Each group chooses a single picture from their magazine and writes at least 10 sentences describing a particular photo that they choose in as much detail as possible. (Approximately 15 minutes).
4. Groups close their magazine and hand it with the description back to the teacher. 
5. Teacher randomly distributes magazines with the description to students. 
6. Students search through magazine to find the picture which matches the image. 
7. Students correct any errors in spelling, grammar or vocabulary in the previous group's written description and also give positive feedback.
8. Students present the picture they chose to go with the other group's description, demonstrating how each description matches the photo. They explain corrections to whole group for further feedback and discussion.
   

Easy student-centered needs analysis

Starting with a new group?

Need to know where to go?

Here is an easy way to instantly generate a visual image of students' perceptions of their own needs and class preferences, for discussion and follow-up.

Write up the columns, give them each a marker and let them go.

Once the results are up, have students come up with a list of recommendations for your class.

Be sure to take a photo or otherwise record the results to refer to at later stages!

This was a small group, just 4 students, but you can get the same and even more interesting effect with a larger class!

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Is there anything you would add?

Voice Thread: fantastic tool for the EFL/ESL classroom

I just discovered this fabulous interactive tool and hope to be posting uses I will make of it in the coming year.

Meanwhile, hear from these language learners making great use of it~!

Instant Fortune Teller

A fun easy warm-up for making predictions using WILL

LEVEL: High beginner and up
GRAMMAR STRUCTURES: predictions: will, won't
VOCABULARY: emotions, places, occupations

YOU NEED:

•   A dice per group

• An "Instant Fortune Teller" strip per group

Instant Fortune Teller


PROCEDURE:

1. Ask students if they believe in FORTUNE TELLERS.
   Is it possible to predict the future?
2. Hand out an "Instant Fortune Teller" strip to each group. 
3. Brainstorm some ideas for each different category as a whole group. Be sure to include both good and bad options to make it more fun.
4. Groups exchange fortune telling strips, and with a dice write down the prediction for each person.
5. Groups report on their predictions. You might have them identify the BEST and WORST predictions. 

My own fortune, told by my group today:

"In fifteen years time, I will be a frustrated English teacher, living in prision with my husband and famous for NOTHING."

The outlook is not good, but the students thought it was terribly funny.

I hope you enjoy likewise!