Let Them Speak: Alternative Activities to TTT

Let Them Speak: Alternative Activities to TTT

Cakir, Yesim

Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching. If students do not learn how to speak or do not get enough opportunity to speak in the language classroom, they may soon get demotivated and lose interest in learning. On the other hand, with interesting activities and games, speaking in class can be a lot of fun, which will also raise students’ motivation and energize classes. The aim of this workshop is to provide teachers with interesting ideas and fun activities to get students to speak and make classes fun and dynamic places to be. The workshop will begin with an activity called Diamond Game (appropriate for all levels) that teachers can use on the first day of the school as an ice-breaker activity or anytime as a speaking activity. Then another fun and energetic activity called Fruit Basket (appropriate for lower levels) will be introduced. This activity is specially good for kinesthetic students as it gets them to speak and move at the same time. The next activity will be Fish Bowl (appropriate for upper-intermediate and above). In this challenging activity, students improvise a conversation by using the prompts written by their classmates. (Two other similar activities Whose line is it anyway? and Royal Banquet will also be mentioned briefly.) Tick-tock (appropriate for higher levels) is another challenging and enjoyable activity which helps students to practice speaking within the given time. The last activity; Secret Word (appropriate for higher levels) is a fun way to revise vocabulary and get students to speak. (Another similar activity; Throw for a word will also be mentioned briefly.) These activities provide a great way to energise speaking lessons and they require little or no preparation on the part of the teacher.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012-05-04

1041