FLEXIBLE ACTIVITIES By Liana Novikova Cherkasy specialized school

FLEXIBLE ACTIVITIES By Liana Novikova Cherkasy specialized school № 18 09. 2013

Teaching Flexible Activities Speaking skills include the ability to listen, and that means asking meaningful questions. In class, teachers often take over the task of asking probing questions, but sometimes the students don't quite enough practice in this essential task in any conversation. This lesson plan focuses on helping students improve their question asking skills to move beyond just basic questions.

Teaching Flexible Activities Telling Stories starts with speaking and listening Speaking skills include the ability to listen, and that means asking meaningful questions Listening skills will also improve when students mentally interact with the information heard. To run into problems when asking questions Focusing attention on the words To improve speaking confidence when using difficult question forms To involve memory skills Speaking skills include the ability to listen To promote Active Involvements These activities force the learner to take the information and manipulate it mentally

Exercise 1: Ask an appropriate question for the response – It was really rather wet and windy with temperatures well below normal. – Since eight o'clock this morning. – I was cleaning up. – I'd buy a new house. –She can't be at home; I tried to call her a few minutes ago. – Why don't you go shopping? – For about 2 years.

Exercise 2: Ask questions to fill the gaps with the missing information Student A Student B The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend ______. He discovered that he hadn't insured his car after his car was stolen _____. He immediately went to his insurance agent, but she told him that he had only bought ______, and not against theft. He became really angry and ________, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been driving for the past two weeks, but ______ to get to work. He works at a company about 15 miles from his home in _____. It used to take him only twenty minutes to get to work. Now, he has to get up at ______ in order to catch the seven o'clock bus. If he had more money, he would ______. Unfortunately, he had just spent most of his savings on an _______ before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if he hadn't gone to Hawaii, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy. The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend Jason. He discovered that ________ after his car was stolen three weeks ago. He immediately went to his ______, but she told him that he had only bought a policy against accidents, and not ____. He became really angry and threatened to sue the company, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been ______ for the past two weeks, but has been taking the bus to get to work. He works at a company about _____ from his home in Davonford. It used to take him ______ to get to work. Now, he has to get up at six o'clock _____________. If he had more money, he would buy a new car. Unfortunately, he had just _________ on an exotic vacation to Hawaii before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if ________, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy.

Teaching dictation known as “dictogloss“ • • • Dictogloss is a language teaching technique that is used to teach grammatical structures To summarize a target – language text To encourage learner to focus on the form of their language Dictogloss activities have several advantages Dictogloss is often regarded as a multiple skills and systems activity Learners practice listening, writing and speaking (by working in groups) and use vocabulary, grammar and discourse systems in order to complete the task

Dictogloss Once upon a time there was a crab that lived on a beach in southern Spain. The other crabs called him Croqui, because he loved to cover himself in the sand, a bit like a croquette. Croqui loved sunlight and when summer came he went mad about getting the best place on the beach to sunbathe. He was always very tanned, but he never listened to the older crabs’ advice. The adult crabs always told him to put on sun cream to stop himself from getting sunburnt on his shell, but he would say that it wouldn’t do him any harm. One splendid hot summer’s day, Croqui was sunbathing when suddenly he began to smell burning. “What could that be? ” he thought. Then he realized that smoke was coming from one of his claws, and that it was scorched. So he raced into the sea to cool off. After emerging from the water, Croqui saw the burns on his claw and realised that if he had listened to the older crabs, he would never have got burned. Croqui learned that you have to be very careful on the beach, and that every time we go swimming we must put more cream on so that we don’t end up like Croqui the tanned crab. 1. Topic ( About the crab) 2. 3. 4. Grammar (The Past Simple Tense, Modal verbs) Warm – up Analyse (notes)

Using poems or songs in the classroom To find out songs To fill in the gap activities Focusing on grammatical structures or vocabulary

Most of the tried and tested activities used regularly by language teachers can be adapted easily to bring poetry into the classroom. n n n Communicative speaking activities Working on pronunciation Writing activities Some pros and cons Conclusion

Robert Burns «My heart`s in the Highlands» My heart`s in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My heart`s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer, A-chasing the wild deer and following the roe. My heart`s in the Highland, wherever I go! Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, The birthplace of valour, the country of worth. Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. ……

Five reasons why I use songs in class n They are authentic materials n You can also teach culture and history n Songs contain repetitions and repetitions enhance learning n Good way to teach vocabulary and pronunciation n They are fun and they can easily energize the unmotivated

THE SHOW MUST GO ON By Queen (Oct. 1991) Empty spaces - what are we living for Abandoned places - I guess we know the score On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for. . . Another hero, another mindless crime Behind the curtain, in the pantomime Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore The show must go on, yeah Inside my heart is breaking My make-up may be flaking But my smile still stays on Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance Another heartache, another failed romance On and on, does anybody know what we are living for ? I guess I'm learning (I'm learning) I must be warmer now I'll soon be turning (turning) Round the corner now Outside the dawn is breaking But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free The show must go on, yeah Ooh, inside my heart is breaking My make-up may be flaking But my smile still stays on Yeah yeah, whoa wo oh oh My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die I can fly - my friends The show must go on (go on, go on) yeah The show must go on (go on, go on) I'll face it with a grin I'm never giving in On - with the show Ooh, I'll top the bill, I'll overkill I have to find the will to carry on On with the show The show - the show must go on Go on, go on, go on Go on, go on Go on, go on…

Fill missing words in the gap Empty spaces – what are we living. . . ? Abandoned places, I guess we know the score. . . and. . . , Does anybody know what we are looking. . . ? The show must go. . . (x 2). . . my heart is breaking, My make-up may be flaking, But my smile still stays. . . Another hero, another mindless crime, . . . the curtain. . . the pantomime, Hold the line, does anybody want. . . take it anymore? My soul is painted like the wings. . . butterflies; Fairy tales. . . yesterday will go, but never die. I can fly, my friend. The show must go. . . (x 2). . . my heart is breaking, My make-up may be flaking, But my smile still stays. . . Whatever happens, I leave it all. . . chance. Another heartache, another failed romance. . . and. . . , does anybody know what we are living. . . ? I guess I’m learning; I must be warmer now. I’ll soon be turning. . . the corner now. . . the dawn is breaking, But. . . the dark, I’m aching. . . be free. The show must go on (x 2) I’ll face it. . . a grin! I’m never giving. . . !. . . the show. Oh, I’ll top the bill; I’ll overkill. I have. . . find the will. . . carry. . . With the show (x 2) The show must go. . .

References: n n n n Teaching English Radio www. teachingenglish. org. uk An Introduction to Teacher Development Teaching English Radio | Series 1 An Introduction to Teacher Development © British Council 2011 2 Learn How To Speak Fluent English. Get Our Free Email Course. 7 Days. www. deepenglish. com/Fast. English Course in England Range of courses that suit different levels. 1 -48 weeks! www. thelanguagegallery. com/English