Participant book

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Brainstorming und a topic.

the ran do m ge ne rat ion of ideas based aro
Brainstorming is . They may then be us
ed
ordering of these ideas
There is no editing or su ch as writing or dis cu ssi on . It is oft en
oth er ac tiv ity,
as the basis for an torm the topic
a wh ole -cl as s ac tivity. Learners brains
very productive as the board.
g all the wo rds the y associate with it on
of smoking by wr itin
ng lesson on the topic.
a discursive essay-writi
This is then followed by nk more freely and
courage learners to thi
Brainstorming can en a more controlled plann
ing exercise.
if the y we re do ing each
creatively than y know, and to teach
to remember what the
It allows the learners lead lea rne rs int o a top ic.
and stimulating way to
other. It is a dynamic

Activating schemata
A cognitivist viewpoint claims that learning is not passive but an
active process of making sense of things. A teacher who introduces
the topic and invites learners to discuss it is activating schemata
– alerting the learners to any prior information, knowledge
or experience of the topic of the text so that they can access
the lesson most effectively. A schema can be said to be a kind
of memory, based on our expectations of what normally happens.
When we look at texts in our own language, for example,
we unconsciously recall previous knowledge of a topic or
skill area. We look at the pictures, the font and the page layout,
and make certain judgements about what we see.

Jigsaw
mation gap exercise.
A jigsaw listening or reading activity is an infor
text, then exchange
Learners hear or read different parts of a
lete a task.
information with others in order to comp
different versions of
For example, learners in three groups hear
with othe r learn ers, they complete
a meeting with aliens. Together
d on all three desc riptions of the
comprehension questions base
llent way to integ rate the skills,
meeting. Jigsaw tasks are an exce
and spea k and listen to others
as learners read or listen to a text,
the text. Most writt en texts can
to reconstruct the information in
y. Mana ging a jigsa w listen ing
be made into a jigsaw activity easil
it requ ires multi ple tape reco rders,
exercise is more challenging, as
other groups, and time.
enough space to listen without disturbing

1 Understanding language practice activities – Planning lessons and courses | © British Council 2016
 Participant book

Noticeboard

Jumble activity nces

rners need to put sente
In a jumble activity lea ating
text, or pictures illustr
or paragraphs from a exam ple , the
order. Fo r
a text, into the correct er
jum ble d pic tures into a possible ord
learners put are
t to see if their ideas
and then read the tex an d pa rag raphs
d sente nc es
right. Ordering jumble ss
raise learners’ awarene
is an excellent way to
e.
of features of discours

Dictogloss
where learners
Dictogloss is a classroom dictation activity
listening and
are required to reconstruct a short text by
as a base
noting down key words, which are then used
ss the sea.
for reconstruction. For example, learners discu
s a short text
The teacher then explains the task, and read
teacher reads
on the sea to the class, who just listen. The
In groups,
the text again, and the learners take notes.
gloss is often
the learners then reconstruct the text. Dicto
ity. Learners
regarded as a multiple skills and systems activ
working in
practise listening, writing and speaking (by
discourse
groups) and use vocabulary, grammar and
systems in order to complete the task.

n drill
Transformatio d Mind maps
s a sentence an
The teacher read m th e A mind map is a type of spider diagram
transfor
students must ed by
sentence in so me way specifi used to organise information visually.
d be ch an ging The main idea or theme is written in
is coul
the teacher. Th ng an the centre of a page and then lines,
changi
the verb tense, tive
e se nt ence to a nega words, colours, images are added
affirmativ je ct ive, to branch out from this central idea.
an ad
sentence, adding
w ords , or changing the This representation is individual to
switching the writer and will include anything
ntence.
register of a se that helps them to explain or
remember the topic.

Understanding language practice activities – Planning lessons and courses | © British Council 2016 2