Activity for Language Trainers on Speaking and Communication

Sometimes, as a language trainer, you feel like you could really use some fresh and engaging activities that would bring some fun to your classes.

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I've been blessed lately by the @steemiteducation community in many ways. I got to read and be inspired by other trainers, teachers, parents, and people who are sharing from their knowledge and I'm happy to see this wonderful community growing and sticking together.

Today, I want to share with you a very simple and fun activity I came up with while doing some brainstorming on ways that could help my students build a wider vocabulary when it comes to small talk or spontaneous reactions. It can serve you as an ice-breaker, energizer or even for team building sessions.

I named it How would you react?

Let's start with a very basic way of playing it:

1. Using cards and a flipchart

• Write down different random phrases and sentences (which require an immediate reaction) on cards; for example: ‘I’m so hungry!’ Or ‘I’ve got some news!’ Or other expressions and statements that you find useful or require reactions that you intend to get down to;
• Ask the students to add a reaction to the statements they've got on their card. Ask them to find as many reactions they can and write them all on the flipchart;
• Make it more complicated and add categories for their replies (that you can centralize in a table): kind, cold, indifferent, mean, overreacting, etc.

Get more creative and...

2. Use movie scenes

• Pick a movie scene where the studied language is spoken and play the first part of it. After everyone figured out what the scene is about, press pause right after someone made a statement that requires a reply;
• Ask the students to guess what the interlocutor was going to reply. (you can use this one as a contest). Then play it and see who had the closest version of the real reply (who's going to be the winner);
• Ask them what other possible replies could have resulted.

For example, let's say I teach English and I've just had my students watching a scene from Suits. After they understood the context, it happens that Rachel asks Jessica:

Now I press pause and give the participants the opportunity to guess Jessica's reply. I am writing on the flipchart all their versions of it. After they run out of ideas, I am playing the video and see what she really replied:

3. Which reaction fits better?

• Choose a scenario and tell it to your students;
• Offer them a number of reactions to it;
• Let the students pick the one(s) they think fits best.

4. Play it the other way around.

(you can use cards containing different kinds of reactions the students can get from an envelope/box) Ask the students to take turns reading their cards (reactions) and try to guess the scenario they're reacting to.

If you teach to an advanced class you can add to this exercise​ more "filters" such as: specific tenses and voices and formal/informal speaking.

I hope you'll find my post helpful! If you see other ways of using this activity or have ideas, don't hesitate to share them in the comments section.

And don't forget:

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~ Elise