| The problem: | | | | - Lip reading. The teacher gives students a target |
| If teachers tend to go bald, its most likely from tearing | | | | sentence, and they have to 'say' it to a second |
| their hair out in an attempt to find stimulating classroom | | | | student, but without making any noise. The second |
| activities for demanding age groups or classroom | | | | student has to repeat the sentence by lip reading what |
| situations. What we propose here is how to avoid | | | | their partner is saying. |
| follicle transplants by using the amazing activity | | | | We put them in a grid thus: TPR, Chinese Whispers, |
| multiplier! The principle is presented here as I use it in | | | | Grab the Card, Lip Reading across the top of the grid |
| language teaching, but it can be applied to any subject | | | | and TPR, Chinese Whispers, Grab the Card, Lip |
| being taught. | | | | Reading in descending order down the left hand side |
| What to do: | | | | of the grid. |
| | | | The intersection between columns and rows are the |
| 1. Draw up a grid on a sheet of paper and write the | | | | 'new hybrid' activities created. So, lets see what we've |
| names of your favourite activities in separate boxes | | | | got! |
| across the top of the page. Use specific activities | | | | The intersection between Chinese whispers and grab |
| rather than types of activities e.g. 'Chinese whispers', or | | | | the card for example. This would mean that the |
| '20 questions' rather than 'warmers'. | | | | teacher sets up the class in the usual way to play |
| 2. Write the same activities down the left hand column | | | | Chinese whispers, but instead of the last student |
| of the grid, again putting one activity in each box of the | | | | repeating the sentence back to the teacher, they |
| grid. | | | | would have to grab a card which corresponds in |
| 3. Now take any empty box on the grid, and see | | | | some way to the sentence being whispered. |
| which two activities correspond to its row and column. | | | | To illustrate this, lets say the teacher whispers the |
| 4. This represents a new 'hybrid' activity, and needs to | | | | sentence 'I play golf on Sundays'. This is whispered |
| be adjusted to fit to your exact needs. | | | | down the line of students, and the last one has to |
| Here is an example. | | | | quickly stand up and grab a card picturing a man |
| Lets take the following well established warmer | | | | playing golf, and a card with the word 'Sunday' written |
| activities: | | | | on it. This is a new hybrid activity based on the two |
| - TPR (total physical response). This involves the | | | | original activities. |
| teacher giving an instruction or description, and the | | | | The above grid has 13 activities to stimulate your |
| students either do it, or act it out. | | | | imagination. Add more original activities, and you greatly |
| - Chinese whispers. This involves the teacher | | | | multiply the resulting hybrid activities. The whole principle |
| whispering a sentence to one student, that then has to | | | | can be multiplied still further by adding different |
| be passed on down a line of students, conserving the | | | | activities to the right hand column, and even to the |
| information whispered in its original form. | | | | bottom row! It's an exponential teacher suggestion |
| - Grab the card. This is where a teacher places cards | | | | machine! |
| on a table (they may have pictures or writing) and | | | | Taking this approach allows a tremendous injection of |
| makes an utterance that corresponds to one of the | | | | variety and fun into a teachers' classes, and saves a |
| cards. The first student to 'grab' the card wins it. | | | | lot on hair transplants! Amazing. |