| Return to Worksheets for Learning Languages Some students are uncomfortable with a class that strays away from a textbook. The teacher can start a discussion about "how do you want to design your class?" to encourage more active learning. Potential ways to structure the class Test Teach Test Take the tests at the end of the book. If you get the right answer, we don’t have to study that section. Complete every page for homework. Bring questions to class. More Structure From American Business Vocabulary (a textbook) (so that it appears that the teacher spent hours preparing the lesson) Prefixes Un acceptable or In acceptable? Page 22 Confusing Words (these are fun!) Pages 14, 67 Social English pages 16, 50, 80 a) create your own answers (cover the book’s answers) b) create your own questions (cover the book’s questions) c) then do the exercise (match the question to the answer) Word Partnerships pages 11, 25, 40, 57 and 79 Example: I agree to your ______ (baseball, terminus, terms) a) create your own second word (cover the book’s answers) b) create your own first word (cover the book’s questions) c) then do the exercise (match the first word to the answer) Two-word expressions follow a similar format (pages 19 and 61) Giving a presentation. Hey, that’s a good idea. After completing the vocabulary on page 38, let’s each videotape a presentation. Other activities 1. Present favorite web sites to each other 2. Create exams for other students to take. 3. Read stacks of articles and create summaries for various audiences. 4. Invest in the stock market. Create a mutual fund with an imaginary bank account. Defend your choices for your portfolio. (You are a fund manager). 5. Make a presentation with just three minutes’ warning. Any subject but it has to be a topic that the group believes is interesting. (or you promise to make it interesting). Everyone takes notes and positive suggestions are given after the presentation. 6. Brainstorming. Who knows what will happen? 7. Grammar. Oh boy. 8. Look for double meanings, alliteration and advice in the newspaper. 9. Tell stories about words. What is an interesting origin of a word? Example: What was the original meaning of “enthusiasm”? 10. Tell the story behind a phrase. Example: What was the eye of the needle? 11. Recommend a fabulous book, movie or article. 12. Look for photos on Google Images and create a “vook” (visual book). 13. Learn to or teach someone to burn a CD. 14. Learn or teach someone to use a piece of equipment, such as mp3 player or enlarge and reduce on a copier. 15. Tell us about your country. 16. Tell us about a fabulous place to visit. 17. Explain a song or poem. 18. Your idea…. _______________ Return to Worksheets for Language Learning Note: Some students might not like the idea of creating a portfolio. The answer: "Why don't you complete the book as part of your portfolio." Resources for explaining a poem or song: Collect songs ahead of time off the internet. Request my song pack if you need it -- mistermath@comcast.net Double meaning, alliteration (starting or containing the same sound) and other "word play" can be a "haphazard" approach, but the teacher can pre-collect examples from newspapers. |