IT WORKS IN PRACTICE More tested lessons, suggestions, tips and techniques which have all worked for ETp

p readers.
Try them out for yourself – and then send us your own contribution.

All contributors to It Works In Practice in this issue of ETp receive a free copy of MindGame,
the CD-ROM by Mario Rinvolucri and Clarity Language Consultants (see review on page 52).

 Students, Teach Yourselves!

 Personal Records
I am always amazed at how much students know without At the beginning of term, I prepare a chart of the main
functions, structures, vocabulary, etc, that I plan to practise
realising it. I once asked my elementary students to read a
with students. Each student has a photocopy of the chart
simple short story in dialogue form for the following class. and whenever they feel it is appropriate (eg at the
beginning or end of a lesson, or while others are doing
The next day, I asked then to retell it to me.
groupwork), they come to me to give an example of one or
Although they had not been formally taught reported more of the language items. If they are correct, I sign in the

speech, they were able to work out many of the rules for relevant place. If they are wrong, they can always try again
at another time.
themselves. I just filled in the gaps and corrected errors.
The chart for my elementary class began like this:
Since then I am much more likely to give them
Name ......................................................................
language tasks to work out for themselves than to start by
Signed
presenting a new structure. Even if it becomes a sort of In English I can …
… say my name. ...................................
‘trial and error’ guessing activity, they are actively thinking
… describe myself. ...................................
about how the language works, they are using a strategy … talk about my family. ...................................
… tell the time. ...................................
which will work for them in the future, and ‘mistakes’ are … talk about my daily life. ...................................
very clearly established as a wonderful way to learn.
Pilar Córdoba Jiménez
Adriana Garateche Málaga, Spain
Olivos, Argentina

 Vocabulary Footsteps
 Changing Channel  Eavesdropping Diary
My students keep an ‘eavesdropping To revise vocabulary with younger
At the beginning of lessons with
diary’, where they note down any learners, line them up at one side of
younger learners, we all mime words, phrases or sentences in English
the classroom. The teacher says a
changing the channel on a which they overhear in the street or in
cafés (eg from tourists), on TV, in word in their native language and
television as we count aloud:
films or in songs. Written examples
they take turns to say the English
Five – four – three – two – are also acceptable, eg from posters
or magazines, on food packaging, etc. translation. If they are correct, they
one – zero – ENGLISH!
The only criterion is that students like take one (big) step forwards. If they
It helps them switch off from them or think them interesting for
make a mistake, they take one
whatever else they’ve been some reason (any reason). We share
entries regularly and students learn a (little) step back. The winner is the
doing and focus on our subject. lot from one another. first one to reach the opposite wall.
Carmen Marcen Marina Mambelli
Menorca, Spain Faenza, Italy Athanasia Tsoukalas-Kanouli
Zakynthos, Greece

34 • ENGLISH TEACHING professional • Issue Fifteen April 2000 •

 Getting To Know Me
 Register Vocabulary  Tense Poems
With new classes, I write my name In the state school where I work, I My elementary students take three or
on the board surrounded by some make use of the ‘dead time’ when I four main verb forms and create
words which relate to me. Students have to call the register by asking each
‘poems’ – any style, any size, any
then guess the questions to which person to call out an item of vocabulary
starting with the first letter of their
content. Something like the following:
these are the answers. For example, To be – was/were – been
name. I designate a different topic
the words I usually write are: To see – saw – seen
area each time and call names in
24 • Bence • pizza • 39 • random order. (Students with names To think – thought – thought
beginning with a ‘difficult’ letter can To buy – bought – bought.
Ireland • one • Indian Summer •
use the first letter of their surnames –
pink • Loli Within a few minutes, the class is
or a letter which does not begin anyone
treated to a short ‘poetry reading’.
It seems easy, but can you guess else’s name.)
Andrew Rouse Olga Samarova
what they all refer to? (In order, Martonfa, Hungary Moscow, Russia
they are: my age, my dog’s name,
my favourite food, my shoe size, my
 Last  Family Tree
favourite country, the number of
Letter Students work in pairs and create a family tree. They write
brothers I have, my favourite
Chain sentences describing the relationships between people, and draw
perfume, a colour I hate, the name One person says a the basic structure for another group to complete. It can be quite
of my best friend). word and the challenging! This is an example created by two students, Ayala
Julianna Zoelde Fejer nominated student and Bartos Pereira:
Cluj, Romania KEY  male
has to say another ● female
x divorced
word which begins # boyfriend
 Conditional Match with its last letter,
Each student writes a conditional and the next student Celina
sentence (first, second or third says a word # X #
conditional, according to level), beginning with the
which the teacher checks. Students last letter of that
then write the two clauses of the word, and so on,
sentence, six times each on twelve eg through – here – ● Celina’s sister, Paola, is ● Michael is João’s grandson.
egg – gap – married to Carlos. ● Giane is Maria’s great-
cards. Each sentence goes into six
photograph – hair. ● Carlos is Chico’s uncle. granddaughter.
piles to make six identical ‘packs’.
It’s best played in ● Carolina is Cassiane’s sister ● Michael is Pedro’s nephew.
The class divides into six groups
teams with a limited and Priscila’s cousin. ● Eduardo is divorced from
to play the game. Each student takes ● Ana is Priscila’s aunt. Priscila and his boyfriend
time, eg five seconds,
four cards and the remainder are left ● Jeff is Cassiane’s boyfriend. is Lucio.
for a response.
in the pack, with the top card being Patrícia Flasmo de Oliveira
Helen Fragaki
turned over to start the game. The Athens, Greece São Paulo, Brazil
first player must complete the
sentence with a suitable card, or
 Cross-curricular Competition
take another card. The player also
We have an on-going competition in our secondary school. One question is set per
puts down a new card. The next week and anyone can enter. The only rule is that questions and answers are in
player then completes either English (language mistakes are ignored as long as the entry is comprehensible).
sentence or takes a card, and then Questions are taken from any subject area (maths, geography, history, literature,
puts down a new card. Other players biology, etc), or indeed might relate to famous people, quotations, buildings,
judge whether cards played are inventions, politics – the possibilities are endless.
acceptable, with the teacher being Each week the answer is given and the names of everyone with the correct
the final arbiter. answer are written up, along with the new question, on the English department
The winner is the first student to noticeboard. At the end of the academic year, the winner with the highest score
get rid of all his or her cards. gets a prize – something in English, of course.
Priscila Kosop Soares Éva König
São Paolo, Brazil Zürich, Switzerland

• Issue Fifteen April 2000 • ENGLISH TEACHING professional • 35