Activity Name:
Story construction
Summary:
Found on page 33 of Scott Thornbury "Hot to Teach Vocabulary", this activity helps students learn and retain vocabulary words. This activity is very simple. Students are to take out a piece of paper and a pencil. They are then placed in small groups. The teacher points out one vocabulary word and the students must use that word in a sentence. This sentence is the first one of their story. After a small amount of time, the teacher rings a bell and the students must pass their paper to the student to their left. The teacher then assigns the second word and the student must continue the story of the previous student. This activity continues all the words have been used or the student gets their own paper back.
The words used in this activity are words that the students have seen in previous classes. This activity puts focus on retaining the meaning of new words
Level:
This activity is aimed at high school students. It is important that students are able to write stories on their own. They must have the ability to think fast on their feet and to adapt their thinking to the story in front of them. However, this activity can always be tweaked in a way as to be used with younger students. In that case, instead of writing texts, the students could deal with drawings in which they would use the teacher`s word. They could write a small cartoon strip for example.
Description:
We began the activity by having the students brainstorm words that deal with our topic. The teacher, or even a student, writes the words on the board. After a certain number of words, we placed the students in small groups. At this point, the activity really began. We gave a specific time (one minute) to let the students write their sentence using the word that we decided. After that minute, every student passed their paper to the peer that was seated to their left. We picked another word and the students continued the story that was in front of them. We did this for five words, until the students had their original paper back. At this point, each team had to vote for the best story. The best story was then read for the rest of the class.
Next, the students had to pick a second story and represent it. It was required of them that every element that came from the vocabulary word that they were working with had to be represented in a different colour. When they were done, the "stories" were shown to the rest of the class.
Principles:
This activity demands that the student use the words that had been seen in previous weeks. This activity is a perfect way to make sure that the students really grasp the meaning of each word. Within the story, if a word is used in the wrong context, the teacher can spot it rather quickly and help the students who did not learn the word correctly. During the activity, the students must recall the meaning of the words quickly and be ready to use them within the context of a story. The students have a specific amount of time. This ensures that the students really know the meaning of the words and do not simply guess.
Reflection:
We were very satisfied with the way the activity took place. The students seemed very interested in our activity and responded well. During the writing portion of the activity, there was silence. This is always a good way to know that an activity is going well and that the students are activity involve into what they are doing. Next time we handle this activity or any other activity, it could be interesting to give the students more independence. The students did not always seem to like the choices with did.
As feedback, we were told that we only gave limited words. This means that the students could not expend beyond what was asked of them. Also, some of the words were exclusive to a simple context. They do not represent words that could be used often and thus making the exercise slightly pointless. We would need to pay attention next time in our word selection. We need to make sure to use words that our students will need and reuse in everyday life.
Activity Name:
Word Clap
Summary:
Learners,by clapping and counting out loud, using a four-beat rhythm (in a one-two-three AND FOUR pattern) attempt,in successive turn,to shout out words, retrieved from memory,that they would feel are linked to a concept, idea or notion suggested by the teacher. Failure to produce, in the process,a new word by any learner on the fourth beat leads to him,or her, being excluded from the game.
Level:
For secondary five students,this activity will serve to induce in them the pleasure in contextually retrieving words from personal experience, the process of the activity motivating and helping learners into making connections between those concepts, ideas or notions presented by the teacher to the words they will cognitively unearth for the purpose.
Description:
Adapted to our class, the activity will start by everyone looking at the blackboard where, under the heading, The Experience of A Musical Performance, three concepts would be written and explained: (1) How Would You Feel?,(2)What Would Happen/What Would You Do? and (3)What Kind Of Object Would You Find There? With access to pen and paper,everyone would start to clap in a slow four-beat rhythm. Then,on every SECOND fourth beat,someone would be designated by the teacher to come up with a word linked to any of the three concepts above. All students will write on a piece of paper the words mentioned. At the end of the rhythmic part of the activity,everyone will be asked to write one sentence about what would constitute for each the experience of a musical performance.
Principles:
With aim at vocabulary acquisition, the principle of word retrieval from memory may be seen as the first one to be linked to this activity. The principle of personal organization is also important, here, as it involves a process of students making organized choices over words in a fashion that is personal to them. Pacing the process is jointly useful with the preceding principle as it allows them the time to do it. Motivation and cognitive depth, as contributive factors,also apply as they propel students to make decisions about words. The principle of attention/arousal is also seen to be in effect in that the activity requires a positive high degree of attention while using words that trigger strong emotional response thus leading to improved recall in learners. Affective depth towards the subject, within learners,is also a contributive factor as people usually assign much meaning to musical experiences.
Reflection:
While somewhat content with the presentation of my activity, I did receive some comments that I thought were useful. Among them, this criticism that my classmates were not able to understand my instructions and/or focus on fulfilling the requirement of producing words for ALL three topical notions at the same time ( maybe due to shortage of time and/or the rhythmic dimension of the activity ). It is true that a patterned process of response like requiring a specified number of lexical items for ONE topical notion, before moving on to the other,would have been more fruitful. Following a comment to that effect, it is true that I should have delegated responsibilities i.e. someone to write answers on the blackboard. Finally, I should have taken the time to know the the names of my classmates. IT IS IMPORTANT!
Activity Name:
Word Snap
Summary:
p.104
In teams of 4, students use the words from the word box, reveiling two words at a time. They have to make a link between these words, i.e. antonyms, synonyms, same lexical field, same parts of speach or simply making a meaningful sentence with them. The goal is to make sure they understand the meaning of the words.
Students play one on one, while the two other students act as judges. The first student to raise his hand gets to answer, if he gets it incorectly, the other student gets a shot. The team who score the most points wins.
Level:
Any level. It can be adapted to any unit, since you`re using words from the word box. For weaker students, you wouldn`t ask for synonyms or antonyms, but simply to make a meaningful sentence, which is easier.
You would use this activity once in a while, to empty your word box and make sure the words are recycled, or at the end of a unit, as a sort of revision.
Description:
We started the activity by asking the students what kind of links can be made between words. We had a student write those links on the board. These would be the possible answers while playing the game, i.e. if words like "cat" and "mouse" would be drawn, the answer could be: lexical field: animals, parts of speach: nouns, etc. We modeled the activity in front of the class before having a student distribute the cards.
We then proceeded to place students in team(s) of four. Then students played the game for 10 minutes.
After the game, we asked students which words caused more difficulty. We wrote these words on the board. The other words would be removed from the word box since they are presumably assimilated. The words on the board would be the words which need to be recycled more, so as homework, students would be asked to either find an antonym/synonym to them or make a meaningful sentence out of them.
Principles:
Recycling and decision making. Since the student has to retrieve the word from memory and make a decision about the word`s part of speach or make up a sentence using this word it increases cognitive depth.
Reflection:
The activity was well liked, but less by the shy students, since it forces everyone to participate in a competitive setting. We were very happy about the outcome, especially since there was a single team in class. Thanks to the people who did show up, you know who you are. :)
One vote counts for 6!
Activity Name:
Idiomatic Expression Pictionary
Summary:
Described on page 104 of Scott Thornbury's "How to Teach Vocabulary", this activity is based on the Pictionary board game which many students will already be familiar with. The instructions for the game are fairly simple: One student is drawing while his team mate(s) try to guess the word or phrase that is being illustrated. The "artist" is not allowed to make any sounds or gestures.
As suggested in the book, we focused on reviewing idiomatic expressions. Game cards were created for the purpose of the activity. Each game card contained one idiomatic expression and its meaning.
Level:
This activity can be adapted for various levels and age groups. For example, with elementary school students, this activity could be used to review vocabulary related to food, clothing, furniture, animals, etc. With more advanced teenagers or adults, it can be an interesting way to review idiomatic expressions or specialized vocabulary.
A very important advantage of this activity is the "fun factor". It is a competitive game which is sure to raise the energy level in the classroom. However, because the vocabulary is out of context, it should be regarded mainly as a game.
Description:
We began with a brief review of idiomatic expressions. Then, we explained the rules for the game Pictionary. The activity was modelled using the expression "tying the knot".
Each student was handed a small picture (used for team formation) and 5 game cards. Once the teams were formed, the students began playing. Students took turns being the "artist". The rest of the time, they were guessers. They went through as many game cards as they could in the allotted time.
Next, students formed two rows at the front of the class for a "face-off" variation of the game. The person at the front of the row was competing with the person at the front of the other row. Whoever guessed first got to be the next "artist".
Finally, students were asked to compose three sentences, each containing an idiomatic expression of their choice. This part also gives students a chance to cool down after the game.
Principles:
This activity requires that students resort to a variety of techniques to acquire and retain knowledge. First, they are required to analyse the expressions quickly and illustrate them using their pre-existing personal vocabulary. They may or may not know what the expression means, so they are forced to consider the vocabulary with originality, from a different perspective, and convey the meaning in their own words. They must recall the information seen in class (using various mnemonic techniques), integrate this new information and put their own spin on it -- truly make it their own. Although there is little obvious use for teamwork and oral communication, seeing how other students choose to illustrate the expressions offers insight on how they understand the expression, and this can lead to new information about the expression which enhances the possibility of learning it. Also, including another task in which students must compose sentences using the idiomatic expressions they have worked with allows them to work with the material in context. this can be an effective complementary learning method. Finally, this activity requires sustained attention and focus throughout the activity, skills that are indispensable in order to effectively acquire new vocabulary.
Reflection:
We were very happy with the way this activity took place. Our students seemed receptive to our individual teaching style and were engaged and interested. There were some miscues regarding organization which had to be dealt with on the spot, but we were able to avoid any mid-air collisions. We had planned other activities to springboard from the active/competitive portion of the lesson, but we could not incorporate them due to time constraints. In the future it would be important to build on the multiple-revision theme we had introduced with the variations on the Pictionary game we designed. It would have been interesting to have the students write their sentences in class and compare our students' creations. Ultimately, this is a simple and effective exercise that will become a staple of our teaching portfolio.
Activity Name:
Coffeepot
Summary:
This activity is found on page 103 of Scott Thornbury`s "How to Teach Vocabulary\.
It consists of a guessing game, centreed around the theme of verbs. One student answers yes/no questions from the rest of the class or from a partner (depending on how the activity is organized) in order to guess a "mystery" verb that he/she replaces with the word "coffeepot" in his/her questions about this verb.
Level:
This activity could easily be adapted to any level, depending on the choice of verbs used on the cards. Also, it could be modified to review any parts of speech. e.g. adverbs, adjectives, pronouns, etc. For the purpose of this exercise, we assumed our "students" were beginner-level high school ESL students.
Because the verbs used in the activity would have been seen previously in class, it would serve as a good review to be done at the end of a unit, or possibly in preparation for an exam.
Description:
In our modified version of the activity, it goes as follows:
After a quick review of the verbs previously studied in class and an explanation of the game
Principles:
This activity allows students to recycle verbs they had previously seen in class. Also, this activity allows the students to learn verbs in lexical fields, because they are not interchangeable -- they are not used as part of a sentence -- and have very little in common with each other. This avoids the sequence learning effect, especially if the cards are shuffled.
Also, the second part of the activity, in which students are told to choose their own favorite verbs, exploits the concept of effective depth. Because the students have a preferential relationship with the verb they have chosen, the probability of their retention of the verb`s meaning is greatly improved.
Reflection:
The overall reaction to our activity seems to have been very positive. Many of our peers have seemingly enjoyed this activity and have said to have found it amusing.
The fact that silly-looking headbands were distributed to each student made the activity funny and interactive. This would also encourage high school students to get involved in the activity.
Also, our set-up apparently made this activity easy to understand and entertaining. The modelling of the task made the teacher`s expectations clear and concise, including a well-scripted anticipation of potential errors produced by students:
"How many times do I coffeepot?"
"Melissa! That is not a yes/no question! Please rephrase"
This allowed for a quick and effective review of the activity`s main rules.
Furthermore, awareness and activation of prior knowledge was accomplished during this modeling period: "OK. I know this MUST be a verb."
During the actual activity being completed by the students, good patrolling was insured by both teachers, allowing minor difficulties or problems to be solved immediately, when needed.
Looking back on our activity though, we agree that students would have benefited from a greater practice of yes/no questions. Because a wide range of possible yes/no questions exist, it would perhaps have been helpful to elicit more of these from the class. For example, we could have presented the students a series of declarative sentences, and asked them to transform these into yes/no questions.
It goes fast. ? Does it go fast?
It is black. ? Is it black?
It was expensive ? Was it expensive?
There are two. ? Are there two?
Etc.
Also, some of our peers had found our choice of verbs to be slightly too challenging. This was made obvious by the number of verbs guessed by the students, which was surprisingly lower than we had expected. If we were to perform this exercise again, we would definitely select verbs that lend themselves better to common yes/no questions. Finally, we would also modify the original version of the game to allow for some small clues to be given to the guesser after a determined number of yes/no questions.
Activity Name:
Word Clap (jobs)
Summary:
p.102
Students in a circle clap to a four beat rhythm to review vocabulary words from a lexical set. The words are said on the fourth clap (hands), the first three being to keep the rhythm (thighs). The pace is slow at first but can increase to make it more challenging. Students say words one after the other and no repetition is allowed. The lexical set may be changed during the course of the game.
Level:
Level: any (with appropriate modifications, we did it for high school)
Circumstances: To review the vocabulary covered in a unit. Helps to automatise access to words in a lexical field.
Description:
Teacher comes into class wearing the uniform typical to a certain job.
Students try to guess why the teacher is in costume to get to think about the coming subject.
Once the theme of jobs has been activated, brainstorm the vocabulary covered in the unit (jobs, their materials, environment, ...). The teacher explains the activity to the class before placing the students in a large circle divided into two teams to try the activity.
Teacher models the activity with a couple of students on a different theme (clothing or other).
Once this is done, the teacher assigns a student in the circle to pick a job and start the game. The following students have to come up with words related to the same job while keeping the rhythm. When a mistake is made (in job, rhythm or repetition), the team loses a point.
If a student cannot come up with a new word related to the job at hand, he may change the job instead if there have been at least 3 words mentioned for it. He does not lose or gain a point for this.
There are many ways to end this game: first team to reach x points, time period, eliminate the team members who make a mistake until a winner is found (less practice for the whole class).
When the game is over, students return to their seats and are asked to take out a pen and paper, choose five jobs and make a sentence for each, using as many of the vocabulary words reviewed as possible. The sentences have to make sense grammatically but can be nonsensical.
When the students have finished, a few are chosen to read their sentences aloud to the class.
Homework: study for the upcoming quiz and finish their sentences if not done in class.
Principles:
Getting words previously learned to re-enter the working memory so that they have greater chances of entering the long-term memory for good.
Activating the articulatory loop (students waiting for their turn are probably repeating their word(s) to themself/ves while they wait).
Retrieval - there is a greater chance that the words used in this game will be remembered on the quiz simply because they were retrieved.
Spacing & Use - because this is a review, the words have been seen a few times in a short amount of time but have probably been left to learn new ones. The fact that the use of the words (repetition) is not within a single block increases the probability of the words being stored in the long-term memory.
Cognitive depth & personal organising - in the sentence making post-activity, the students have to unconsciously make decisions about word class because their sentences have to make grammatical sense. Because the sentences are made up and don`t have to make logical sense, there is an even better chance that the words will be remembered.
Motivation - the fact that the game is fun increases the chances of the students wanting to participate and do well. The competitive element ensures that even the normally unmotivated will want to get a point for the team and produce an appropriate word.
Attention - The students have to pay a great deal of attention to the rhythm and the words previously used so as not to repeat them (thereby repeating them in their minds). This is another great way to ensure retention.
Affective depth - If the sentences created in the post-activity are particularly funny or emotionally relevant to the writer, they will be stored and recalled better still.
Reflection:
The Word clap game was a lot of fun both for the teacher and the students. We found that it was great for high school students who have just finished a unit on a specific theme (in our case: jobs). It is a great way to access vocabulary quickly.
The main points and concerns were noise level, confusion with the instructions, modelling as well as the high level of energy created by the activity, the fun factor and class management.
The noise level was definitely a concern to us as we were performing the activity and it came up in the feedback from the students. Initially we had not realised how loud it was going to be when everyone in the class would be participating and clapping. We had to resolve this problem as the activity had started by telling the students to clap only on their legs. For future use of this activity, we would have to find a way to keep the rhythm while making less noise to ensure that the students can easily keep track of the words.
We noticed a little confusion created by instructions; the students didn`t seem to understand exactly where we were going with this activity. However, when we modeled it they seemed to understand it a lot better, this is most likely due to the fact that it is a pretty hands on activity. Modelling was a key point here. We also thought that having a certain number of items said per job before allowing the student to change job would be a good idea, just to make sure that they go over a certain amount of vocabulary. This kind of detail can make the game more or less difficult and provide guidance and so should be decided upon by the teacher according to the level of the students. Higher level students might also enjoy adding rules to make it more challenging.
The high level of energy that arose from the students was greatly appreciated. Not only were they enjoying themselves but they were very active and participative in their own learning. It was very entertaining; we received a lot of feedback along the lines of fun, entertainment, enjoyable, etc. The only issue about getting the students` energy level so high is class management; it may be a little risky. You must, as a teacher, be sure that you can handle it; otherwise the activity could turn to be a complete flop. But if you do think it would be appropriate for you class (if you have your students in your pocket), go for it.
Activity Name:
Vocab Bingo
Summary:
This activity is called Vocab Bingo and it allows learners to review previously learned vocabulary. Indeed, a vocabulary list was already shown to the students. By changing the words in the list, you may adapt this activity for different levels. However, it is very important that the learners be familiar with the words in the list.
The Vocab Bingo activity can be found on page 33 of our ``How to teach Vocabulary`` course book (Thornbury).
Before playing Vocab Bingo, the students take out the list and choose ten random words. They get into teams of two or three and describe the words they have chosen using circumlocution (previously taught to the students). The teacher may decide how much time is given to the students in order to complete this task. When this is done, the students go back to their place and they are ready to play Vocab Bingo. They must fill their Bingo card using the words in the list.
Level:
This activity is intended for Grade 5-6 students. However, it could easily be adapted for High School students since the goal is to learn new and unrelated vocabulary. In order to adapt this activity, the teacher can choose different words that would better suit the level of the students.
Description:
One class before doing this activity, the teacher has shown and taught the list of words to the students. They are familiar with the content of the list and understand the meaning of each word. This activity is designed to recycle as much as possible the vocabulary. The goal of this activity could also be to prepare the students to an upcoming quiz.
Now that the students have seen the list, it is time for them to get in teams of two and choose ten words from the list. Once they have made their choice, they have to describe it to their partner using circumlocution. The goal is to make the partner guess the chosen word. Some students could be in teams of three if needed.
When everyone is finished, the students go back to their place and they will receive a bingo card and a pen. It is also possible to make the students produce their own bingo card. Once they have their bingo card, they have to fill it with the words from the list. It is important that they write only one word (once) per square.
Everyone should have completed their card within minutes. The teacher can then explain the rules of the game: the teacher will call words in French, show an image that is linked to a word in the list or use circumlocution to describe a word. Furthermore, to win the students have to get the words on a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. Finally, when they have a line, they have to say ``Vocab Bingo`` to win. The teacher can ask the student to say the words that complete his ``Vocab Bingo``.
The teacher can decide to give homework to the students after the game. The students will have to write a short story using five to ten words in the list. The teacher could also prepare a sheet with five or six images that are related to the list and ask the students to write a short story using it.
Principles:
As we know, learning new vocabulary is not an easy task. However, the students are more likely to learn new words if they are recycled in an activity. This activity focuses on the recycling and the repetition of words. This will allow the students to understand and memorize a list of words.
Furthermore, this activity could easily be used in any context or unit. The teacher can choose any words and form a list according to a project, a unit or a quiz. The teacher may choose words that are difficult or easy for the students.
Reflection:
Both of us feel that our activity went well. A few important details were mentioned by our peers concerning the use of French during our activity. Perhaps we should have thought of another way to make our peers guess some words. During and after the activity, we quickly realized that our bingo cards were too small. A very simple way to correct this would be to make the cards bigger or to ask the students to produce their own using a sheet of paper. Furthermore, it would be a good idea to put the images on ``acetate``.
Our activity went according to our planning. However, we realized that it was very easy to loose control over a class (when doing this activity). In the end, we were happy to learn that it was a success and that the students enjoyed it.
Activity Name:
Guess my word
Summary:
The word guessing activity we have chosen is on page 147 of our "How to teach vocabulary" course book. It is a very common activity for vocabulary practice; it can easily be adapted to any level and theme.
When students are familiar with all of the vocabulary needed for the activity, they get into pairs or small groups. Each pair gets a set of word cards. One student must pick a word card randomly. The other has to guess the word by asking yes/no questions. Students take turns until all of the word cards have been guessed.
Level:
We believe that this activity can easily be adapted to all proficiency levels. It can be modified to suit either beginners or advanced learners of English depending on the vocabulary words introduced.
The activity that we did in class was designed for beginners. Elementary school students (grade 3-4) would be an appropriate target since the activity involves describing animals (size/food/habitat/simple sentence structure etc.).
Description:
CONTEXT:
Students have been working on Animals for the last couple of weeks. They have been practicing how to describe them by giving information about their habitat, the food they eat, their size, etc. This is the final activity. It wraps up everything that was learned and practiced.
GROUPING:
For this activity, students must get into pairs. In order to find their partner, students have to mime or make the sound of the animal that is on the card that they were given. For instance, two students who have a card with a LION on it must find each other.
INSTRUCTIONS for the main activity:
Each pair gets a pack of cards with different animals on them. One student at a time picks up a card. The other student has to try to guess the word by asking yes/no questions only.
Students can ask as many questions as they want. However, they can only try to guess the word three times. This is done to avoid the "Is it a lion?, Is it a dog?, Is it a turtle?, Is it a bird?" type of situation.
Several examples of what was learned during the unit appear on the board to help the students describe or guess each animal. The different categories and the sentence structure required for the activity are all presented on the board as enabling objectives.
Habitat: Does it live in the water? /in the jungle? /on a farm? Etc.
Size: Is it big? /small? / enormous? / medium-sized? Etc.
Food: Does it eat other animals? / plants? / meat? / fruits? Etc.
Character: Is it dangerous? / fast? / slow? / gentle? Etc.
Color: Is it brown? / white? / black? / grey? Etc.
Body parts: Does it have a tail? / four legs? / a big head? Etc.
Flashcards are posted on the board so that students have an idea of the animals that are on the game cards. This enabler avoids students never guessing what the animal is, but yet does not impede the descriptive process.
POST ACTIVITY:
Volunteers come up to the front and are given an animal that was not amongst the ones used for the game. The rest of the group must try to guess which animal it is. This is a reinvestment activity that will allow students to practice the vocabulary some more but with a little challenge (the animal does not appear on the flashcards that were used during the main activity).
HOMEWORK:
Students are asked to write a short paragraph describing their favourite animal, or an imaginary one. They must try to use as much vocabulary (animals, habitat, food, etc.) as they can. This is the last step in concluding the animal unit. Again, this allows the students to recycle the vocabulary words that they have been practicing so far.
Principles:
Learning new vocabulary is always a challenge; remembering new vocabulary is even a bigger challenge. There are no magic tricks to remembering new vocabulary, only strategies. Repetition of the words through various activities is part of them. In "Guess my word", these two elements are strongly involved.
This activity can perfectly be used as a recap activity at the end of a unit. Students will review the names of the animals and all the vocabulary related to the unit they have been working on. They have a chance to reinvest and review the entire unit in just one activity. It is a great and fun way to conclude a unit.
Reflection:
Overall, the activity went well. First, students enjoyed the way we placed them into pairs. It was fun and directly related to our theme. Second, the activity was simple but complicated at the same time, because our "experimental classroom" was not familiar with the vocabulary they were "reviewing" in the activity. Thus, we had to make sure they had enough elements on the board to be able to play. We had also brought the big flashcards of animals, just in case they were having trouble guessing the animals. During the activity we ended up putting them up because we realised they had not seen the animals that we were using and had trouble guessing them. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to walk around during the activity and help students when needed. Finally our closure activity was just a final "push" for them to reinvest but also learn a new word or two.
To conclude, our biggest challenge was to find a theme that would be fairly simple and at the same time challenging for university students. This way, they would be able to appreciate the strengths of this activity.
Activity Name:
Association network
Summary:
Learners have to come- up with an association network centered on a new word. They have to connect a word to other words that they associate with it. The connected words are represented in form of a diagram. The lines joining the words are the links between the words. Learners may explain these relations orally when presenting their association network (THORNBURY, S. P.88-89). See PowerPoint document to for examples of association networks. A synonym for association network is concept map.
Level:
This form of learning vocabulary is suitable for all age groups and adaptable for all levels. It is an enjoyable way for introducing/learning new vocabulary. You can use this activity to refresh past vocabulary. Craftwork may be used for younger/low leveled students (all words part of an association network are given to them); for adults and higher levels, you may adapt the activity by giving one word and they have to come- up with words that they link with it. Intermediate and advanced levels already have a mental lexicon that they can work with. Association network is an easy and fun activity; to recap a lesson, or to simply have fun while learning. Our activity was adapted for core intermediate level secondary one students.
Description:
There were five association networks (five different themes) distributed randomly to students. For the first part of the activity, students were asked to complete individually their association network. Once they had completed their task, they were to form groups with other students who had the same theme. In groups, learners shared their answers. To give a different feeling to the activity, teachers may ask pupils to form groups with other classmates who worked on a different theme.
Principles:
This vocabulary learning activity stems from the principle that new words can be remembered better if they are used in a personally relevant way for the learner. The association network activity is a way for students to personalize new words by connecting them to other words they know. Association networks also reflect the way the mental lexicon is organized. Indeed, the mind stores words as a network organized by meaning and form. Thus, words that share similar characteristics will be more closely connected in the mental lexicon. Having students create association networks allows them to find a home for new words in their mental lexicon and helps integration in long term memory.
Reflection:
All the comments from our peers seemed to point out that the power point presentation was very well done and informative. An observation that also came up was that we could have provide more information on the purpose and theoretical principles behind the activity. It would have been a good idea to present the mental lexicon as a network. Another comment proposed that more modeling was needed, that we could have done our own association network on the board. Comments also suggested that instructions were clear and concise. We think we could have left a bit more room for student creativity by putting fewer words in the word bank. This also would have made the activity more personal for students because they would include their own words in the network. Some words on the activity sheet could have been confusing because they were on different lines (line dancing). Many fellow students pointed out that it wasn`t necessary to get into teams, that there was nothing to do. It might have been better to ask students to create their own network using a word from the bank than to just share their answers.
Activity Name:
Rank and sequence
Summary:
This activity is found on page 98 in Thornbury's "How to Teach Vocabulary". The entire chapter is dedicated to introducing various activities which allow students to move vocabulary words from their short term memory to their long term memory. One of these activities is called Ranking and Sequencing; this involves organizing words in some kind of order, either by preference, by priority, and it allows the students to retain the new information.
Level:
We consider this as a multi-level activity since it can easily be adapted to different levels of proficiency simply by changing the selected words. We can water it down by asking the students to make a list of their favourite sports, favourite food, etc. To make it more complex, we can use language related to travelling and ask the students to make a list 10 items they would bring along.
Description:
The purpose of our activity was to reinforce previously learned language (related to furniture). We wanted to have the students manipulate the language and be able to use the vocabulary within context. We had the students get into teams. We then explained to them that they were living in a new apartment and they had a limited budget to furnish it. They received a list of furniture and the price. The students then had to agree on the order in which they would buy each item. Ie: 1st week: television, 2nd week: refrigerator etc. After a few minutes of debating, each team shares their list of furniture with the rest of the class.
Principles:
As mentioned in Thornbury's chapter 6, there are various ways that can help students transfer words from their short term memory to their long term memory. The main principle is that in order for students to acquire new knowledge and retain it in their long term memory, repetition and drills are not always efficient. One way to help the students retain new information is to get them to manipulate words they were already introduced to. In order for the students to come up with arguments supporting their choice of furniture, it is indispensable for them to know exactly what they are talking about which implies some kind of knowledge integration.
Reflection:
All in all, we fell that the activity went well. The strongest point of our activity was probably the introduction to the activity. By presenting the activity as a sketch, we were able to grab the students' attention and interest them to what was going to happen next! Unfortunately, because of time constraints, we did not review all of the vocabulary related to the activity. However, in a classroom setting, we would have used the sketch to review furniture vocabulary. We would have also insisted that the students use enabling language such as: Do you agree? Yes/No I do/do not agree. Also, the main problem with our activity was that it did not have a second phase. We did not allow enough time for the students to share their answers (which disappointed a few students!) In a classroom setting, we would have had 2 teams debate and create a new list or divide the class into two groups and have them (together) come up with a new common list and the reasons supporting their answers. Another idea would be to have each team give us their list along with their justifications and finally make one list for the entire classroom.
Activity Name:
Summary:
Level:
Description:
Principles:
Reflection:
Activity Name:
Getting Around New York City
Summary:
The concept of an information gap game is demonstrated on page 89-90 of Thornbury's book, though we chose to do it in a completely new perspective. We designed a group activity where students need to exchange information and discuss their course of action together. They have to find their friend that is traveling around New York on her own, leaving messages and pictures behind for her friends to follow her.
Level:
This activity was intended for our university classmates, but the concept behind it was created for high school level students; it focuses on their reading and listening skills, as well as their communication skills. The segment about means of transportation in the city of New York could be omitted when used with lower level students. The goal of this activity was for students to incorporate new vocabulary about traveling (and tourism) before going on a trip to New York the following month. The vocabulary involved in this activity is related to the following themes: directions, buildings, places, landmarks in the city, and means of transportations.
Description:
After a short review of famous New York sights, students will be faced with the challenge of finding their way around the city in order to find their friend. She is not a very patient person and she never seems to remember the exact name of where she is at the moment. She has left the students a message for them to find her.
After doing a quick warm up, the teacher will divide the class into groups of 4. Each group will receive one map with the instructions and a first message on the back of it, as well as the guidelines for means of transportation. Each group will receive a pack of eight cards (2 per student) with pictures on them, and another text message inside, left by their lost friend. The goal is for students to use their prior knowledge of New York City and find where their friend is on the map. Once they found the answer to the first message, they have to match it with the place on one of their picture cards. Students are not allowed to show their cards to each other, thus forcing them to negotiate meaning amongst them. Once they are sure that they have settled for the right picture, the owner of the card opens it to read the next message that leads to the next place, and so on.
To get from one place to another, students must decide if they are going to make the trip by subway, by taxi or simply by walking, using the chart on the back of their map. They must mark their journey step-by-step on their map.
N.B. It is strongly suggested to model the activity, or to do the first step using the text message on the back on the map with the whole group, to make sure that students grasp the concept of the activity.
At the end of the activity, the teacher wraps-up by asking students which place they found the most interesting, and which places were harder to find than others.
Principles:
Using an information gap activity in the classroom can prove to be very useful. As explained on page 89 of Thornbury's book, students involved in this type of activity have to rely on each other in order to complete the task. They need information that only their peers can give them. Since they can't see each other's pictures, or read each other's messages, students must pay attention to what is going on during the activity; they must stay focused at all times. We have created an activity that is meaningful to the students; since we are going on a trip next month, everything that is said in the activity will be used during that trip. Students will also be able to share with their peers the information they gathered on their previously done project on New York City. It would be a very good idea to group students who have worked on different landmarks when making the teams. Vocabulary is repeated throughout the activity, but also throughout the previous lessons; this activity could then be a review of vocabulary about New York where students have to recycle words in order to incorporate them in their own personal corpus. Practice may not always make perfect, but it surely is a good start.
Reflection:
Our peers have mentioned that more (or sometimes fewer) instructions would be necessary. Some students felt like the instructions could have been more thorough; however, others pointed out that the instructions were too long, and we were likely to ‘lose' our students' attention. In fact, a great suggestion was that of modelling the activity with the students, or to identify the first point as a group to ensure that instructions were clear for everyone.
Some of our colleagues suggested to write the name of the landmarks above it (alternatively, inside the card), to make sure that the students did not accidentally skip any steps. This is indeed a great way to guide the students through the activity. Suggestion accepted!
Additionally, this game has a great potential of ensuring the students' equal participation… But, like most information gap activities, the teacher must circulate and make sure that the students are really respecting the rules: not showing the cards to each other, and reading the text out loud.
The activity seemed to be stimulating and fun for most. The materials being used are authentic (real map, real pictures, and potentially real text messages). The students need to communicate with each other, and also practice their reading skills. It is a great way to recycle some of the vocabulary that they have acquired, and let them test out some of the structures. Finally, this activity can easily be made into a competition, which is usually appreciated by high school students.
Activity Name:
Scategories
Summary:
To complete this activity a teacher must prepare categories or themes on which students must think and evoke words. Many different methods to organise the classroom as well as the students are mentioned on page 49.
In the activity we adapted, students are placed in teams and receive a white writing board as well as a marker. The students read a first category on the board and the teacher gives them a letter. They must find original words that begin with the picked letter and that are related to the category. The goal of the game is to find words that other teams will not find in order to get points. The game is repeated as many times as wanted to cover all the categories picked by the teacher. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.
Level:
LEVEL
This activity was designed for advanced grade 6 students. In this activity students must be able to explore their metal lexicon in order to come up with words that correspond to a given letter. Therefore, students must be advanced to know enough vocabulary.
Circumstances
It was created to introduce a LES on travelling. It can be adapted to introduce other subjects and also can be used as quick warm-ups and end of class games to reward students for a good class.
Description:
Goal:
This activity is designed to make students come up with original words in a given amount of time.
Pre-activity:
Teacher asks students if they know what brainstorming is.
Sketch to introduce the game and catch students attention: Teacher brings in a suitcase in which can be found different items related to travelling all beginning with the letter ?s.
Activity:
On the board different categories are written. After the teacher picks a letter, the students must find as many words that fit in the first category and that begin with the picked letter. The teacher then picks out a second letter and the students must find as many words that fit in the second category and that begin with the second picked letter.
The game goes on until all the categories are covered or until time is up.
Post-activity:
As homework, students must pick a category and a letter themselves and find 10 words that fit in that category and start with that letter. The next day, the teacher can ask students to come in front of the class and give their category and letter to the rest of the class.
Principles:
Thornbury mentions on p.49 that when brainstorming with peers students tend to remember the new words more easily. Each team member`s mental lexicon combined together can bring many more ideas than one student`s lexicon alone. It is clear that the activity will help the students learn new words on behalf of their partners and therefore increase their mental lexicon.
The activity is student centered and leaves the students in control of their group discussion.
Students can relate to their L1 by trying to find cognates. This activity can help them realise that some words are not simply translated word for word in English.
In this activity, the students are forced to use English only both in eliciting theme related vocabulary words and giving the teacher their list of words at the end of the time limit.
Reflection:
To make the lesson less chaotic we could have limited the answers to two or three per category and require the answers be directly related to the category.
The best and most original answers could have been written on the board to give students a lexical field related to travelling. This lexical field would have been useful to further the theme.
This activity does not ask students to find specific words but makes them search in their mental lexicon to find words related to the theme, that are original but that also begin with the picked letter.
Personal reflection:
This is an activity that we have packed in our luggage for our future teacher careers.