Submitted by: Suzy H, Lanzhou University of Technology (Gansu)

“Celebrity”
Level: Beginner or Intermediate
Duration: 15-20 minutesThree students leave the room and the remaining students think of three celebrities. The teacher writes the three celebrity names on the chalkboard. The three students return (not looking at the chalkboard) and stand facing the class. The names of the celebrities should be above each student’s head on the chalkboard/ correspond to each student. The 3 students must figure out which celebrity they are by asking yes/ no questions to the class (ie. Am I American?, etc.) Students take turns asking questions and class answers as group (yes or no). When the 3 students figure out who they are, they can ask, “Am I George W. Bush?” etc.

“Shrinking story”
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Duration: 45 minutes +I used this activity in every single Oral English class. It comes in handy when you don’t have a lesson plan for the next day and it’s good practice for both listening and speaking. You can vary the activity too by having students make a speech for a certain topic like their most embarrassing moment, or happiest day in their life, etc. or you can use short news stories for more advanced students or simple stories for intermediate students. You can also do this to review texts studied in the textbook.

Procedure:

1. Choose 3-4 students and have one stay in the room and have the rest leave the room making sure they cannot hear what’s going on inside the classroom. Tell the students who are listening to write down the main idea of story taking into account who, what, where, when, why, how of the story.

2. Read a news clip or short story once or twice depending on the level of the students.

3. The student will listen and try to reiterate the story to the second student who should return to the room at this point (mostly just the main idea and key details).

4. Call the third student in and have the second student tell the story to the third and so on. (There will be some mistakes and laughing in the class but encourage the student to just say what s/he remembers.)

5. Have the last student tell what s/he heard to the class.

6. Have all the students sit down and have the class applaud them.

7. Ask the class what changed and what stayed the same in the story. Go over the 5ws1H

8. Reread the original story.

9. Repeat with other groups.

“Roundtable Discussion”
Level: Any
Duration: 30+ minutesThis activity works well for smaller groups or English corner groups. Have the students sit in a circle and write down one sentence or questions about something they thing is important and want to discuss. Try to encourage them to write something besides, “How can I improve my oral English?” Put the sentences into a bag and pick them out one by one. Go around in a circle having each student say something about the topic or if the group is more active do an open discussion for 5 minutes each. Repeat with new sentences/ questions.

“Mixer Conversation Practice”
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Duration: 30 minutes

This activity should be done after teaching a lesson on formal and informal ways of speaking in English.Procedure:

1. Choose 8 people and put signs on their backs (they should not see these signs). (Ie. Famous researcher of the material science field, new foreign teacher (just arrived in Lanzhou last week), a foreign teacher who has been in Lanzhou for 1 year, a foreign friend (has been in Lanzhou for 2 years), famous musician, etc.

2. Have the class mingle with these people and interact with them appropriately. For example, if they are meeting for the first time, they should use appropriate language to introduce themselves, etc. The students with signs on their backs should reply appropriately depending on what is said to them.

3. Have everyone sit down and the 8 students come up to the front of the class. Ask them what was said to them and if they think they know who they are, or what relationship they have to the students. Correct language appropriately at this point.

4. Wrap-up by reviewing phrases for formal and informal language.

“Dating and Marriage”
Level: Intermediate
Duration: Two 45 minutes periodsProcedure:

1. Introduce vocabulary for dating:
Go on a date, ask out on a date, dating, double date, blind date, go steady, to be going out with sb, to be seeing sb, in a relationship, have a crush on, to be stood up make a move, fall in love, love at first sight, go Dutch (split the bill), propose, to be engaged, get married, couple, single, bachelor, bachelorette, divorce

2. Listening activity using the new vocabulary: Have students get into groups and say one sentence at a time regarding dating in America. Have the students try to understand the sentence and discuss what the situation is in China. (True or false in China). First have them discuss in small groups and then open it up to the whole class.

  • Americans often start dating in middle school or high school.
  • Some Americans have many boyfriends or girlfriends over a period of time.
  • Sometimes, the couple goes Dutch when paying for the bill.
  • When couples get married, they usually exchange wedding rings.
  • The divorce rate in America is __%.

3. The Dating Game:

Choose one bachelorette to come to the front of the room. Have her face the wall and give her 3 questions to ask. Choose 3 bachelors to sit in the front facing the class. The bachelorette introduces herself, and asks one question. The bachelors all answer in turn.

Sample questions:

  1. Describe your ideal date.
  2. Are you a traditional or modern man/woman why?
  3. Describe your appearance and personality to me.
  4. How would you propose to a woman?
  5. What is your favorite romantic film and why?

After bachelors have answered the 3 questions, have the bachelorette choose one lucky bachelor. The bachelorette turns to greet her bachelor.

Repeat with 1 bachelor and 3 bachelorettes.