¡Carnaval 2012! -a communication gap activity

This is one example of a communication gap activity that could be adapted to any theme or language. The point is that one student gets part of the information and the partner gets a different set of information. They must talk to each other to fill in the missing pieces. This example is based on 2012's Carnaval in Rio.

Communication Gap

ToonDoo

Have students complete a ToonDoo you create for them or have them create their own, depending on the level of technology you have access to. These could cover many topics and could be group endeavors or solo projects. You could have them read a short story first and have them create a representation of what they read or make up their own comic. Students can present what they've created and explain it to the class in the target language.

ToonDoo is easy to use and the comics can be put on other websites or printed out. Have fun!

Speed Dating

Line up desk or tables so that students can sit across from each other in a long line. Have one student select a card with a topic for discussion on it. Each student-pair has 5 mins to discuss the topic. Then a bell rings and one side of the line shifts one spot down so that every student has a new partner. As a group, ask students to share some of the things that came up in their pair. Next let another student choose a second topic card and start the process over again. There is a lot of flexibility in the type of topics that could be chosen and a lot of potential for language learning to take place. To make it more fun, try having students make a note about which brain they'd most likely take out on a second "discussion date." :)

¿Dónde estás, Yolanda?

Get students up out of their seats and moving with this one! Students can dance and sing along as you lead them through gestures that help them understand the lyrics to the song. For example, when the line ¿Dónde estás, dónde estás, Yolanda? comes up, place your hand above your eyebrows and look all around.

This TPR-style activity is a great break-up or warm-up activity to get students out their seats and using nervous energy productively.

Memory Line (or Circle)

Students stand in a line (or a circle). The first person says their name or vocabulary term. The second person repeats the first person's word and adds their own. The third says the first's, then the second's, and then adds their own. The process continues until the first person repeats everyone's word.

This activity uses pure repetition to help students remember all the words. If the students have too hard of a time with this game, allow them to draw little reminders on a notecard. To make the activity more challenging, have a penalty of missing the word. This could be elimination from the game or moving to the end of the line or circle. To keep any eliminated students engaged, have them continue to play silently by writing down the words.

Command Creativity

Pair students and give each pair markers and paper. One student will be the commander, the other the artist. Using the target language, the commander will describe something for the artist to draw.

This activity requires students to negotiate meaning and see, in real time, how well they are understanding and being understood in the target language. There is a lot of flexibility in this activity. The commander can have a script or guidelines written by the teacher or can just go off a general theme.

¿Quién soy?

Give students play-doh and have them create a person, place, or thing. Students should then create a few sentences to describe and give clues as to their creation. Students can then mingle and give their descriptions (with their creations hidden in their hands or behind their backs) to see if their classmates can guess.

Here's an example:
1) Yo vivo en el mar.
2) Mi casa es una piedra.
3) Tengo cinco brazos.
4) Mi mejor amigo es amarillo.
5) Soy un estrella de mar.

¿Quién soy? Soy Patrick!

Eyes and Ears

In this activity, one partner (Eyes) gets to watch the video without the sound while the other (Ears) must close their eyes or turn away from the screen. As Eyes views the silent images, they must describe what they see, as best they can, to their partner, Ears.

Next, Eyes either covers their ears completely or leaves the room entirely. Then the video is replayed but Ears doesn't get to see the images, only hear the audio. Ears makes notes of what they are listening to. When the clip is over, Eyes returns the classroom and Ears describes what they heard.

Together, the two try to make meaning out of what they have seen and heard. Have them answer some comprehension questions about what they heard and saw.

Here are some examples:

If your only interest is assessing listening comprehension, use "cierto" or "falso" questions like these:

1. Según Voldermort, la familia de Harry ha muerto por él. 
2. Hay un serpiente grande y un dragón en el video.
3. Harry quiere terminar esto con Tom como ellos han empezados, lejos.

The following questions can be answered orally or written out, depending on whether you want to assess listening comprehension and oral production of the language or production of written language. 

1. ¿Quién ha muerto por Harry según Voldermort?
2. ¿Cuáles son los animales míticos en el video?
3. ¿Cómo quiere Harry terminar esto con Tom?

Notes:

(1) Depending on the level or particular context, this activity might require a pre-listening activity that draws the students' attention to the topic and any new or key vocabulary. 

(2) If your language is not Spanish, you should try to choose another video of a popular movie in your target language--it helps if there is a lot of action.

Whole Brain Teaching

Whole Brain Teaching is a way to get students completely absorbed in the learning. This could be adapted to a language class simply by translating the phrases. For more on how this works, register on this website: http://wholebrainteaching.com/ and check out the free workshops.

I think this type of exercise would be most helpful in learning phrases in the target language or learning facts about culture, grammar, history, literature, etc. What else could we use it for?

Brain Gym

1) Hydrate! 2) Find some personal space 3) Follow along 4) Have fun!

Brain gym is a way to wake up students and get the blood flowing. In the language classroom it can take on a whole new element of learning: TPS or Total Physical Response. TPS was developed by James Asher in the early 1970's and, put very simplistically, involves teachers giving "commands" to students in the target language and students following those commands to both show understanding and connect physically to the meaning of the language.

To adapt brain gym to your language classroom, think about the script you will use with your students. Is there any vocabulary they will need in advance of doing this activity? Is there any portion of your explanation that needs to be in the first language? (The really great thing about brain gym is the answer to this question is probably no!) Have fun!