Scribd
Upload
83 views3 pages

Activities For First Lessons 1

The document provides suggestions for introductory activities for first English lessons, including icebreakers to help students get to know each other and the teacher. Suggested activities include 'Find Someone Who' to practice questions, 'Classmate Bingo' using classmates' names, discussing favorite things, and an 'expert game' where students interview each other about their interests and hobbies.

Uploaded by

ozigan16
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
83 views3 pages

Activities For First Lessons 1

The document provides suggestions for introductory activities for first English lessons, including icebreakers to help students get to know each other and the teacher. Suggested activities include 'Find Someone Who' to practice questions, 'Classmate Bingo' using classmates' names, discussing favorite things, and an 'expert game' where students interview each other about their interests and hobbies.

Uploaded by

ozigan16
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Activities for first lessons 1

By Clare Lavery

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant/teaching-tips/activities-first-lessons-1

The activities that you use in your first lessons are very important and are likely to set the tone for
the rest of your classes. In your first lessons, it is good to focus on two areas:

 Getting to know each other (the assistant, and classmates if it is a newly formed group)
 Exchanging personal information ( so you get an idea of group interests and language
level)

The activities outlined below are suitable from beginners level up and some can be adapted to suit
higher levels.

Find someone who


Put the title 'Find someone who' on a worksheet. Draw a grid (5 squares across and 5 down). In
each square put the prompts: hates cats, likes rap, and lives near the school. The prompts will
depend on the language structures you wish to practice/use.

 Elicit the questions students will need to ask before you allow them to circulate and ask
each other.
 The first person to write a name for someone in each of his categories is the winner. Elicit
feedback with students telling you about their findings: Anna has visited the USA, Johann
has never been out of Germany, and Thomas has travelled by plane. Stick to one theme
(family, holidays, hobbies) if you wish.
 Adapt this game for younger learners giving a point for each name filled in each square.
Students add up their points when you tell them to stop.

Classmate Bingo (absolute beginners)


Students choose 6 names of students in their class and put them in a bingo grid. Ask for names
around the class.

 Students cross off the names mentioned on their bingo card.


 The first person to cross off all names on their card is the winner.
 Change the theme from names to food and drink I like or my favorite sport and hobbies
etc.

These are a few of my favorite things (all levels)


Use the Julie Andrews song as an introduction, just read the words or sing them if you haven’t got
the music.

 Put prompts on the board under the word favorite : food, sport, school subject, number,
color or go for more imaginative prompts for more fluent students smell, sound, taste, day
of the year, season family friend, style of clothing etc. Adapt topic areas to age range and
tastes.
 Work through possible questions. Give your replies as an example .and elicit individual
replies for students.
 Students with more English can be encouraged to justify their choices: I like the winter
best because I’m very keen on skiing.
 Students interview each other. Extend by asking them to find someone who shares a
favorite thing with them.

Younger students can illustrate their favorite things or make a collage to describe next lesson. Help
with new words for these collages.
An alternative is to start the lesson with a collage (cut from magazines) of your favorite things or
some objects from home like postcards, photos, personal possessions. Encourage questions from
higher levels about your collage/objects.

A variation of the above: My Top 5 favorite (places, records, people, weekend activities etc.)

Activities for first lessons 2


By Clare Lavery

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant/teaching-tips/activities-first-lessons-2

The following activities focus primarily on fluency and are suitable for intermediate level and up.
They will give you a chance to get to know the class, break the ice and estimate their language
level. Try not to correct them too much and be available to help with vocabulary needs.

An object which is important to me


Make a list of 4 or 5 objects which you hold dear (or take them to the class). Play this question
game in 2 ways.

 Show or describe your objects. Students ask you questions about each object.
 They must try and think of at least 5 questions for each object (give them time to think of
questions in pairs, if necessary).
 Students then choose an object or 2 objects and ask each other about them.

OR

 Keep the identity of the object secret. Ask questions to guess the object: Is it animal,
vegetable or mineral? Is it worth a lot of money? Can you use it at school? Do people use it
at home? Is it an item of clothing?
 After a few questions reveal your object and give some background to it : It’s a key ring
which my brother gave to me for my 18th birthday It was my best birthday and this key
ring reminds me of it.

A person I admire
Students choose 3 people (one from their family, one at school and one in public life).They explain
their choices to each other. Prepare this by using your own examples and reviewing adjectives to
describe people.

The expert game


Ask students to make a list of 5 interests or hobbies that they may have. Make a list for yourself on
the board:

 Write expert on the board and elicit a definition.


 Ask students if they think they are an expert on something. Explain that we can know a lot
about something we are particularly interested in.
 Look at the lists you have made. Students should choose 2 interests from their list of 5.
Explain that for this lesson they will be the class expert on those topics.
 They must write their 2 topics on a piece of paper/or the back of their original list and
display these 2 topics in front of them on the desk.
 Do the same for yourself and invite questions about your topics from the class.
For Example: Horror films:
o Which is the best horror film ever made?
o When did you first get interested in horror?
o Is it better to see a horror film on video or at the cinema?
 Divide the class into As and Bs. As play experts and stay seated. Bs get up and go and ask
the experts about their topics of interest.
 Encourage them to move around the experts. Half way through change roles. Bs are
experts with their topics displayed. As are questioners.

You might wish to practice some of these expressions first:

 Sorry, I’m not sure about that.


 I’ll have to check up on that before starting.

This game can be played more than once in a school year!

You might also like