Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ss can practice the simple past by saying what time they got up, what they ate for breakfast, and how they got to school or
work. On the board, write down what time you got up, what you ate for breakfast, and how you got to school. Make sentences
with each and ask the Ss to repeat. Then do a chain activity by having the next S repeat the your answers, then supply his or
her own, and so on.
For example: This morning, I got up at 7:00. I ate cereal. I drove to school.
Next S: The teacher got up at 7:00, s/he ate cereal, and s/he drove to school. I got up at 6:30, I ate scrambled eggs, and I
took the bus to school.
2. COLOR ME RED
Write the color of a S’s shirt, jeans, backpack, shoes, or purse on board and ask the class to guess who is wearing the color.
Whoever gets the correct answer can write the next color on the board and Ss guess again. They should try to pick a different
color than one already on the board.
4. I SPY
This update to the classic is a great way to work on descriptions. Start by saying, “I see something ...” and describe the color,
shape, and location of an object in the room. The S who guesses then chooses another object and the class guesses again.
5. LISTEN CAREFULLY
Practice contractions through dictation: You’ll say the following sentences out loud with contractions, and the Ss will write
them down in a notebook. Then ask individual Ss to come up and write the full sentences on the board without contractions.
6. HOW MUCH?
Asking how much something costs—and understanding the answer—can be a challenge for second language learners. In
pairs, have Ss decide on a business, such as a restaurant, shoe store, hotdog stand, coat store, etc. They should each make
a list of what they sell and how much each item costs. (Aim for five to six items each.) Then the Ss form new pairs and prac-
tice asking and answering what each other sells and how much the items cost.
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7. TELEPHONE
Everyone knows grammar charts are dull. But you can liven them up with the old game of telephone. To introduce a new
grammatical structure, whisper a sample sentence in a S’s ear. Have the S repeat what s/he heard to the next S, and then s/
he repeats what s/he heard to the next S, and so on. The last S writes what s/he heard on the board, and then you write the
correct sentence below it. Have fun comparing the telephone version to the correct one, and then introduce the key gram-
matical structures.
8. CORRECTIONS
Spotting and correcting writing errors is always a challenge for Ss. Here’s an engaging game for practicing this important skill.
Divide the class into three groups, and then writing a sentence on the board, but misspell words, leave out or put in incorrect
punctuation, use incorrect tenses and capitalization. Have group A make fixes on the board for 30 seconds. Give them one
point for each correct fix. Now let groups B and C raise their hand to point out any missed or incorrect fixes. They get two
points for each correct answer. Repeat with the next group, and so on.
Sample sentence: did the Quik brown fox jump over Lasy red dog.
9. ACHOO
Giving advice is always fun. Pretend to sneeze and sniffle and ask Ss to diagnose you—you have a cold. Then elicit advice
on getting better.
10. DIRECTIONS
Write your street address on the board (you can leave out the house or apartment number). Then give directions from the
school to your street, writing key phrases (turn left, go two blocks, take Exit 7) on the board. Let Ss take turns giving direc-
tions to their house or work. (If possible, project a simplified map of your city on the wall and trace with their directions with
your finger.)
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I’m allways studing.
13. INTRODUCTIONS
Have half the class stand and form a circle facing outwards. Now have the other half form a circle facing the first half. Write a
simple introduction conversation on the board, such as:
As the Ss finish, have the outer circle rotate one S to the left until they’ve completed the circle.
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hand that me will you?
Similar Mexican idiom: The sleepy shrimp is carried away on the current
Give the Ss a topic like describing an animal, and then have them form groups and try to come up with a haiku. Have each
group read their finished version out loud while the rest of the class claps the syllables.
Write the following conversation on the board and have the Ss practice in pairs, trading roles.
B: Yes.
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23. SPOOKY SPELLING
In October, write “Halloween” on the board and then have Ss make as many words as they can out of the letters. Award
prizes or declare winners for Ss who spell the most words and those who make the longest words.
24. FLAGGED
In groups of three or four, have Ss collaborate in drawing your country’s flag. Hang the results on the board and give them
praise for the aspects that are correct. Then quiz the Ss on the symbolism in the flag. (Good for citizenship classes.) The
American flag, for example, has 13 stripes which represent the first 13 colonies and 50 stars, one for each state. The color
red represents bravery, white for purity, and blue for justice.
25. DISSATISFIED
Can your Ss explain problems and request a fix politely? Have them think about a problem in their apartment or at their job,
then craft an email explaining the problem and requesting a fix. On the board, indicate how to organize the email: Self-intro-
duction, what the problem is, and a polite request (using “could,” “would,” and “please”) for a repair or solution. Have the Ss
share their email with a partner to help make corrections, and then with the class.
27. IS IT HEALTHY?
Discussing healthy food is a popular pastime. Have the Ss form groups and hand each group a grocery store flier. Have Ss
discuss which foods are healthy. Then have them construct a healthy meal with help from the flier. Each group can write their
meal on the board, and then the class can vote on the healthiest and most appealing one.
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To surprise, surprising, surprise To widen, wide, width
Explain that these prefixes can make a word its own opposite (antonym). Now write:
honest organized
patient regular
responsible
Have Ss form groups and guess which prefixes go with which words, then use their dictionaries to find more. Ss can also
make sentences with the new vocabulary.
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36. SMALL TALK
Elicit examples of how to start a conversation, introduce oneself, and talk about a topic that is easy to discuss: the weather,
sports, etc. Then ask the Ss to stand and go speak to someone in class with whom they’ve never or rarely spoken.
BR bedroom
BA bath
Bldg. building
DR dining room
incl. included
Kit kitchen
Lg. large
Lndry laundry
LR living room
Pkg parking
Utils. utilities
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41. SYNONYM VOCABULARY BUILDER
Write several words on the board (the first in each pair below) and ask Ss in groups to try and come up with words that have
a similar meaning.
Seat/chair ill/sick
Mad/angry large/big
Giggle/laugh hop/jump
Begin/start finish/end
44. AS TOLD TO
Form groups of three. S A tells S B what he had for breakfast. Then C writes down what A said to B: “Jose told Maria that he
had cereal for breakfast.” The Ss change roles and continue until everyone has written a sentence. Then ask the Ss to write
their sentences on the board, and let the class offer corrections.
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48. ANTONYM VOCABULARY BUILDER
Make two teams and have a S from each come to the board. You’ll say “heavy,” for example, and the first S that correctly
spells “light” scores a point for her team. Here are some examples.
Heavy/light hard/soft
Bright/dark big/small
Tall/short fat/thin
Wide/narrow expensive/cheap
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swimming,” his partner should reply, “You’re right, it’s not hot enough.”
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Big mouth Big fish in a small pond
In groups, have the Ss finish the sentences with the appropriate form, then share their experiences with the class. Encourage
them to embellish their endings.
Burger Milk
Wine Apples
Toothpaste Nails
65. RECYCLE
The re- prefix is useful. Explain to Ss that it means to do something again. Take five minutes with the class to come up with as
many “re” words as you can, and help the Ss with the definitions when they aren’t obvious.
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Rerun recycle
Rebuild Redo
Repaint Refinish
Reinjure Repair
Have the Ss form pairs and figure out where—or if—the classroom has each of these safety features. If not, have them find
the closest examples. Then have the Ss explain the importance of each, with corrections where necessary.
Irregular Regular
Child Boy
Man Guy
Woman Girl
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Person Classmate
Foot Toe
Tooth Mouth
has eaten Japanese food has studied English for more than two years
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has two children has lived in this country more than five years
Then write: Have you ...? Have Ss practice asking, then have them stand and mingle as they try to find classmates who fit the
bill.
Is that a bear?
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82. FIND SOMEONE WHO: FUTURE
To practice future tense questions and answers, have Ss stand and walk around the class to see if they can find someone
who:
Beef Cookie
Bread Doughnut
Cake Cupcake
Cereal Egg
Pizza Burger
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on board:
Model, then have Ss stand and mingle with classmates, practicing conversation.
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94. WE’RE HAVING A PARTY
In small groups, have the Ss plan a party. This is good future tense practice. Have the Ss decide what kind of party they’ll
have (cocktail, barbecue, dancing, dinner, costume, etc.), what they’ll need for the party (food, music, decorations), and what
each S is responsible for. Then they can tell the class about their plans.
99. BURY/BERRY
Ss can practice using context to figure out which word they’re hearing with a little dictation. Read these sentences out loud
and then have the Ss compare what they’ve written.
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into two groups, half will be storekeepers, half customers. Ss can practice the language used when shopping: “I’m looking
for...” “I need...” “Do you have...?” The storekeepers will sell only one of each of the items, and they can practice phrases like,
“I’m sorry, we don’t sell that/those,” “What size do you need?” “It/They costs $...”
Items:
A guitar Candy
103. WRITE AN AD
This is a great exercise for practicing descriptive language, and also for teaching Ss about the nature of advertising. Bring in
flyers from local car dealers, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Or use television ads recorded on a DVD. Have Ss pick out the
descriptors and write them on the board. Now challenge groups of three or four to write their own advertisement for a product,
such as beer, detergent, dog food, coffee, or cereal. The Ss will present the ad to the class. The class can vote on the most
persuasive.
105. THEY’RE/THEIR/THERE
Homonyms are the bane of most ESL learners, but these three give even native speakers trouble. Try some dictation to help
Ss practice discerning the difference.
They’re still not ready to ride bikes: Their helmets are over there.
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106. WEATHER IDIOMS
What do they mean? Which ones are really about weather?
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The class tries to guess what she’s doing.
The Airport:
116. SCRAMBLE
Put some vocabulary words up on the board, but with the letters scrambled. Ss take turns unscrambling the letters.
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with another food pair. The group that gets the most correct wins.
Dirty work
Work it
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125. WHAT MARIA WAS DOING
Maria is always up to something, but right now she’s practicing past progressive. Start a story on the board with: “Maria was
brushing her teeth while she was driving to work.” Have the Ss continue the story, and reward them for being imaginative as
well as using the proper grammatical structure.
Ask Ss to come up with some requests—normal ones like “Please hand me that pen,” and more outlandish ones. (Sing a
song, dance, do jumping jacks, etc.) Ss can practice in small groups politely agreeing to or declining requests.
132. FAIR/FARE
More fun with homonyms: Dictate several sentences using these words, and see if Ss can guess from the context which one
they should use.
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I went to the fair.
Now ask a S, “Jose, can you swim?” If the answer is yes, write “Jose, swim” on the board. Now have the Ss stand with a
piece of paper and circulate around the class.
Cashing in Cheapskate
137. JEOPARDY
Use the gameshow format of giving answers to help Ss practice making questions. Use answers that will elicit target struc-
tures that you’re working on. Some examples:
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It’s 12:05. (What time is it?)
140. CHRISTMAS/HANUKKAH
Give the Ss more options for their seasonal spelling competition by providing with two holidays from which they can grab let-
ters. Have them spell as many words as they using the two holidays as their source, and give prizes for the most words and
the longest ones.
144. BOARD/BORED
Dictation practice: Have Ss guess the correct word from context.
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145. SENTENCED
Understanding vocabulary is one thing. Being able to use the words in sentences shows mastery. Split the class into groups
and then write a vocabulary word on the board. Each group tries to be the first one to come up with a sentence. Have the first
group who is finished come up and write the sentence on the board. If it’s error free, they get a point. If there’s a mistake, ask
the other groups what it is. The right correction earns the point instead.
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153. YOU’RE A BUS DRIVER
Split the class into two teams, then hand one S from Team 1 a card with a profession on it, such as doctor, bus driver, taxi
driver, cook, housecleaner, librarian, etc. That person must act out the profession while his team guesses. They get one min-
ute. Then the next team takes a turn with a different profession. Continue until everyone has had a chance.
comfortable
common decided expected finished happiness
158. DIALOGUE
Bring in a picture of someone speaking on the phone with a strong expression on his or her face: alarm, surprise, joy, etc. Or
the person could be speaking on a cell next to a broken down car, for example. Have Ss work in pairs to come up with two
sides to this conversation, then perform it for the class.
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160. I NEED A FAVOR
Ask Ss to imagine or remember a time when they needed help. Have them craft a request for a favor, and let a few Ss read
them out loud. Correct for proper language (use of “could you, would you mind, can I ask a favor”), and then elicit possible
responses. Have the class stand and mingle, asking and granting or declining favors.
162. “INTRODUCING…!”
Tell Ss they are going to do a big introduction of a classmate, but first they need to find out about them. Write the five inter-
rogatives on the board and elicit questions Ss might want to ask to find out about someone. Make sure they ask at least one
question that would reveal something remarkable about the person (“What’s the most amazing thing that’s happened to you?”
or “What’s something surprising about you?”). Then have Ss interview in pairs and then do introduce their partner to the
class.
164. WHERE/WEAR
Dictation and vocabulary practice: Read the sentences below and see if the Ss can guess from the context which word they
should be writing.
Do you know where the party is? What will you wear?
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167. EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR
Make a set of index cards with the following activities on them:
Do homework
Place the cards face down on your desk and have one S come to the front of the class and pick a card, read it, then hand it to
you. The S will pantomime the activity while the class tries to guess what it is.
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Love at first site A blind date
Encase enact
Enclose encourage
Endear enfold
Enslave envision
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181. STAND YOUR GROUND
All the Ss stand, and then you say a vocabulary word out loud. The first S says the first letter of the word, the second S the
second letter, the third S the third letter, and so forth. If someone says the wrong letter, he or she sits and the spelling starts
over. After the last letter is said correctly, the next S must say the word correctly and give a definition. Then start with the next
word.
182. FLOUR/FLOWER
Ask Ss to come up with sentences using these words. Then form pairs, and have each read S their sentence to the other. The
S has to guess which spelling is the correct one.
186. IN MY COUNTRY…
Write some common sayings about health on the board, such as “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and “Early to bed,
early to rise keeps a person healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Ask Ss if they have similar proverbs in their first languages. En-
courage them to write it in their first language, and then translate it to English, and then let the class try to figure out what it
means.
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187. WRITE A RULE: PARALLEL VERBS
Write these two sentences on the board:
Ask Ss what the difference between the two, and if both are correct. Then come up with a rule: When two verbs refer to the
same subject, you don’t have to repeat the subject. Have them practice writing examples of this rule.
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A.M/P.M Ante Meridiem/Post Meridiem “before midday/after midday”
ibid. ibidem “in the same place” (used in citations to indicate a prior source)
Noun Verb
SUSpect susPECT
CONtract conTRACT
REbel reBEL
PROtest proTEST
REcord reCORD
PERmit perMIT
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CONvict conVICT
PREsent preSENT
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204. A SPORTING CHANCE
In groups, one S acts out a sport while his partners try to guess what he’s doing.
205. WHO AM I?
On index cards, write down a living or dead famous person—someone everyone in the class should know. Tape the cards to
the Ss’ backs, then have them practice yes/no questions, such as: “Am I female? Am I tall? Am I a singer? Am I a politician?
Etc.
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Done to a T Eat and run
217. HEAL/HEEL
First, read the sentences below and check whether the Ss have made the correct choice from context. Then have Ss come
up with sentences of their own using these homonyms, and then test each other.
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That guy is such a heel. Maybe the right woman can help him heal.
218. TO/-TA/-NA
Native speakers run words together frequently, making it tough for second-language listeners. Try some dictation to give Ss
practice:
You ought to call your mom, first. (You otta call your mom, first.)
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form them that they must also recommend whether others should see it. Once they’ve discussed the positives and negatives
and decided whether they would recommend it, have them write a short review and present it to the class.
226. DIDYA
Native English speakers abuse “Did + pronoun” questions by running the words at the beginning of the sentence together.
Help Ss practice with this dictation:
inform judge
lead place
fit interpret
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gossip they’ve just heard.
232. TIME’S UP
Draw a clock face on the board and then draw a random small hand and big hand. Ask the class, “What time is it?” The first S
who gets it right comes up to the board and draws a new time, then asks the class, “What time is it?” Continue until everyone
has had a turn.
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and must sit. Start again, and the last S standing is the winner.
Ask Ss to spot the difference between the sentences and whether both are correct. Then come up with a rule to help them re-
member the structure: You don’t have to repeat the helping verb when two verbs are the same tense connect by “and.” Have
them come up with some more examples.
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243. THIRD-PERSON CHALLENGE
On the board, write of verbs that will help Ss practice the gamut of past form changes: rent, save, study, lift, watch, relax, call,
etc. You can do this activity as a whole class or break the class up into teams. The S must make a sentence in the present
tense using one of the verbs in the first or third person. A classmate must then change the sentence to past tense, focusing
on the ending sound of the verb. For example, a S says, “I relax after work.” or “My son relaxes after school.” Another S must
now say, “Cho (or Cho’s son) relaxed (“t” ending sound) after work (school) yesterday.”
Predate predict
Preparation predetermine
preoccupy
248. KNOW/NO
Homonym confusion: Help Ss sort out what they’re hearing by listening for the context of the word. Make this more challeng-
ing by working salting in sentences using “knows” and “nose.” Try some dictation with these sentences:
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You know what they always say: The nose knows.
254. PROVERBS
Every culture has its words of wisdom. Assign one proverb each to groups of three or four Ss and have them puzzle out the
meaning. Then have them present their definition to the class.
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
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255. WHAT’S YOUR CLASSROOM STYLE?
Elicit from Ss what behaviors in class can assist learning. Some possibilities include, “ask the teacher questions,” “Speak only
English in class and on break,” “write new vocabulary on cards,” “be outgoing.” Then have the Ss mingle and find other Ss
who practice these behaviors. They can write down the S’s name next to the behavior. At the end, quiz Ss about who does
what.
256. WE MUST
Bring in magazine ads that show people doing various things. In pairs, have Ss come up with questions for what’s happening
in the photo. (For a picture of a woman coughing, Ss could write, “Why is she coughing?”) Then they turn to a new S and ask
their question, and the S must respond using “must”: “She must have a cold.”
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263. DO YOU NEED ANYTHING?
Practice supermarket vocabulary, count and noncount nouns, and making requests with this activity. This is a whole class ac-
tivity but if you have a very large class, you can break into two groups. Model the activity by saying, “I’m going to the store. Do
you need anything.” “Yes, can you pick me up some milk/a loaf of bread/a bottle of ketchup, etc...” Explains that each S will
request an item, and each S after that must also make a request, but must first repeat all of the previous requests in order.
The teacher begins the activity by asking the first S, “I’m going to the store. Do you need anything?” S one answers, “Yes, I
need _______.” Then S1 turns to S2 and says the prompt, “I’m going to the store. Do you need anything?” S2 says, “Yes, can
you pick me up (what S1 requested) and _______.” Then S2 asks S3, who must remember the two previous requests and
add one more, and so on. When a S fails to remember an item or says the list of items out of order, they are out of the game.
The winner is the last one who remembers all the items.
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270. WHAT’S THE “OVER-”?
This prefix is pretty easy for Ss, but they may not realize how frequently it’s used or recognize how it can help them under-
stand new vocabulary. Write “due” and “overdue” on the board and elicit the meaning (“excessive”). Do the same with the
following words:
Overboard overburden
Overact overcrowded
Overlook overpass
271. ADD IT UP
For beginning level Ss, practice counting money and learning the vocabulary surrounding cash is always useful. Draw crude
examples of the coins and bills of your currency. Create groups of three or four Ss, then write numbers next to several of the
coins and bills. For U.S. currency, for example, you could write 1 next to nickels, 4 next to dimes, 2 next to dollar bills, and 3
next to five-dollar bills. The group has 20 seconds to come up with $17.45. If they get it right, they get a point. Then erase the
numbers and write a new set.
274. ARE/OUR
Dictation practice: Test your Ss comprehension abilities by reading the sentences below and checking whether they get the
right spelling.
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the back of the image. Split the class into four or five groups, and hold up one image. Each group decides on a price and
writes it down. Then they each give their answer. Turn over the image—the closest guess wins a point.
277. PAIRS
Play this association game to drill Ss on household vocabulary. Tell the class you will say a household word and they have to
come up with an associated word. For example, you say “Faucet,” and someone responds “sink.” Then that S can make an
association by saying, for example, “bathtub” and someone else can say “bathroom” or “shower.” Continue as you make your
way around the house.
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283. YEAR IN, YEAR OUT
Split the class into two groups and have one S from each come to the board and give them markers. Say two months—
“February and March,” for example. The first S to write the month that comes between scores a point for his or her team.
Then have two more Ss come up.
287. HYPOCHONDRIAC
Write various ailments on pieces of paper and give them to Ss—and tell them not to show the paper to anyone else. The S
will act out the problem and the rest of the Ss will guess what’s wrong, and then offer solutions.
Possible ailments:
Cold Headache
Allergies Hiccups
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289. “NON-” SENSE
Learning prefix meanings can help Ss quickly expand their vocabulary. Write “sense” and “nonsense” on the board. Ask Ss
what they think “non” might mean. Then do the same with some more words:
Nonverbal nonstop
Nonentity nonabrasive
Nonargument noncompliance
292. TIC-TAC-TOE
Put vocabulary words on the board in a tic-tac-toe grid and separate the classes into an X team and and O team. X goes first:
They must use the vocabulary word in the space they want in a sentence correctly. If they get it right, put an X in the spot.
Then it’s O’s turn. Continue until one group wins, then start over.
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superlative, “Biggest!” Then move to the second group and show the next card to them. Keep the game moving quickly. If
anyone in the group yells the wrong form or the group is slow, they get a mark against them.
299. CONTRACTED
Low level Ss can always use practice with contractions. Have each Ss take out a piece of paper and write five contractions
and five short phrases that aren’t contracted. Have them exchange the paper with a neighbor, and then they each write the
non-contracted and contracted forms of the phrases. Then let them check each other’s work.
Have Ss form groups and figure out definitions for the phrase you’ve given them. Then have them use them in sentences.
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