View Content #2557
| Contentid | 2557 |
|---|---|
| Content Type | 1 |
| Title | Class Starter Ideas |
| Body | Editor's note: A recent query on the FLTEACH listserv about class-starting activities generated the following suggestions. ----- Class starters: Mine are short and simple. I write three sentences in English to translate into the target language. The content is always what the majority of students at the time are struggling with in their original writing. If I see a lot of "un otro problema", I write a sentence like "Joey has another problem today." All I need is 5 minutes to take care of class business while they do the translationsand then I'm ready to teach. I love starting with these translations, because I can reinforce quickly and daily recurring common errors. Gourlay, C. Re: FLTEACH Digest - 1 Dec 2004 to 2 Dec 2004 - Special issue (#2004-644). Foreign Language Teaching Forum listserv. FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (2 Dec. 2004). ----- Post a list of vocab words...ask kids to categorize them AND defend their answers and explain their process. Multiple answers are possible, and encouraged. One example: Espana, Francia, Alemania, Italiano, Japon, Espanol, Frances, Italia. Sample categories generated: languages, countries, European countries, Axis, powers from WWII, Romance languages, cognates, etc. Post a list of categories, and have students generate vocab words that fit in the category. (This can be the reverse of the previous activity). Example: List all pieces of a place setting needed to consume: soup; steak; ice cream Explain how these words/concepts are alike AND how they are similar. (Often, I choose words that are commonly confusing for native English speakers of Spanish.) Examples: jugar & tocar; ser & estar; mirar & ver; preguntar & pedir Put a series of events in their most common, logical order. (done in TL, but here in English for non-Spanish speakers) Again, students must defend their answers. I got dressed. I got up. I brushed my teeth. I showered. Review flash cards. Rank the vocab words from most difficult for you to least difficult for you. Carlson, B. Class starters. Foreign Language Teaching Forum listserv. FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (2 Dec. 2004). ----- How about an interview? Make a grid with the questions at the top and they have to ask 4-5 people the questions and then write a paragraph about one person. Weingartner. Re: class starters. Foreign Language Teaching Forum listserv. FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (1 Dec. 2004). ----- This warm up exercise is a brainstorm. They have five letters written on the overhead: E,I, T, S, and N. They must list as many words in the target language that they can think of that contain those letters. There are a few important rules, though: 1. Each word MUST contain E and AT LEAST one of the other five letters (The word does NOT have to contain all 5.). 2. They MAY repeat letters. They usually think it's kind of fun; I make it a sort of competition to see who can come up with the most words. The quick kids realize that they can write most of the numbers, too, or write singulars and plurals. Donaldson, L. Re: class starters. Foreign Language Teaching Forum listserv. FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (2 Dec. 2004). |
| Source | FLTEACH |
| Inputdate | 2005-01-24 11:53:00 |
| Lastmodifieddate | 2005-01-24 11:53:00 |
| Expdate | Not set |
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| Active | 1 |
| Emailed | 1 |
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