mercredi 27 juillet 2011

C-3-3. Types of activities used to motivate students to speak fluently:

English classroom activities are multiple. They differ in their type; their pace and their focus. In order to motivate my students, I have to choose the activities that are creative, enjoyable; active and unusual. More importantly, these activities should encourage pupils to speak and to practise their English. The following are examples I used in order to get my students motivated to speak fluently.
Ø Stirrers: stirrers are mainly used as warmers meant to catch my students’ attention; to engage them while using and practicing their English:
           - Speed games: How many words can you think of in 1minute that relate to such a topic?
(To ''the farm''?  The 7th from / to ''pollution''? The 9th form).
           - Riddles: though riddles do not require much language to use, they are so motivating to my students. They love them and usually ask for more. They warm them up not only to speak to find the solution but also during the lesson procedure afterwards:
- What travels around the world, but it is always in a corner?.
- Two mothers and two daughters are in a room, how many women are there in the room?
- Why is a Math’s book always sad?
          - What are the 2 things that people do not eat before breakfast?
1) a stamp
2) 3 women: a grandmother, a mother and a daughter.
3) because it is full of problems.
4) lunch and dinner .LOL.
Ø Games: nothing is more enjoyable and motivating to practice English like games. They are more and more exploited as a way to ensure successful learning in a less stressful manner. I can, as a teacher, get my students speak fluently and even ''unconsciously'' pushed to make use of their language to achieve an aim that, apparently, seems not related to learning. Games, also, serve as breaks from the usual rhythm of lessons; help to energize students and to increase their engagement in any activity that is speaking-oriented.
              * The most successful game for my students, as they said,  was “Don’t say ''yes'' or ''no''”. I really felt satisfied with the rate of speaking; of motivation and of the whole atmosphere that this game created. I summarize the game as follows: I divided the class into 2 groups: A and B. I prepared in advance a list of sentences (of different topics: the already covered+ others).Each time, I utter a sentence, a group has to comment on it or to answer it, if it is a question, but without saying “yes” or “no”( the objective was to let students speak fluently as much as possible, not just reacting through saying “yes” or “no”. Saying these, that group will lose the point to the other. These were examples of the sentences I suggested:
- The colors of the Tunisian flag are red and yellow.
- Smoking may cause lung cancer only.
- The name of our headmaster is Mr. Mohammed.
- School memories are events that will happen in the future.
- To give up smoking means to continue to smoke.
- I am a teacher of History.
- Food gets contaminated because farmers do not use pesticides.
- Smoking is harmful because smokers must give up smoking (to recycle linkers of cause/ effect).
The sample of the result sheet:

C-3-3. Types of activities used to motivate students to speak fluently:

English classroom activities are multiple. They differ in their type; their pace and their focus. In order to motivate my students, I have to choose the activities that are creative, enjoyable; active and unusual. More importantly, these activities should encourage pupils to speak and to practise their English. The following are examples I used in order to get my students motivated to speak fluently.
Ø Stirrers: stirrers are mainly used as warmers meant to catch my students’ attention; to engage them while using and practicing their English:
           - Speed games: How many words can you think of in 1minute that relate to such a topic?
(To ''the farm''?  The 7th from / to ''pollution''? The 9th form).
           - Riddles: though riddles do not require much language to use, they are so motivating to my students. They love them and usually ask for more. They warm them up not only to speak to find the solution but also during the lesson procedure afterwards:
- What travels around the world, but it is always in a corner?.
- Two mothers and two daughters are in a room, how many women are there in the room?
- Why is a Math’s book always sad?
          - What are the 2 things that people do not eat before breakfast?
1) a stamp
2) 3 women: a grandmother, a mother and a daughter.
3) because it is full of problems.
4) lunch and dinner .LOL


Ø Games: nothing is more enjoyable and motivating to practice English like games. They are more and more exploited as a way to ensure successful learning in a less stressful manner. I can, as a teacher, get my students speak fluently and even ''unconsciously'' pushed to make use of their language to achieve an aim that, apparently, seems not related to learning. Games, also, serve as breaks from the usual rhythm of lessons; help to energize students and to increase their engagement in any activity that is speaking-oriented.
             
  * The most successful game for my students, as they said,  was “Don’t say ''yes'' or ''no''”. I really felt satisfied with the rate of speaking; of motivation and of the whole atmosphere that this game created. I summarize the game as follows: I divided the class into 2 groups: A and B. I prepared in advance a list of sentences (of different topics: the already covered+ others).Each time, I utter a sentence, a group has to comment on it or to answer it, if it is a question, but without saying “yes” or “no”( the objective was to let students speak fluently as much as possible, not just reacting through saying “yes” or “no”. Saying these, that group will lose the point to the other. These were examples of the sentences I suggested:
- The colors of the Tunisian flag are red and yellow.
- Smoking may cause lung cancer only.
- The name of our headmaster is Mr. Mohammed.
- School memories are events that will happen in the future.
- To give up smoking means to continue to smoke.
- I am a teacher of History.
- Food gets contaminated because farmers do not use pesticides.
- Smoking is harmful because smokers must give up smoking (to recycle linkers of cause/ effect).


      
           
     *Another game I used with my students that was so engaging and mainly required speaking, was ''tennis'' game. It was a good, “indirect” way, for students, to improvise speech; to speak while thinking.  ''Played'' into 2 groups, the teacher started, after pupils agreed on a topic, to throw a small ball each time to a pupil from one group. He has to say a sentence that relates to that topic. If he did not find what to say in the set time, the point would go to the other group. The game continued with pupils throwing the ball between themselves. I often intervened to throw the ball myself to ensure that all pupils participate. Each time they had to make the sentence longer, which created a nice atmosphere and motivated my pupils; the ball was moving all the time.



Ø Experience- based activities: Normally, my students feel enthusiastic to speak about themselves; to relate their experiences in such a topic; to express their opinions about a debatable issue according to their personalities and choices. However students would not feel eager to discuss a “foreign” topic that they do not neither feel interested in nor does it fit into their cultural background .
Samples:
            * A group session was mainly devoted to circle discussions; my pupils chose a topic and talked about it. This was done within circles; groups sitting down on the floor within circles (on blankets I brought to the classroom). After choosing a topic, every pupil within that circle has to say something in relation with that topic in a clock-wise direction. After that, they could choose another topic from those suggested on sheets of papers. They keep doing the same until the fixed time finished. The topics that I suggested were close to pupils, about which they felt motivated to talk. Moreover, it was an opportunity to know more about each other. I suggested the following: your favorite hobbies/ your dream job (why?) / places you want to visit / your favorite sports, club / your favorite singer, song (this was so helpful in relation to the project work idea of the fifth module).
            * Another session was devoted to debatable issues. They, also, were provocative and my students were highly interested in; their speech was spontaneous, and subjective; they felt willing to express themselves and to say: “I am here and I have my say” I, myself, sat within the group as a participant (and as a manager). Examples of these “issues” were:
 - “Happiness means Money”
 - “A boy is a bless, a girl is a curse”.
This topic was a real success in the way that it motivated all students to speak; to defend their gender and led the class to divide into 2 groups: girls VS boys.
Moreover, I suggested other activities where pupils had to talk about themselves / their real life experiences.
 - The 7th form: (My daily routines). In pairs, discus with your partner your daily routines, writing down 2 different activities between both of you
 - My birthday party: tell your partner what you did on your last birthday.

c-3-4. Competition

Competition is what spices lessons and activities. It has a genuine effect on learners: they indirectly use language; they become more spontaneous, active, enthusiastic and no longer shy. Competition creates moments of breaking the classical, rigid rhythm of lessons, where learners get more freedom in the classroom. While competing in an activity, they feel  pleasure , newness and freedom to move and to speak , and even to do “unexpected” things ( I felt surprised that pupils who were quiet and passive during ordinary lessons became enthusiastic and did better in competitive speaking activities). I noticed this, for example, with Lomini Mohamed, Bahri Zouhair (9th forms); Orabi Salma; Ezzine Mouna (7th form). Thus competition was responsible for creating successful activities that motivated my students. They also enjoyed what they were doing. I should admit that I, myself, enjoyed what happened then, and I was satisfied with such effect on my learners as they were speaking fluently, learning and practising their English while having fun.

I cite 2 examples of speaking-oriented activities that my students did in a competitive way:
            * Another version of the previously mentioned game '' Don’t say “Yes” or “No” ''. This time I was myself a part of it. I divided the class into 2 groups. I was the third. Each time, one of each group has to ask me a question which I had to answer without saying ‘‘Yes’’ or ‘‘No’’. Students evidently, felt so motivated to ask their teacher ''personal'' questions as they thought about different topics, they even got me trapped (by Jerbi Nidhal; Mbarki Hatem) and they really enjoyed this. What matters, for me, is that they felt motivated and enthusiastic to participate; to ask more questions and thus to talk more and more.
            * Another competitive game was ‘‘add a word or 2’’.I suggested the word ‘‘Fumes’’. Into 2 groups, pupils were asked to add,each time a group, a word or two to that word to try to compose a longer sentence containing that word. Pupils competed to utter words .They made use of Linkers. This was the final sentence (a paragraph).
‘‘The fumes that factories release are very dangerous. As a result, people may get sick and have health problems. For example, they may suffer from asthma; lung cancer and breathing problems. That’s why we should all take action to stop this harmful danger not only to our health but also to our Environment ’’.
            * A third game that was ‘‘played’’ competitively, within 2 groups, was:'' who am I?''. I gave some information / hints about a famous person; pupils were supposed to guess about whom I am talking. The example was:

            ‘‘I am an American singer. I have long hair. I always wear black glasses. I have a special way of dancing. I have many known songs; and millions of fans in the world. Who am I?”
After this, pupils within their groups, had to think about some hints about their favorite celebrity   and then to say them in turns, the other pupils had to guess him / her right or they would lose the point to the other group.

                  
     *Another game I used with my students that was so engaging and mainly required speaking, was ''tennis'' game. It was a good, “indirect” way, for students, to improvise speech; to speak while thinking.  ''Played'' into 2 groups, the teacher started, after pupils agreed on a topic, to throw a small ball each time to a pupil from one group. He has to say a sentence that relates to that topic. If he did not find what to say in the set time, the point would go to the other group. The game continued with pupils throwing the ball between themselves. I often intervened to throw the ball myself to ensure that all pupils participate. Each time they had to make the sentence longer, which created a nice atmosphere and motivated my pupils; the ball was moving all the time.


Ø Experience- based activities: Normally, my students feel enthusiastic to speak about themselves; to relate their experiences in such a topic; to express their opinions about a debatable issue according to their personalities and choices. However students would not feel eager to discuss a “foreign” topic that they do not neither feel interested in nor does it fit into their cultural background .
Samples:
            * A group session was mainly devoted to circle discussions; my pupils chose a topic and talked about it. This was done within circles; groups sitting down on the floor within circles (on blankets I brought to the classroom). After choosing a topic, every pupil within that circle has to say something in relation with that topic in a clock-wise direction. After that, they could choose another topic from those suggested on sheets of papers. They keep doing the same until the fixed time finished. The topics that I suggested were close to pupils, about which they felt motivated to talk. Moreover, it was an opportunity to know more about each other. I suggested the following: your favorite hobbies/ your dream job (why?) / places you want to visit / your favorite sports, club / your favorite singer, song (this was so helpful in relation to the project work idea of the fifth module).
            * Another session was devoted to debatable issues. They, also, were provocative and my students were highly interested in; their speech was spontaneous, and subjective; they felt willing to express themselves and to say: “I am here and I have my say” I, myself, sat within the group as a participant (and as a manager). Examples of these “issues” were:
 - “Happiness means Money”
 - “A boy is a bless, a girl is a curse”.
This topic was a real success in the way that it motivated all students to speak; to defend their gender and led the class to divide into 2 groups: girls VS boys.
Moreover, I suggested other activities where pupils had to talk about themselves / their real life experiences.
 - The 7th form: (My daily routines). In pairs, discus with your partner your daily routines, writing down 2 different activities between both of you
 - My birthday party: tell your partner what you did on your last birthday.

c-3-4. Competition

Competition is what spices lessons and activities. It has a genuine effect on learners: they indirectly use language; they become more spontaneous, active, enthusiastic and no longer shy. Competition creates moments of breaking the classical, rigid rhythm of lessons, where learners get more freedom in the classroom. While competing in an activity, they feel  pleasure , newness and freedom to move and to speak , and even to do “unexpected” things ( I felt surprised that pupils who were quiet and passive during ordinary lessons became enthusiastic and did better in competitive speaking activities). I noticed this, for example, with Lomini Mohamed, Bahri Zouhair (9th forms); Orabi Salma; Ezzine Mouna (7th form). Thus competition was responsible for creating successful activities that motivated my students. They also enjoyed what they were doing. I should admit that I, myself, enjoyed what happened then, and I was satisfied with such effect on my learners as they were speaking fluently, learning and practising their English while having fun.

I cite 2 examples of speaking-oriented activities that my students did in a competitive way:
            * Another version of the previously mentioned game '' Don’t say “Yes” or “No” ''. This time I was myself a part of it. I divided the class into 2 groups. I was the third. Each time, one of each group has to ask me a question which I had to answer without saying ‘‘Yes’’ or ‘‘No’’. Students evidently, felt so motivated to ask their teacher ''personal'' questions as they thought about different topics, they even got me trapped (by Jerbi Nidhal; Mbarki Hatem) and they really enjoyed this. What matters, for me, is that they felt motivated and enthusiastic to participate; to ask more questions and thus to talk more and more.
            * Another competitive game was ‘‘add a word or 2’’.I suggested the word ‘‘Fumes’’. Into 2 groups, pupils were asked to add,each time a group, a word or two to that word to try to compose a longer sentence containing that word. Pupils competed to utter words .They made use of Linkers. This was the final sentence (a paragraph).
‘‘The fumes that factories release are very dangerous. As a result, people may get sick and have health problems. For example, they may suffer from asthma; lung cancer and breathing problems. That’s why we should all take action to stop this harmful danger not only to our health but also to our Environment ’’.
            * A third game that was ‘‘played’’ competitively, within 2 groups, was:'' who am I?''. I gave some information / hints about a famous person; pupils were supposed to guess about whom I am talking. The example was:

            ‘‘I am an American singer. I have long hair. I always wear black glasses. I have a special way of dancing. I have many known songs; and millions of fans in the world. Who am I?”


                                                                                                                     
 (Michael Jackson)

After this, pupils within their groups, had to think about some hints about their favorite celebrity   and then to say them in turns, the other pupils had to guess him / her right or they would lose the point to the other group.


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