After a couple of lessons where Sentence Builders have been introduced, language has been modelled via different activities and students have started learning/memorising the key vocabulary via Quizlet/Memrise and the range of activities withing the introduction stage, I spend the following lessons carrying out structured production activities whose aim is to increase students' confidence and develop, above all, oral skills. At this stage, retrieval practice is key and the IT tools discussed in my previous post (LearningApps, Flippity, Genially and Quizizz) would take place now, although these will not be the only ones!
These are some of my favourite activities at this stage:
Stealing sentences (level 2/3: reading with strategic gaps/ translating with
initials) Thanks to Gianfranco Conti for the idea.
This is the same activity conducted at stage 1, however, at a second level, students do not just read the sentences they need to steal, but read them with gaps (level 2) and translate them from a list with initials for support (level 3). A fourth level could include initials only! Below there are two examples on the topic of Transport for a Y9 class.
Battleships
This is one of my all times classic activity! I do this activity for listening but at this stage, for oral practice as a way to put Sentence Builders into practice. The beauty of Battleships is that they can be very, very simple or very, very complex!
Battleships is also great for grammar practice and drilling verb tenses once grammar is explained during this stage.
Dictogloss
Dictogloss is a
classroom dictation activity where learners are required to reconstruct a short
text by listening and noting down key words, which are then used as a base for
reconstruction. I love this activity because it is a multiple
skills and systems activity. Learners practise listening, writing and speaking
(by working in groups) and use vocabulary, grammar and discourse systems in
order to complete the task.
I sometimes carry out the activity doing the dictation myself but my favourite mode is when students work in small groups or pairs as follows:
1. One student reads a text prepared by me based on the Sentence Builders we are working on and will take notes in English (not literal translation)
2. Working in pairs, student one, using their English notes, will reconstruct/dictate the text in Spanish to student two. Student two will write in Spanish the text they hear. As a final task, both students will look at the original text and compare both versions.
I do use this at all levels by adapting a given text. An example on the topic of Jobs is below for a Y11 class. I tend to prepare two texts so all students have the chance to be speakers! Students then exchange information, this way Dictogloss becomes an information gap activity.
Finding someone who…
Teacher prepares pairs of cards based on the Sentence Builders we are working on. Students need to find the person with the same card as them by asking/ translating the sentences/paragraphs displayed on their cards.
Information gap activities
Any information gap activities are a great way to practise Sentence Builders and engage students. They can be very simple or very complex depending on Year group, ability etc... This is a complex example for a Y10 class.
Guess who/ where
This is a version of the original game but instead of physical descriptions students need to find out subjects people like, details about their holidays, jobs the do, views on environment etc.. This is a great way to practise questions too!
Translation Board Games
Any game based on translations of Sentence Builders are great activities: Snakes and Ladders is one of my favourite. I have a set of 10 A3 laminated Snakes and Ladders boards that can be used with any topic. I also have card sets with English sentences and correct Spanish translations at the back from all topics, based on my Sentence Builders (for this task our Spanish assistant is wonderful!) In order to advance, students need to pick up a card and translate it. Partners play in pairs or groups of 3/4. They can get instant feedback as the correct answer is at the back of the cards. I use the same principle with Jenga. I have 10 sets of this classic game to play while practising key structures. To make this activity more challenging, I have a set of high impact expressions cards to pick up from. Students then need to translate a specific card and extend the sentence by adding the high impact expression students picked up. I also recommend to invest in a couple of garden Jenga games! In the summer we play this game outside! Y7s in particular love it!
Duck/frog stick walk, thanks to Jennifer Wozniak for the idea.
Prepare a set of 15/20 rubber ducks, frogs or just
sticks with a number each. On the board display the numbers with translations by the side. Students come to the front, pick a duck/frog/stick
look at the number and translate the sentence with the number in display. When done, they return the item and pick
another one. The team who completes all the translations from the board the
quickest wins!
Oral translations Ping-Pong, thanks to Gianfranco Conti
As in translation board games, students work in pairs. They have each a set of translations which they must translate taking turns while their partner will check if the translation is correct. This is an example for a Y9 class on the topic of transport.
Translation with Dice
This a minimal preparation activity that works great with students. There are lots of variations to this activity
but basically, I prepare 6/12 sentences or key words on the board attached to
numbers 1 to 6 or 2 to 12 if working with two sets of dice. Students work in pairs or groups by
throwing the dice and saying a sentence with the key word which
corresponds to the number in the dice/s or translating the sentences. It could be question words on the board, sentences to be extended.
Translation with metalinguistic structures, thanks to Gianfranco Conti
Students work in pairs and translate different tenses, I display them on the board, but they must also categorise the language in them: subject, verb, reasons, direct object etc... This is great to make students aware of different grammatical concepts which in many cases, they are not aware of even in English!
Pyramid translation, thanks to Gianfranco Conti
Piedra, papel, tijera, evolution, thanks to Rachel Hawkes
This is the classic game, paper, stone, scissors! Students play the game and who loses need to translate a particular sentence or answer a question. I use my set of cards for this activity too, so the answer is at the back of the card. If the student translated correctly they evolve from egg, to chick, to bird, to elephant to superman, if they get it wrong they stay the same. The person who gets to Superman first wins!
At this stage I use all the activities discussed in my previous post using LearningApps, Quizizz tasks, Flippity, Wheel of names and Genially.
Also, for PPT users, check these PPT game templates to practise language as a whole class activity.
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Inductive Grammar
At the end of this stage, once students know their Sentence Builders well and have practised them via listening, reading, oral activities, I teach grammar inductively. I will leave how I do this for another post, though.
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