Monday, December 08, 2003
Strategy Sharing #3
EDIS 548
November 17, 2003
Activity: Spanish Family Feud
The purpose of this game is for students to review vocabulary and grammar in any language class. The great thing about this game is that it is adaptable at any level.
Divide the class up into two teams and have them come up with a Spanish name for their team.
Make flash cards of whatever is needed for review: vocabulary, simple phrases, and/or grammar.
The first player for each team goes to the front of the room. Teacher holds up a flash card, and the players raise their hands if they know how to say it in Spanish. The first hand raised gets first shot at answering. If correct, s/he gets the point. If s/he makes a mistake (e.g., wrong word, wrong gender), the other player gets to try. If s/he too makes a mistake, their teammates can raise their hands and, when called on, try to answer. Each player receives 1 point for a correct answer. After 3 strikes, the next team has a chance to steal.
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Affective Filter Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter because the kids are playing a game which will decrease their anxiety. Since the game is played for review, the students will feel familiar and comfortable with the material.
Connectionism Theory: The students have to make associations with the various categories and come up with a response.
Interaction Theory: The dynamic nature of the interplay of the game leads to authentic interaction using the target language.
Variable Competence: Language learning reflects language use. Students will demonstrate they have learned the different components of the target language when asked to answer the categories. The students’ answers are both a process and a product of their learning.
EDIS 548
November 17, 2003
Activity: Spanish Family Feud
The purpose of this game is for students to review vocabulary and grammar in any language class. The great thing about this game is that it is adaptable at any level.
Divide the class up into two teams and have them come up with a Spanish name for their team.
Make flash cards of whatever is needed for review: vocabulary, simple phrases, and/or grammar.
The first player for each team goes to the front of the room. Teacher holds up a flash card, and the players raise their hands if they know how to say it in Spanish. The first hand raised gets first shot at answering. If correct, s/he gets the point. If s/he makes a mistake (e.g., wrong word, wrong gender), the other player gets to try. If s/he too makes a mistake, their teammates can raise their hands and, when called on, try to answer. Each player receives 1 point for a correct answer. After 3 strikes, the next team has a chance to steal.
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Affective Filter Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter because the kids are playing a game which will decrease their anxiety. Since the game is played for review, the students will feel familiar and comfortable with the material.
Connectionism Theory: The students have to make associations with the various categories and come up with a response.
Interaction Theory: The dynamic nature of the interplay of the game leads to authentic interaction using the target language.
Variable Competence: Language learning reflects language use. Students will demonstrate they have learned the different components of the target language when asked to answer the categories. The students’ answers are both a process and a product of their learning.
Strategy Sharing #2
EDIS 548
Priscilla Crisologo
October 27, 2003
Activity: 20 Questions
The purpose of this game is for students to work together in pairs and/or in teams and learn to speak in the target language.
A student or the teacher thinks of any object, person, animal, or abstract concept associated with the content area in which they are learning. Then the student’s partner or different students on the team take turns asking questions to determine what the student is thinking. Students are able to converge and discuss what questions they should ask. The number of questions is limited to 20. Whoever guesses first, wins.
The teacher can also get involved and compete against their students or be on the same team with them. This activity is great in learning vocabulary in the various themes of the target language and practice oral communication.
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Comprehension Input Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter, allowing students to enjoy the game and decreasing their anxiety. Since the mystery words are attached to something with which they students are already familiar, the learning will be easier.
Interactional Approach: Students learn by collaborative interplay to figure out what word the other person is thinking, and who their partner is, students are learning by dynamic interplay.
Connectionism Theory: From, the students have to consider a couple things: making associations with what they just learned with the different questions that the others students ask, and the responses the key student provides.
EDIS 548
Priscilla Crisologo
October 27, 2003
Activity: 20 Questions
The purpose of this game is for students to work together in pairs and/or in teams and learn to speak in the target language.
A student or the teacher thinks of any object, person, animal, or abstract concept associated with the content area in which they are learning. Then the student’s partner or different students on the team take turns asking questions to determine what the student is thinking. Students are able to converge and discuss what questions they should ask. The number of questions is limited to 20. Whoever guesses first, wins.
The teacher can also get involved and compete against their students or be on the same team with them. This activity is great in learning vocabulary in the various themes of the target language and practice oral communication.
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Comprehension Input Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter, allowing students to enjoy the game and decreasing their anxiety. Since the mystery words are attached to something with which they students are already familiar, the learning will be easier.
Interactional Approach: Students learn by collaborative interplay to figure out what word the other person is thinking, and who their partner is, students are learning by dynamic interplay.
Connectionism Theory: From, the students have to consider a couple things: making associations with what they just learned with the different questions that the others students ask, and the responses the key student provides.
Activity: Who am I? Who is my partner?
The purpose of this game is for students to work together and learn to speak in the target language.
The teacher develops a certain number of famous pairs, one name for each student. Each student wears the label with the famous name on their back or on a hat, and goes around asking questions about his or her person until they find out who they are and then search out their partner. Teachers can also adapt this activity to different themes in culture or the vocabulary base, using famous pairs in those themes.
The questions could be very simple vocabulary in the target language:
Where am I from?
Am I a man or woman?
Am I am real or fake?
Am I young or old?
Am I rich or poor?
Do I work in sport / music / entertainment?
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Input Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter, allowing students to enjoy the game and decreasing their anxiety.
Interactional Approach: Since students must work together to figure out who each is, and who their partner is, students are learning by dynamic interplay.
Collaborative Learning Theory: Vocabulary is not simply being memorized. Rather, students are constructing meaning to the words through collaborative group.
The purpose of this game is for students to work together and learn to speak in the target language.
The teacher develops a certain number of famous pairs, one name for each student. Each student wears the label with the famous name on their back or on a hat, and goes around asking questions about his or her person until they find out who they are and then search out their partner. Teachers can also adapt this activity to different themes in culture or the vocabulary base, using famous pairs in those themes.
The questions could be very simple vocabulary in the target language:
Where am I from?
Am I a man or woman?
Am I am real or fake?
Am I young or old?
Am I rich or poor?
Do I work in sport / music / entertainment?
Rationale for the effectiveness of this activity:
Input Hypothesis: This activity helps to lower the affective filter, allowing students to enjoy the game and decreasing their anxiety.
Interactional Approach: Since students must work together to figure out who each is, and who their partner is, students are learning by dynamic interplay.
Collaborative Learning Theory: Vocabulary is not simply being memorized. Rather, students are constructing meaning to the words through collaborative group.
