How do you begin a starter course with students with little or no knowledge of English? This entry-level 'find someone who' offers students practice of basic question writing, allowing students to find out who their new classmates are.
1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.
2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students must first write questions to find out the personal information 1-5. Depending on the ability of the students the questions can be checked at this stage.
3. Next, tell them to stand up and mingle and to get a different person to answer every question. Provide students with necessary examples to encourage them to speak. Allow students the time necessary to get the required amount of answers from their fellow students.
4. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.
5. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.
Type:
A vocabulary acquisition task
Skill:
Writing
Time:
20 minutes
Stage:
Language discovery
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Countries and Nationalities Vocabulary
This is a kind of discovery handout whereby the learners scan a large word grid looking for the nationality forms for a range of countries provided. With the first and last letters, the learners are able to notice the written form of the words, which they write on their worksheet.
1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.
2. Focus learners attentions on the instructions and the clues. Students search for the nationalities in the word search. After they have found them, get them to write them below the flags at the bottom of the page. Students can complete the word search individually or in pairs.
3. For feedback, gather the students in a circle and get them to show you where the answers are, or students can write the answers on the board or spell them to you.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Plurals
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing irregular plural forms of common nouns, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Food Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Featuring words associated with drinks, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Food Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing words associated with fruit, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Food Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing words associated with vegetables, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Countries and Nationalities Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing country and nationality words, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Telling the Time
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing words associated with the time, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Everyday Objects Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing a range of everyday objects, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.
Type:
A spelling test
Skill:
Writing
Time:
10 minutes
Stage:
Lead-in
Work:
Students work individually
Focus:
Jobs Vocabulary
Use this handout as a spelling test, a vocabulary review or for pronunciation practice. Containing a range of familiar jobs, this split sheet is a great way to start a lesson and challenge your students.
1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, and cut the sheets in two.
2. Distribute the sheets and give students a strict time limit in which to complete the test.
3. To feedback, redistribute the papers and get students to mark someone else's test. Elicit responses from the students and write up the answers on the board.
4. To review either after or later in the lesson, get learners to fold their test along the middle and repeat to you or their partner the pictures using the words they remember. Drill if necessary to correct pronunciation.