Statement Checks

Purpose: This is a conversation activity that encourages students to produce language quickly and cooperatively, while practicing a specific grammar point.

Prep Time: 10+ minutes (time needed to locate 3-4 pictures)

Materials: projector for showing pictures to class; 3-4 colorful, interesting pictures from magazines or books

Prep: Once you decide on the grammar that students will practice, choose photos to use both for modeling (“we do it” step) and for the activity itself.

Procedure:

I do it

1. Introduce or review the grammar structure and vocabulary you want students to practice, such as using prepositions, adjectives, or the present tense. Also, review the components of a simple sentence. You’ll model correct sentence structure in the “we do it” step as well.

We do it:

1. For the activity itself, students will work in small groups, but to model the activity, the tutor or teacher and the class act as one group. Explain that one person in the group is a recorder. For the “we do it” phase, the teacher acts as the recorder.

2. Show a picture to the class for one minute. For a large group, use a projector, if possible, so that everyone can see.

3. Ask students to say sentences about the picture, using the grammar point you’ve specified.

4. The recorder (teacher) makes a check mark on the board for each sentence that the group produces.

5. At the end of a minute, count the number of check marks. This is your score.

Note: For a lower level class, you might want to repeat the above activity, but model it with a small group, so students will understand how to proceed. Have one of the students act as the recorder this time.

You do it:

1. Now divide students into small groups.

2. Each group decides on a recorder within the group. The recorder also participates in producing sentences.

3. Show the picture on the projector for one minute while groups create sentences.

4. When time is up, students count the number of check marks they have.

5. Now show the class a different picture for one minute, with the goal of generating more sentences than they did the first time. Students will almost always find that they have more sentences about the second picture.