Disappearing dialogues is a very much used language teaching technique

1. Elicit and write the dialogue. Or use a prepared dialogue.

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The weather is a standard topic and beyond reviewing the vocabulary (which you can do with this powerpoint I made ) , you can really do it communicatively by getting students to do / practice weather reports!

After going through the vocabulary and asking students “What’s the weather like in…..? or …today? -  Give them a map of their own country.  Ask them to draw weather symbols on the map and also numbers for high/low temperatures. Model this by doing your own on the board then giving each student a map.

Elicit student language. Here’s an example from the British Council.   Ask students – What’s the weather like in …..?  What the temperature in….? 

Students make their own weather map and then present or answer questions with other students. Finally, get a few students to do a weather TV report and/or show an actual video of a news report. 

You will also amaze students with this real time “World Sunlight Map“.

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Start the activity by making statements for the class but “coughing / mumbling or saying “blablabla”. Ex. I went to the &&)))*** last night.  Students ask for clarification using the prompt on the board.

Low: Excuse me, what did you say?

High:  Excuse me but who/what/where/when/ ……….?

The teacher then repeats the statement but finishing it off. Ex. I went to the library last night.

Put students in groups and give them these Finish It cards.  In groups of 3, they go around a circle making statements like the teacher (coughing, mumbling , blablaing) and asking clarification questions and finishing it off…

Lots of fun and really good open yet controlled langugage production practice!

This post was submitted by David Deubelbeiss.

Give each student a slip of paper. Ask them to write their name and two things they like (or you can switch this to suit your class – like from? / Nationality? job? etc…).

Next, students stand up and introduce themselves to each other.

Hi, I’m ….. and I like …… and …….     Both students state and then switch their pieces of paper. 

Next, they introduce the last person, pointing to the person as they say, “Hi, I’m …. and I like …. and ….. This is (pointing) ….. , he/she likes…. and ………..  Switch papers again and continue.

Lots of fun and not easy to do (to remember the names).

This post was submitted by David Deubelbeiss.

1.  Warm up by quizzing students about prepositions. Take a pen and place it around your body. Ask, “Where’s the pen?”.  Place it in some funny places!

2. In pairs with a pen, students practice and do the same as modeled by the teacher.

3. Draw a floor plan of your apartment on the chalkboard. Underneath, write the target language – Where is your….? / Do you have a/an …….?

Students ask the teacher about his/her apartment and the teacher draws in the place of things, describing using furniture. Your students will be very curious!

4.  Give each student a blank piece of paper. They draw their apartment/house (only the walls and front door) and then in pairs or small groups, describe and draw where things are in their apartment.

5. If you have time — get students to tell the rest of the class what they found interesting about their partner’s apartment!

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Just spin and the students must ask a question for that number. Who / What / How / Why / Where etc….

Another variation is to first have students write the questions and then start the conversation/interviews.

You can use it in any way you like! Make sure to “echo” so that when one student asks another a question, the other, echoes it back. Really creates a lot of language production…. Happy Spinning!

PS. Use this handy Question making organizer to help your students form questions!

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Brainstorm together on the board, ways to express how you like or don’t like something. Put in some idioms (It sucks! / Sweet! ).  Or the teacher can put up some ways and then ask students how they feel about ……? Students respond.

Next, play a selection of recent pop/rap/hit music. Students should write down on paper how they feel. After you’ve played 10 or so selections, play them again and have the students in groups respond to each other how they feel about that music (It’s horrible! I love it! Cool! Wonderful! Awful!).

Maybe try this presentation of world anthems. Students can learn some Geography and also express how they feel about other countries national anthems!

This post was submitted by David Deubelbeiss.

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Use these cards. Model with the whole class by giving selected students cards and they will ask the teacher. Ex. Tell us about what you ate for dinner?  The teacher replies and other students must ask 2 follow up questions.  Ex. Did you enjoy it?  Who made it?

Continue and then give the cards to small groups. They play the game in the same fashion.  Write question words as prompts on the board – Who / What / Where / When / Why / How …. / Which … / Whose….  / Did /  Were  /  

A great conversation game! Afterwards, if time permits, go around the class asking students to tell about one thing they found out about a fellow classmate.

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One player begins with an unfortunate statement like, “Unfortunately, there is a bat in the car.”

The next player has to counter with something more fortunate like, “Fortunately, I brought along bat repellant.”

Players continue to alternate between unfortunate and fortunate things until you’ve exhausted a particular topic.

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