• What’s your favourite place in Malaysia?

• How many children do you have?

• What’s your favourite movie?

ACTIVITIES IN ACTIVITIES IN LESSONSLESSONS

ACTIVITIES IN ACTIVITIES IN LESSONSLESSONS

Contributed by Maria FrancoContributed by Maria Franco

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Warmers, settlers and stirrers

• These activities are used in the classroom as part of a lesson.

• They can be part of the lesson plan or the teacher can improvise a short activity as when needed, specially if students are becoming disengaged.

• Using these activities WILL help classroom management and students will have fun at the same time as they learning English.

• These activities may take time to set up at the beginning but if instructions are clear, students will get used to it and it will become part of classroom routines.

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Types of Warmersa) Introductory warm-up exercises

Icebreakers and TPR exercises

b) Verbal and vocal warm-up exercisesCommunication is central and these activities help fluency and collaboration in the classroom

c) Trust and sensitivity exercisesHelp students to be aware of themselves, each other and the world around them. To help students become creative and willing to self-improve

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Why use warmers?

• “The aim of warmers is to create a climate of trust, awareness and group cohesion in which collaboration can take place. They also help to focus students’ minds on the matter in hand.” (adapted from Doughill 1987)

• “Warmers help to indicate the end of the previous lesson and the beginning of the English lesson. It is unrealistic to expect students to come from a lesson in another subject and to start immediately on ‘learning the foreign language’.

• Warmers are intended to put students in a relaxed, uninhibited state being much more respectful than they would otherwise be. Students are more aware of others, and of oneself in relationship with others.” (adapted from Maley and Duff 1978)

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ALL LESSONS MUST HAVE WARMERS!!!

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REMEMBER!!!Warmers can have a specific objective (reviewing vocabulary, introducing a new lesson aim) or they can be used to KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED

Students are listening to English and responding to English commands or instructions which means…

THEY ARE LEARNING AND INVOLVES COMMUNICATION!!

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THINK…

Most educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus one's attention on a task is crucial for the achievement of one's goals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_span

Young learners’ attention span is minimal. So, in order to keep them engaged and, more important, interested in learning, teachers must think of interesting activities which will help students (and teachers!!) achieve the lesson’s objectives and goals.

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Settlers and Stirrers

• Settlers are activities which teachers can use to “calm down” or “settle” students

• Stirrers are activities which teachers can use to “pick-up” or “wake up” students

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ALL LESSONS MUST HAVE A GOOD

BALANCE OF SETTLING AND STIRRING ACTIVITIES!!!

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WHEN PLANNING A LESSON…

As well as thinking of each activity’s aim or objective, think how the activity will affect the students behaviour and engagement.

• Should it be a calming down activity and keep students sitting down (on the floor or at their desks)?

• Should it be a stirring activity and move students around because they are falling asleep and starting to disengage?

• How long should the activity last to keep students engaged?

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Crucial activities for a lesson

• Warmer• Introduce target language with flashcards

and realia if possible. • The diagram shown below is a suggestion

of the thinking behind planning a lesson.

WARMERIntroduce target language

SETTLER SETTLERSTIRRERSTIRRER

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Ending a lesson

Students like routines and it is a good idea to end a lesson with a settler, so you leave

students in a calm state to hand them over the next teacher.

A settler like storytelling is a great way to end a lesson.

Why not try it in your next lesson?...and you don’t even need books to tell a great story!!!

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LET’S PRACTICEACTIVITIES!!

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Answer the following questions

1. What is the purpose/objective of the activities we have just done?

2. When would you use such an activity?

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Answer the following questions

1. What is the purpose/objective of “THROWING THE BALL ROUND THE CIRCLE” activity?

2. When would you use such an activity?

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EvaluatingPerformance & Learning

Standards • ACTIVITY 1: BALL THROWING ROUND THE CIRCLE

Learning Standard: 1.2.1 (a) (b)Able to participate in daily conversations

Band: B2D1E1 Participate in daily conversationsAble to use the language functions below correctly:

(a) exchange greetings(b) introduce oneself(c) thank someone(d) make polite requests

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Answer the following questions

1. What is the purpose/objective of the “ALPHABETICAL LINE-UPS” activity?

2. When would you use such an activity?

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Evaluating Performance & Learning

Standards

• ACTIVITY 2: ALPHABETICAL LINE-UPSLearning Standard:1.2.2 (a) Able to listen and follow:

(a) Simple instructions in the classroom2.1.1 Able to identify and distinguish the shapes of the letters in

the alphabet2.1.2 (a) Able to recognise and articulate initial, medial and

the final sounds in single syllable words within given context

Band: B3D1E1 Able to listen to and follow simple instructions and directions.

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Answer the following questions

1. What is the purpose/objective of “FIND SOMEONE WHO?” activity?

2. When would you use such an activity?

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Evaluating Performance & Learning

Standards• ACTIVITY 3: FIND SOMEONE WHO…Learning Standard :1.1.4 Able to talk about a stimulus with guidance

1.2.1 Able to participate in daily conversations 1.2.2 (a) Able to listen and follow:

(a) Simple instructions in the classroom 2.1.1 Able to identify and distinguish the shapes of the letters in the Alphabet 2.2.2 Able to read and understand phrases in linear and non-linear texts. 3.1.1 Able to demonstrate fine motor control of hands and fingers 3.1.2 Able to copy and write in neat legible print 3.2.1(b) Able to complete with guidance: (b)lists

Band: B2D1E1Participate in daily conversations.B2D4E1Copy and write in neat, legible print.B3D1E1Able to listen to and follow simple instructions and directions.B4D1E1Able to answer simple ‘Wh’ questionsB4D3E1Able to use correctly: (a) capital letters

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Answer the following questions

1. What is the purpose/objective of the “ LIKES / HATES DICTATION activity?

2. When would you use such an activity?

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Evaluating Performance & Learning

Standards

• ACTIVITY 4: LIKES / HATES DICTATIONLearning Standard :1.1.4 Able to talk about a stimulus with guidance1.2.1 Able to participate in daily conversations1.3.1 Able to listen to and demonstrate understanding of

oral texts by: a) giving Yes/No replies 2.2.1 Able to read and apply word recognition and word

attack skills by matching words with: a) graphics b) spoken words

Band:B2D1E1 Participate in daily conversations.B2D2E1 Able to read the words correctly.

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Evaluating Activities

• ACTIVITY 1: Ball-throwing round the circle• ACTIVITY 2: Alphabetical line-ups• ACTIVITY 3: Find someone who (used this morning as

icebreaker for all teachers)• ACTIVITY 4: LikeslHates dictation• ACTIVITY 5: Talk to my cat• ACTIVITY 6: Mirrors• ACTIVITY 7: Significant numbers in my life• ACTIVITY 8: Numbers with Heads or Hands• ACTIVITY 9: Hangman/Shark Attack• ACTIVITY 10: Pictionary• ACTIVITY 11: Name + Adjective

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Don’t forget to…

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HAVE FUN IN CLASS!!

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Thank you!!

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