Category Archives: Activities and Games

Novice Level Foreign Language Speaking : From Scaffolded to Interpersonal Dialog

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Novice Level Foreign (World) Language Speaking : From Scaffolded to Interpersonal Dialog (French, Spanish) wlteacher.wordpress.comNovice learners are often intimated to begin using a new foreign language that they are learning.  One activity that I do with them begins with the class co-creating a dialog that uses many of the functional chunks, song lyrics and vocabulary words that they have learned.  We purposefully leave out some information that students add in later based on personal information or choices.

Once this is done, groups of 2 students pair up to practice the dialog.  For some added fun I often let them use puppets and they can use a funny voice.  This helps to break down any inhibitions that they.  After practicing with the written dialog for a little while, groups continue working with the dialog without the text.  They then switch partners and continue communication interpersonally without the scaffolding of the written dialog.  The questions and answers often change with each new partner, but communication stays in the target language.

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Posted in Activities and Games, Classroom Procedures, Speaking, Writing

Online Interactive Speaking and Writing Activity Language Classes

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Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 6.11.49 AMOn Wheel Decide, teachers can type in the words that they want displayed on the wheel and on each click the wheel spins and lands on a random word.  There are so many uses for this online tool.  Fill in verbs and students write or say a sentence; type in vocabulary words and students write sentences or say a sentence in small groups or pairs; type in topics for pairs or small groups to use as speaking prompts; type in student names for setting up groups…so many possibilities.

The teacher can even save the wheels that he/she creates for future use.  It takes only minutes to create a wheel and you will be using it instantly.  And the best part is that it’s free.

Another version is Spinner Wheel. Also Free.

 

 

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Posted in Activities and Games, Grammar and Structures, Technology, Writing

Foreign Language Verb Form or Vocabulary Card Game-New Twist on Memory

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This is a fun and interactive  activity that students play in a group of 2, 3 or 4. It is an inventive twist on classic memory.  I call it “The Games Goes On.”  You’ll see why.  I typically do this with 20 pairs (40 cards total).

Foreign (World) Language Verb Form or Vocabulary Card Game-Updated Memory (French, Spanish) wlteacher.wordpress.com-Separate cards into two piles, picture cards and word cards (or subject/infinitive and verb form cards). On one side of the board, place the picture cards (or subject/infinitive and verb form cards) face down, one in each box, so that the numbers are covered.  The remaining cards go face-down in a pile on the “cards” box.

-On the other side of the board, place the word cards (or verb form cards) face down, one in each box, so that the numbers are covered.  The remaining cards go face-down on the in a pile on the “cards” box.

-Each player picks up two cards, one from each side of the board.  If the cards match the player keeps them and adds up the points that were under the two cards and keeps a running total of points throughout the game. For speaking practice the player should say the word (or verb form) or use it in a sentence. If the cards don’t match they are returned to their spots and play continues with the next player.

Foreign Language Verb Form or Vocabulary Card Game-New Twist on Memory (French, Spanish, World Language)-When a player gets a match he takes one card from each pile in the middle of the board and puts them (without looking at them) on the empty spaces and has an additional turn. This is the reason for the game being called “The Game Goes On”. This continues until the cards run out. Be sure to keep the words on one side of the board and the pictures on the other. The player with the most points after all the cards have been used wins.

You can download complete version of this activity below:

Spanish Grammar:

Spanish Vocabulary:

French Grammar:

French Vocabulary:

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Posted in Activities and Games, Grammar and Structures

Running Dictation in the Foreign Language Classroom

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This is a fun an interactive way for students to practice writing vocabulary, verb forms or sentence.  The complexity of the activity can be easily increased or decreased based on the  language level of the students.

Running Dictation in the Foreign (World) Language (French, Spanish) www.wlteacher.wordpress.comOn one side of the room, set up clip boards with pictures of vocabulary, subject/infinitive pairs or full sentences.  Number the items on the paper. Cover the paper with a colored piece of paper.  I use a different color on each board so that groups know which board is theirs.

On the other side of the room, line up chairs with another clipboard that has the numbers of the items on the other sheet with a blank line for writing.

Students work in pairs (or groups of three). One student begins sitting in  the chair with the clipboard and a pencil.  When you begin the activity, the second students runs to the clipboard on the other side of the room, lifts the colored paper and begins with number one.  He/she memorizes the picture (if doing the activity with vocabulary), the correct verb form or the sentence.  He/she then runs back to the student in the chair and says what the word, verb form or sentence is and the student in the chair writes it on the paper.  They then switch rolls and continue until all the lines are filled.

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Posted in Activities and Games, Writing

A Balanced Approach to Fluency and Accuracy in the Foreign Language Classroom

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The new wave of communicative language teaching focuses more on fluency, which is a great improvement from the past, but my teaching experience and research have taught me that there is a place for activities that focus on fluency and activities that focus on accuracy in the foreign language classroom.

A Balanced Approach to Fluency and Accuracy in the Foreign (World) Language Classroom (French, Spanish) wlteacher.wordpress.comFrom time to time I like to have students engage in activities and games that focus on language forms, even if the focus is not as communicative as I may want.  I have found that this is an important step in building the skills that students need to communicate.  Some of these activities include Dice Games, Card Games,  Spinner Games, Verb Form Games, and Powerpoint Games.

Here is my rational

Fluency is the natural use of language that occurs when a speaker takes part in meaningful interaction that maintains communication despite inaccuracy, and requires negotiation of meaning and addresses misunderstandings.

Accuracy, on the other hand, focuses on correct use of language and structures.

Traditional teaching methods have focused more attention on accuracy of language at the expense of fluency. In the communicative language classroom instruction should provide a balanced approach that gives students opportunities to build fluency, while at the same time tending to the accuracy of their language, so that incorrect (inaccurate) language forms are not fossilized

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Posted in Activities and Games, Classroom Procedures, Grammar and Structures, Teaching Methodology and Research

Foreign Language Vocabulary and Verb Form Scavenger Hunt

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Screen Shot 2015-12-31 at 5.21.28 PMThere are two versions of this activity.  In version 1, students begin with a word and find the picture.  In version 2, students begin with a picture and find the word.  This activity can also be done with verb forms, where students begin with a subject/infinitive and find the verb form, or they begin with the verb form and find the subject/infinitive.

Foreign (World) Language Vocabulary and Verb Scavenger Hunt. (French, Spanish) www.wlteacher.wordpress.comForeign (World) Language Vocabulary and Verb Scavenger Hunt. (French, Spanish) www.wlteacher.wordpress.com

Version 1 : Groups choose a word to begin on one of the slips of paper around the room.  Groups can begin with any word because the hunt will make a loop. Students search the slips of paper around the room for the picture that corresponds to the word that they chose.  When they find the picture there is a number under the picture.  They find this number on their sheet and write the word next to the number.  Groups then continue the activity with the word to the right of the picture that they found.  When all of the numbers on the sheet are identified the scavenger hunt is complete.

Foreign (World) Language Vocabulary and Verb Scavenger Hunt. (French, Spanish) www.wlteacher.wordpress.com

Version 2 : This works the same as the version above, but students begin with a picture and find the correspond word.

Foreign (World) Language Vocabulary and Verb Scavenger Hunt. (French, Spanish) www.wlteacher.wordpress.comYou can download full versions of these activities below:

Spanish Vocabulary

Spanish Verb Forms

French  Vocabulary

French Verb Forms

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Posted in Activities and Games

Foreign Language Verb Form Practice with Landmarks and Art

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Foreign Language Verb Form Practice with Landmarks and Art (French) wlteacher.wordpress.com

Foreign Language Verb Form Practice with Landmarks and Art (French) wlteacher.wordpress.com

This is an interactive activity for students to practice verb forms in a foreign language.  Download the powerpoint templates:

Begin by typing the infinitives and corresponding verb forms on the powerpoint template.  Be sure to put the verb forms in the opposite direction so that line up when placed on top of each other.   Then, print out the two verb sheets and the the puzzle image that you would like, and photocopy the subject/infinitive sheet onto the back of the image that you chose. Card stock is more durable, but regular paper works as well.  And finally cut out the squares along the lines dividing the subject/infinitive pairs.

Foreign Language Verb Form Practice with Landmarks and Art (French) wlteacher.wordpress.com

The templates have 10 images to choose from (5 famous paintings 5 landmarks). There are also two version of the verb puzzle that can be used with any of the images.

Students match the subject/infinitive to the correct verb form on the puzzle board and place the subject/infinitive on top of the verb form with the image side facing up. They continue until the image is complete.

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Posted in Activities and Games, Grammar and Structures

Foreign Language Speaking Activity with Dice; Vocabulary and Verb Forms

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Students can do this activity in groups of 2, 3 or 4. Each player gets their own card.  1 die is needed and bingo chips (or anything that will cover the die on the card). The object of the game is to be the first to cover all 12 dice on the card.

Foreign (World) Language Speaking Activity with Dice; Vocabulary and Verb. (French, Spanish) wlteacher.wordpress.comPlayer 1 rolls the die and chooses one of the two dice with that number on their card and says the word or verb form in the target language.   If correct, they cover the die.  Play continues with the next student.  Once two of the same number are covered on a player’s card play will continue to the next player if the number is rolled again.
The first player to cover all the numbers on their card wins the round.  Students then exchange their card with another player and play the round again.

This can be easily adapted to various proficiency level by having students use one word, a chunked phrase or even full, created sentences.

Download lots of versions of these activities:

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Posted in Activities and Games, Grammar and Structures, Speaking

Speaking and Writing Activities with Playing Cards

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Getting students to actively use language in meaningful ways doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is a deck of playing cards and a little structure. In this post, I’m sharing one of my favorite sets of no-prep activities that consistently get students speaking  while having fun and building confidence along the way.

In Cœurs, Carreaux, Trèfles et Piques / Corazones, Diamantes, Tréboles y Picas, students pull one red and one black card to create a subject-verb pair or subject-picture pair. They write complete sentences, flipping new cards each round. It’s quick, simple, and gets students thinking beyond isolated words.

In Le Chemin / El Camino, students lay the whole deck of cards out as a winding path. They roll dice to move their game piece and create sentences based on where they land. I love how this brings energy and movement to the classroom, and students stay motivated to keep communicating.

Match Nul / Partido Empatado is all about quick thinking. Students flip cards, and the highest card wins the chance to create a complete sentence using a subject and verb or picture from the game board. It’s fast-paced and perfect for encouraging spontaneous language production.

Each game also comes with support pages — adverbs, conjunctions, negatives, questions — to help students add complexity to their sentences. I’ve found this really empowers students to push beyond basic structures and communicate more fully.

These activities are no-prep, highly engaging, and a fantastic way to build language confidence in a fun, low-stress way.

You can download French and Spanish of these activities here:

French:

Spanish:

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Posted in Activities and Games, Grammar and Structures, Speaking

Foreign Language Number and Color Practice Activity

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I’m always looking for ways to reinvent materials that I already have in new and interactive ways.  Many times we as teachers don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we just have to find new ways to spin it.   This is a quick set-up activity that requires almost no prep and gives students numerous opportunities to practice saying colors and numbers in the target language.  There is also an opportunity for students to practice some simple math.

Foreign (World) Language Number and Color Practice Activity (French, Spanish) wlteacher.wordpress.comI use a deck of UNO cards minus all the special cards (Reverse, Skip, etc.).  Only the number cards are used in the activity.

  • Students play in groups of 2-4 and lay out the cards with the numbers facing down.
  • Each player takes a turn choosing two cards, they do not have to match in number or color.  The player then says the two colors and the two numbers.
  • Depending on the math level of the students, the play can either add the numbers together and say the total or multiply them.  He/She then puts the cards aside and records the sum.
  • After each player takes a turn, he/she adds to their total.  Once all the cards are used the player with the highest total wins.

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Posted in Activities and Games, Speaking