making your toenails twinkle part 2 - alan marsh

Involving the whole person

Thinking: cognitive skills• Paying attention• Remembering• Processing• Analysing• Judging and evaluating• Reasoning• Problem-solving• Decision-making

Other ways of being

Involving the whole person• I think, therefore I am• I feel, therefore I am• I experience, therefore I am• I create, therefore I am

Some conditions for creativity in the classroom: Scaffold – Link to language - Personalise

The present perfect!

PROCESSING GRAMMAR AND MEANING: PRESENT PERFECT V SIMPLE PAST

Amy Winehouse Adele

Amy Winehouse was born in London in 1983 anddied in 2011. Adele was born in London in 1988.Who does each of the following sentences referto? Write Amy or Adele next to each.• 1 She has lived most of her life in London.• 2 She lived most of her life in London.• 3 She wrote many songs.• 4 She has written many songs.• 5 She has won several Grammy awards. • 6 She won several Grammy awards.• 7 She wrote most of her own songs.• 8 She has written most of her own songs.

Fill in the missing verbs • Sir Bobby Charlton __________many times for Manchester United.• Lionel Messi ________ many times for Barcelona.• Shakespeare _______ many famous plays.• Dan Brown ________ some best-selling novels.

Now your turn: write two sentences about famous people. They can be from your country. Present perfect or simple past?Some examples:Yuri Gagarin / Vladimir Putin / LeninDante / Roberto Benigni / Silvio BerlusconiGoethe / Angela Merkel / Franz BeckenbauerRafael Nadal / Pedro Almodovar / PicassoTom Cruise / Usain Bolt / Pele / Abba / The Beatles / One Direction

Acknowledgements:

Jo Gakonga and www.elt-training.com

Present perfect for experienceI haven’t been to IndiaI haven’t been to FranceI haven’t eaten frog’s legsAnd I haven’t learnt to dance.I’ve always lived in MilanI haven’t been abroadI’ve always lived at homeAnd I’m getting rather bored.

Rhyming countries 1• France trance / dance• The States weights / mates•Wales gales / whales / males• Spain/Ukraine rain / fame / game• Greece geese / fleece• Bahamas bananas• Italy bitterly / jittery / wittily /

Rhyming countries 2• Chad bad / sad / mad• Congo bongo• Hong Kong gong / ding dong / song / long / • Peru you hoo / boo hoo / blue / you• Thailand island / my land• Greece geese / fleece / niece •Malta …. Walter / falter / alter / altar

What’s the rule?• She’s going• She isn’t going.• I’ve finished.• I haven’t finished.• I’ll do it.• I won’t do it.• Hint ………• It’s pronunciation and grammar!

What’s the rule?• She’s going• She isn’t going.• I’ve finished.• I haven’t finished.• I’ll do it.• I won’t do it.• Hint ………• It’s pronunciation and grammar!

Learner’s poem• I haven’t been to India• I haven’t been to the States• I haven’t seen Los Angeles• And I really don’t want to wait!• I’ve always lived in Germany• I haven’t been abroad• I’ve always lived with my parents• And I’m getting very bored!!!!

• Harald, Germany

A pre-intermediate (A2) learner’s ‘I’ve been to’ poem

I’ve never been to Ireland. But I’ve been in love with Irish man. He had a huge talent to gain women’s favour, but he was so mean. He inculcated in me a taste for art and love for adventure. Our love story was bright and unforgettable, but it finished with a phrase “I’m sorry”. At parting he gave me ……a kiss with an fragrant of Irish legend.I’ve never been to Italy. But I’ve been in love with Italian. He’s been very clever, he’s known many languages, but he’s been so nervous and so fault-finding person. Well, we let as part friends. He gave me in memory (or gave me as keepsake?) the 33 recipes for Italian pasta and …one recipe for happiness.

I’ve never been to Spain. But I’ve been head-over-heels in love with Spaniard. He’s been extremely generous and kind. I thought that fortuna smiled on me, but he’d been in my city just for few weeks. He left for me a lot of presents and … phone number which never answer.I’ve never been to Portugal …I’ve never been to Norway …I’ve never been to France …But once I met him and he taught me to love a life and be grateful. He gave me self-confidence and opened at me a woman.Now I think: “There is a really journey – to be in love. Not important where you are, most important ……with who you are.”

Samira, Iraq: Jo Gakonga’s Pre-intermediate learner (slightly adapted)

What feedback would you give?

Acknowledgements:

Scott Thornbury:

Think of something / someone/ somewhere …• interesting / surprising you’ve ….• Done …• Seen …• Eaten…• Been• Met…• Experienced…• ???

Perfect poetry

Listen ….• What senses do you hear?• What images can you remember?

Tere’s I have …poemI have seen love in his eyesI have heard his comforting voiceI have touched his soul gentlyI have smelled fear when we are apartI have tasted the sweetness of his kissI have done everything I can for this loveI have remembered the reasons why I married him

• Tere, Brazil

Tommaso’s I have poemI’ve seen people telling the truth.I’ve heard other people telling lies.I’ve touched the truth itself.I’ve smelled the stink of a lie.I’ve tasted the flavour of honesty.I’ve done what was best for all.I’ve remembered how it made me feel.

• Tommaso, Italy.

Conclusions• Creativity in the language classroom is facilitated by SLP: scaffolding, linking

with the official syllabus, personalisation• Creativity in the language classroom is not just an add-on• It is not just a ‘Friday afternoon’ activity• Because it helps learners to make and strengthen connections in their brains …• Because it creates spaces in which learners’ personal syllabi can develop …• Because it makes learning memorable by involving the mind, the emotions and

the personal worlds of our learners ….• CREATIVITY IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IN CONSOLIDATING AND

EXTENDING LEARNING

In case you were wondering about …

•Making your toenails twinkle ….

Dylan Thomas“Poetry is what in a poem makes you laugh, cry, prickle, be silent, makes your toenails twinkle, makes you want to do this or that or nothing, makes you know that you are alone and not alone in the unknown world, that your bliss and suffering is forever shared and forever all your own…” – Dylan ThomasDylan Thomas A Few Words Of A Kind

Allow your learners to be creative …you never know what might happen ….

And to you ……

• Thank you!• Email: alanmarshinmalta@gmail.com• Website:• www.alanmarshelt.com