S11 Communicative Activities for Large Classes

Communicative Activities for Large Classes

British Council / Estado de Mxico 2011

Communicative Activities for Large ClassesLearning Outcomes:By the end of the session, participants will be better able to:Understand and inform others about the advantages and challenges of working with large classesUnderstand The Ten Principles for Teaching Large ClassesEvaluate and adapt communicative activities for large classes

Excitement Although they may be noisy, large classes can be exciting if we channel the energy creatively

TimingTime flies in a large class! Activities may take longer and extra activities that you did not use can be saved for laterAdvantages of Teaching Large Classes

ParticipationThere will always be someone who wants to answer questions!

FillersTeachers dont need so many extra activities, since main activities take longer in general

Can you think of any others?Advantages of Teaching Large Classes

Teacher can feel out of control Having so many students can make some teachers feel helpless

Classroom ManagementEven things like taking the register take much longer, instructions may need repeating more often and moving furniture can be problematic. Challenges when Teaching Large Classeswww.flickr.com

Teacher can feel out of control Having so many students can make some teachers feel helpless So careful planning and management are vital!

Classroom ManagementEven things like taking the register take much longer, instructions may need repeating more often and moving furniture can be problematic. So involve students more! They canSign a list on the door, students canRepeat instructions, and you can make Arrangements to use the patio Challenges when Teaching Large Classeswww.flickr.com

Large amounts of paperworkEnormous amounts of homework can be problematic

Individual Learner DifferencesIt is hard to cater for different types of intelligence and learning styles

Quieter studentsIt can be harder to reach andencourage quieter students

Challenges when Teaching Large Classesistockphoto.com

Large amounts of paperworkEnormous amounts of homework can be problematic So develop self-correction, peer correction groups and get stronger students to help with correcting

Individual Learner DifferencesIt is hard to cater for different types of intelligence and learning styles So plan activities To appeal to different student types

Challenges when Teaching Large Classesistockphoto.com

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesIntimacyIt can be hard to remember students names and it can seem hard to get to know their students

DistractionsMore students means more people arriving late, chatting or playing together

PreparationMaking extra materials and photocopies for a large class can be very expensive

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesIntimacyIt can be hard to remember students names and it can seem hard to get to know their students So ask them to have their names on their desks and get them to draw or write pictures about themselves, their families, their worries their dreams and have wall displays!

DistractionsMore students means more people arriving late, chatting or playing together So get students involved in making and keeping rules!

PreparationMaking extra materials and photocopies for a large class can be very expensive So use realia, items in the classroom, wall charts and flash cards and projector!

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesNoise levelsLarge classes can get over-excited and noisy in pair or group activities.

Monitoring studentsIt can be difficult to get to every pair or group during when monitoring

juanslife.com

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesNoise levelsLarge classes can get over-excited and noisy in pair or group activities. So develop awareness that people can enjoy themselves quietly without disturbing others!

Monitoring studentsIt can be difficult to get to every pair or group during when monitoring..So keep careful notes and be sure that you get to each goup, say, once per week!juanslife.com

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesSpaceCertain activities which involve movement may not be possible for lack of space

Textbooks and resourcesThere may not be enough textbooks or computers available for all studentsjuanslife.com

Challenges when Teaching Large ClassesSpaceCertain activities which involve movement may not be possible for lack of space So make arrangements to use the auditorium or the patio for some classes!

Textbooks and resourcesThere may not be enough textbooks or computers available for all studentsSo encourage a culture of sharing and caring!juanslife.com

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes1. Varietyistockphoto

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes2. PaceComputerclipart.com

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes3. Interestwpf.org

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes4. Collaborationedu-futuro.org

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes5. Individualizationeducationinmedicine.northwestern.edu

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes6. Personalization

snakeysue.co.uk

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes7. Choice

istockphoto.com

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes8. Routines

lsuagcenter.com

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes9. Inclusion fundacionluisvives.org

Ten Principles for Teaching Large Classes10. Analyze your own (teachers) questions!Thelearningwell.com

Communicative activities for Large ClassesNow please work in small groups and appoint a scribe for the group

Look at the 5 suggestions for communicative activities with large groups in your books

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each activity, in relation to your own classes and how you might adapt the activities for your students

The scribe will take careful notes to post on the wall for the whole group

Communicative activities for Large Classes1. The Hot Seat

English Skills: Speaking, Listening, VocabularyObjective: Communicate words without saying them

Put students into groups of 4/5. One of the students must sit with their back to the board, the other students facing the board.

The teacher can draw or put a flashcard on the board (or write a word). The students have to describe what is on the card to help the student (with their back to the board) to guess what it is.

http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard/travel-guides/231-Top-5-Activities-for-Large-TEFL-Classes

2 (a). Guess Who

English Skills: SpeakingObjective: Form questions and identify a person or thing Choose a student leader for the class (or smaller groups)Ask the leader to think of a famous personGroup members have to ask yes/no questions to get informationWhen a group member receives a 'yes' to their question, they can ask one follow up questionIf the answer to a group member's question is no, the next student gets to ask a questionThe game continues until the students guess who it is

http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard/travel-guides/231-Top-5-Activities-for-Large-TEFL-ClassesCommunicative activities for Large Classes

Guess What

English Skills: SpeakingObjective: Form questions and identify a person or thing The same game can be played as 'Guess What', in which case students are playing to identify an object, animal, etc (its a good idea to start with an object in the room until students get the hang of it).You may choose to prepare a handout of possible questions to get things started and help weaker students. Some possible questions are: Are you famous? Are you a man? Are you a woman? Are you an actor? Are you a singer?

** Music can add to the fun and tension of this game. Add recorded sound effects such as a ticking clock, Jeopardy, etc. to create a better atmosphere for the game.


3. I Went to the Market English Skills: Grammar, Speaking, VocabularyObjective: Use memory to reinforce past-tense structure and focus on correct use of articles

Divide class into groups; select one group to help demonstrate the rulesTeacher starts by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple."Student next to the teacher follows by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple and some eggs."The next student continues by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple, some eggs, and a potato."Play continues with each student repeating what previous members said and adding one item to the shopping list

Variation: you can change the game to practice all kinds of verb tenses and vocabulary!


4. Hold them up!

English Skills: Listening, Reading and VocabularyObjective: For students to revise vocabulary.

Split the class into groups 4/5Before the activity, write a different word on a separate piece of paper for each team (the vocabulary you want students to revise)Have one student from each team sit in an allocated chair with the papers on a desk in front of them or on the floorSay one of the vocabulary words on the board (or you could give a definition for higher levels)Students have find the word on the board and hold it up!The student to hold it up first gets one point for their teamRepeat until everyone has had at least one turnhttp://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard/travel-guides/231-Top-5-Activities-for-Large-TEFL-ClassesCommunicative activities for Large Classes

5. Word Challenge Number of Students: Teams of 4-10English Skills: Listening, Speaking, SpellingObjective: One team says a word and the other tries to spell it

Have students get into teams of 4-10 peopleOne person from each team does rocks, paper, scissors/rolls a diceWinner says a word and opponent tries to write the word correctlyIf they get it right, their team gets a pointIf they get it wrong, the person who said the word can write it out for a point for their teamHave another person from each team play 'Word Challenge'Make an 'arena' in the middle of the class for two students to face offStudents will start to look up difficult words to stump the other team! Remember to do a follow-up assignment for new words used such as teaching the class the meanings and having students make sentences with the new words. http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard/travel-guides/231-Top-5-Activities-for-Large-TEFL-ClassesCommunicative activities for Large Classes

Communicative activities for Large Classes

The scribe will now post a report on the wall

Participants should go and compare reactions with their own.

Finally, discuss points of agreement and disagreement together

Communicative activities for Large Classes

For final reflection activity, see Trainers notes

BibliographyBenwell, T., Teaching Large ClassesTefl.net, http://edition.tefl.net/ideas/teaching/teaching-large-classes/

Hess, N. (2001) Teaching Large Multilevel Classes, Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.

http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard/travel-guides/231-Top-5-Activities-for-Large-TEFL-Classes

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S11 Communicative Activities for Large Classes