Speaking Activities for the Classroom
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apeaking activities
- Bu sahifa navigatsiya:
- Some Questions and Answers
- Chapter Three : Grammar Tasks and Speaking Activities
- Singular and Plural Nouns
- Irregular Plural Nouns
- Generally Speaking
- Insert the Appropriate Verb Forms
- What Are You Doing These Days
- What Do You Think
- Who’s Who
- Teacher-Student Dialogue
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How to Build an Igloo* Divide the class into groups, who must then read each of the steps below in order to understand the process. Then, each group draws a series of diagrams on the board to illustrate the individual steps taken in building an igloo, so they can conceptualize and, then, explain the process orally. The best group wins.
First, cut blocks of snow from the same snowfall. Next shape the blocks into the form of an Igloo.
Then, light an oil lamp inside the igloo. Next, close the door block tightly.
The heat from the lamp will cause the interior walls to begin to melt, And this in turn will cause condensation on the outside of the igloo,
Which will ice over when it meets the cold air outside, Which, then, provides an airtight seal on the outside walls of the igloo.
Next, bore a roof hole and open the door block This will cause the warm air to rush out of the igloo,
And it will be replaced by cold air rushing in, Which will cause the melting snow on the inside to freeze,
Which will provide an airtight seal on the inside walls. Finally, enter the igloo, pulling the door block after you, so your body heat can begin to warm up the air temperature inside the igloo,
So that you then can sleep as tight as a bug in a bearskin rug , without having to fear that you will freeze to death during the night.
*Idea from Bangkok Post, “Nite Owl”, (Bernard Trink quoting L.M. Boyd). 111
Some Questions and Answers Have students ask the teacher the first, ten questions, which the teacher answers, reading the replies below. Then, put the students in pairs to do the question and answer sequence twice themselves. Once asking the question and once answering it. the teacher should listen and correct any mispronunciations.
May I have permission to leave the room? Do you mind if I borrow your pen? May I take this seat? Is it OK if I leave this here for a few minutes? May I open the window? Do you mind if we turn off the air conditioner? Would it be all right to leave ten minutes early? Could I come to class half an hour late tomorrow? Could you let me make a copy of this and give it back tomorrow? You don’t happen to have a headache tablet, do you? Can we get out of class half an hour early today?
Answer the above questions by reading the answers below. Yes you may leave the room. Yes, you may borrow that pen. No, I’m sorry. That seat is already taken. Yes, you can leave it here. Please don’t open the window. Yes, you may turn off the air conditioner. Yes, you can go home ten minutes early today. No, you may not come to class half an hour late tomorrow. Yes, you can borrow it if you don’t forget to bring it back. No, I’m sorry but I do not have a headache tablet on me. No, I’m sorry but we cannot get out of class early today.
Then, cover over the replies and answer the questions without looking. Now practice this last one, doing a teacher/student role-play. Teacher: “What would you say if I were to suggest that we cancel all of our classes for the next week so that I can go on a short holiday?” Student: “I would say that since we had to pay money when we registered for this course, we would be entitled to request a refund if the teacher could not meet his full contractual obligation.”
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Chapter Three : Grammar Tasks and Speaking Activities Write some words to describe and modify the verbs listed below. Do not use the same descriptive word (adverb) twice. Most of the words you think of will end in “ly.” Shout loudly excitedly Struggle
Think
Argue
Sleep
Eat
Drive
Fight
Dream
Look
Write
Breathe
Disagree Protest
Love
Hate
Desire
Give
Reply
Verify
Evaluate
Promote Examine
Exercise Dig
Accelerate
Exaggerate Praise
Criticize
Hope
Despair
Conclude
You can keep up this activity as long as you can keep finding verbs to describe. Get the students to think of a sentence for each example and tell it to the class. 113
Singular and Plural Nouns Read out the singular and the plural forms of the words below, together with the tongue-twister at the end of the row.
branch branches 4 bamboo branches squid
squid 77 succulent squid country countries 12 civilized countries phenomenon phenomena 4 fiery phenomena tray trays
10 trays of surgical tools lash
lashes 2 lovely ladies’ eyelashes life lives 11
lonely lives
hoof Hooves
4 horse’s hooves secretary secretaries 66 sexy secretaries path paths
One-way primrose path church
churches 2 Christ Church converts watch watches 11
wound-up watches
octopus octopi*
11 eight-legged octopi hippopotamus hippopotami* 2 huge hippopotami class classes
7 clever calculus classes bench benches 17 wooden-benches winch winches 11
electric winches
bush bushes 8 burning bushes story
stories 6 secular stories bunch bunches
7 bunches of bananas wife wives 5 wonderful wives ash
ashes 100’s of heaps of ashes roof roofs
22 hooves on the roofs love loves 3 lady loves
wench wenches
2 clenching wenches watch watches 33 ticking-watches trickster tricksters 66 tricky tricksters twister twisters 6 twisting-twisters *It has also become acceptable to say “octopuses” and “hippopotamuses.”
While we are practicing pronunciation, say these numbers : Be sure to get the endings right. 1-20, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99, 101
Now, say, 1 st - 10
th . 33
rd, 44
th , 55
th , 66
th , 77
th , 88
th 99
th , 101
st , 102
nd .
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Irregular Plural Nouns Read out the singular and plural forms of these nouns, together with the tongue-twisters at the end.
thief thieves 33 thieves
fish fish (fishes) 46 fishy-smelling fishes potato
potatoes glass glasses
16 green glasses box
boxes 6 big boxes knife knives
99 sharpened knives baby
babies 6 bouncing babies woman women
4 women’s rights sheep
sheep 66 sleeping sheep tooth teeth 23 aching-teeth foot feet
44 feet of sleek satin mouse
mice 5 nice brown mice ox oxen
1 yoke of oxen fox
foxes 44 fiery red foxes half halves
12 large lemon halves piano
pianos 80 grand pianos child children 14
screaming-children virus
viruses 70 very virile viruses boss bosses
36 big bosses’ wives piece
pieces 80 pieces of shattered-pottery loaf loaves
11 loaves of leaven bread leaf
leaves shelf shelves
66 supermarket shelves taxi taxies 223 city
taxies city
cities 666 mega cities fly flies
373 filthy flies wolf wolves 44 werewolves party parties
2 patriotic political parties niece nieces 11 lovely
nieces calf
calves 12 cows’ calves lady ladies 12
lovely ladies
hobby hobbies
16 handy hobbies wish
wishes 1000’s of wonderful wishes dish dishes
100’s of dirty dishes sheaf
sheaves 66 sheaves of wheat 115
Generally Speaking Insert the correct verbs at the bottom into the sentences provided.
I don’t ____ ____ in the evening. I ________ home on Saturday morning. I __________ TV every night. I ____ _________ on Friday evenings. I __________ the car in front of the house. I ________ to listen to music. She ___________ dancing. It __________ a long time to get to work. We _______ to learn to be patient. He _________ until seven o’clock. She __________ or a company in the city. We don’t ______ home until 9:30 PM. He __________ the car very slowly. She __________ a book while she rides on the bus. There _______ too many cars on the road. There ____ a lot of traffic. The police ___________ the traffic. He _________ while he is working.
go out stay go shopping drive read
try take
enjoy wait
is are
watch park
like work
get home direct
sings 116
Insert the Appropriate Verb Forms Find a word on the right that fits into a sentence on the left. The family __________ up early. accompanies They ______ out of bed. prepare They ________ off the alarm clock. makes Father ________ to the washroom. listen Mother _________ breakfast in the kitchen. study The children _____ dressed. goes The children _____________ for school. get Father ___________ the car. is The kids ______ in the back. are They ____________ their seat belts. turn Dad _________________ them to school. works They __________ at international school. arrives Father _________ in an office on Silom Road. stays Mom _________ at home all day. get They like to ___________ to the radio. sit Everyone in the family ____ busy all day. drives They _____ very diligent. sleep They _____ home at about six o’clock. fasten Father ___________ at 7:30. gets They all __________ TV until about ten. stays Everyone _______ to bed by ten-thirty. watch They _________ soundly in their beds wake Father _________ ____ the alarm system at eleven. arrive The alarm system ____________ security for the house. call Any robbers ___________ would set it off. lock The security guards would _______ quickly. wake They would _________ the robbers. catch Then they would _______ the police. turns on The officers would come and ____________ the robbers. provides The cops would _________ them in the back of a van. be
The whole neighborhood would _______ up. stolen
The children would ____ upset by the intrusion. go
Nothing would have been ____________. arrest
The robbers would ____ to jail. catch
After that everything would ____ peaceful. entering 117
What Are You Doing These Days?
We can also practice speaking by using verb forms and parts of speech, which are part of the popular mechanics of language. An example would be the present continuous tense, when we say, “What are you doing these days?” To answer correctly you must say something like :
At the moment, I am trying to finish my Master’s in Accounting. Now, I am trying to quit smoking. I am trying to lose weight by doing aerobic dancing. These days, I am very busy making sales calls to our clients. I am learning a new software program to help speed up the work process. I am forming my own company so I can quit my job. I am practicing meditation to try to reduce stress. I’m looking for a new girlfriend because my last one left me. At present, I’m looking for a new job so I can get a higher salary. I am selling Amway products to try to earn some extra money.
So, now let’s go around and ask each class member what he is doing these days. Write the answers in the boxes provided :
I am taking an English class to try to improve my speaking skills.
Writing down the answers helps us to get the feel for the pattern. 118
What Do You Think? This is a question that we are often asked when we are part of a working team or when we are in a meeting with the client. If someone asks you what you think, don’t just sit there silently without saying anything or you may give the impression that you are a bit slow-witted (which means a little stupid). If you need to gain time, there is a trick that you can use that will make you look more intelligent. All you have to do is respond without hesitation by saying the words: “I think that ... (then you can pause as though taking a moment to consider)...and then say what comes into your mind. If someone asks, “What do you think about the state of the economy?
You may say, “I think that...corrupt politicians are ruining the country.” Look at the following examples to get a feel for the pattern :
that
Smoking is a dirty habit.
The government should do more to stop child abuse.
Not enough is being done to protect women’s rights.
Young people should be taught an ethics class in school.
Drugs are the greatest danger to our country’s future.
Young people should be prohibited from visiting sex hotels.
All corrupt officials should have to spend time in jail.
The Constitution should not be altered by the government.
VAT should not be raised to ten percent.
The Corruption Commission should have more power.
The prime minister should do more to help the rural poor.
In the empty spaces, get them to write some opinions of their own. 119
Who’s Who? We are always talking about... “someone who…” “people who..” “a girl who..” “a man who”...” “a terrorist who...” “an American who... “a Thai tennis player who”... etc. Get used to this pattern : An English teacher is someone who teaches English. A thief is someone who steals things. A politician is someone who... A playboy is a man who... I once had a girlfriend who... The man who married my sister is a brain surgeon. The people who work on my team are very professional. OK, now that you have got the idea, finish the sentences below verbally. I don’t like people who … I’m looking for a husband who The perfect boss is a manager who The policeman who questioned me was The doctor who treated me was Our firm is looking for someone who We are advertising for an accountant who The police are searching for a woman who I wish I had parents who Today, I spoke with a taxi driver who I want to know who is responsible for Who here is interested in Do you know who can help me with Who on earth ever thought of Who the hell do Who’s responsible for Who is the crazy individual who I would like to find out who Who is the person whom you ask when There is a guy in my class who I used to have a teacher who I wouldn’t like to be the one who Who are the people who decided If I ever find out who did this I will Put them in pairs and get them to do other role plays using the word “who.” 120
How Long Have You Been A Student Here? We often make mistakes when someone asks, “How long have you been...?” Let’s look at some examples, with for, since and ago, to get a feel for the pattern. :
I have been a teacher for thirty-six years I taught at the University of Maryland for twenty-five years. Then, I taught at Chula for nine years. Now, I have been teaching at KMUTT for three years. I have been teaching at KMUTT since the year 2000. I began teaching at KMUTT three years ago. I have been teaching there for three years.
How long have you been a student in this school? I have been a student here for three years
When did you first register at the university? I first registered here three years ago. So how long have you been registered here? I have been registered here for three years. Since when have you been attending my class? I have been attending your class since the beginning of June. Now, in pairs and ask one another questions that begin with the words, “How long have you been...?” For example, “How long have you been married?” “How long have you been living in Bangkok?” “How long have you been learning English?”
Jot down some of your answers in the spaces provided so you can read them out later to the class for the teacher to approve their grammatical correctness.
I have been married for three years. I got married three years ago. I have been married since I was eighteen years old
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Teacher-Student Dialogue Answer the questions in the space that is provided so you can read them out to the class later to see if you have used the correct grammatical pattern.
How many years ago were you born? Since when have you been living on this earth?
How many years ago did you come into this world? How long have you known your best friend?
How many years ago did you meet your best friend? Since when have you known your best friend?
How long have you been learning English? For how many years have you been learning English?
Since when have you been learning English? For how long have you been living in Bangkok?
How many years have you been living in Bangkok? For how many years have you been working here?
How many years ago did you start working here? Since when have you been working here?
How long have you been wearing those shoes? How many hours ago did you put on those shoes?
Since when have you been wearing those shoes? |
