USING FLASHCARS AND GAMES TO

TEACH VOCABULARY

HI guys!! I’ve been searching on the web for this topic but I found much information which is not useful for us, I mean too many words without an important meaning.          Well, as you know and as you can notice, using flashcards and games in order to teach vocabulary is really fun!  Everybody likes it and also to the teachers like using flashcards because for us is the easiest way to make you learn vocabulary in a memorable way! I’ve chosen a game and a group of flashcards to show you how to connect both things in order to have one result. =)

ANIMALS VOCABULARY

So, then after showing the flashcards In would use the memory match game in order to make it memorable, I mean in order that students can remember the names of the animals.

MEMORY MATCH

 REFLECTION

To conclude, I think flashcards and games is a very good option to teach vocabulary to our students and also it is fun, as a result, students will not get bored because they will be participating and interacting with others, so we as teachers are the only persons who are the responsible of making the class fun and successful.

USING MUSIC IN CLASS

As we know, using music in order to teach our students is really effective. Not just because it’s fun and everybody loves listening to music, but also because they are interested on discovering what are the lyrics of the song they have been listening many times on the radio, mp3 players, and cell phones and so on. You can use music to teach them vocabulary, tenses like Present simple, present continuous, past tense, present perfect and etc. Here I have found benefits, techniques, activities and tips you should know to use music in class.

Benefits of using Music

*improves concentration

*improves memory

*brings a sense of community to a group

*motivates learning

*relaxes people who are overwhelmed or stressed

*makes learning fun

*helps people absorb material

Techniques for Using Music with Learners

*introduce a new theme or topic (Christmas/colours/feelings)

*break the ice in a class where students don't know each other or are having difficulty communicating

*change the mood (liven things up or calm things down)

*teach and build vocabulary and idioms

*review material (background music improves memory)

*teach pronunciation and intonation

*teach songs and rhymes about difficult grammar and spelling rules that need to be memorized ("i before e", irregular verbs, phrasal verbs)

*teach reading comprehension

*inspire a class discussion

Suggested Activities

*Use background music such as classical, Celtic music or natural sounds to *inspire creativity

*Teach your national anthem

*Teach a song that uses slang expressions ("I heard it through the Grape Vine")

*Teach a song that uses a new tense you have introduced

*Add variety to your reading comprehension lesson. Students can read lyrics      and search for main idea, theme, details.

*Teach Christmas vocabulary through traditional carols

*Write or choose a classroom theme song

*Create (or use already prepared lessons) cloze exercises using popular song lyrics

*Create variations to familiar songs by making them personal for your class members or your lesson

*Have "lyp sync" contests. Allow students to choose their own songs. A little competition goes a long way in the classroom. Have groups explain the lyrics of their song before or after they perform.

Tips for Using Music Effectively

*When teaching students a song, it is a good idea to introduce an instrumental version first (If an instrumental version is not available, play the song softly in the background while they are working on something or hum the melody before introducing the lyrics). If students become familiar with the sound of the music first, they will be more likely to understand the words.

*Make a vocabulary list ahead of time. Go over the words once before you introduce the song.

*Expose students to a certain song many days in a row. Within a few days, students will not be able to get the song out of their head!

*Choose interactive songs whenever possible. Adding actions enhances language acquisition and memory.

*Have soft or upbeat music playing before class to encourage a positive atmosphere. Turning the music off is a great way to signal to a large class that it is time to begin.

FOR  EXAMPLE:

A song called LEMON TREE sung by the fools  garden is a good song to teach present continious to our  students.

STAGE	PROCEDURE	TASKS	INTERACTION	AIMS	TIME
1	·         I’m going to start the activity by asking what kind of music does students like. ·         Talk about the music I like and present, the fool’s garden band.	·         To think what kind of music do they like and answer. ·         Know a little about the band.	T   à Ss	·         Students will get involved with the topic about the kind of music they like to listen.	5 minutes
2	·         Ask students what do they think are going to do. ·         Give students the correct instructions about the activity. ·         Play the song twice. ·         Complete the blanks.	·         Listen to the instructions, ·         Listen  and complete the blanks	T   àSs	·         Learners will develop their listening skill by listening for specific details. ·         Recognize present continuous.	9            minutes
3	·         Form pairs and check their answers. ·         Ask students to go to the board and complete the sequence. ·         Check if the answers are correct.	·         To check with a partner their answers. ·         To complete the activity on the board.	Ss àSs	·         Students will be able to complete the song and compare their answers with a partner.	8 minutes

Fool's Garden - Lemon tree

Fool's Garden - Lemon tree

I’m (1) ______ here in the boring room

It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon

I’m (2) ______ my time

I got nothing to do

I’m (3) ______ around

I’m (4) ______for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I'm (5) _____ around in my car

I'm driving too fast

I'm driving too far

I'd like to change my point of view

I feel so lonely

I’m (6) _____ for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

I'm (7) _____ my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I’m (8) _____ here

I miss the power

I'd like to go out (9) ______a shower

But there's a heavy cloud inside my head

I feel so tired

Put myself into bed

While nothing ever happens and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me

Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I’m (10) _____ around in the desert of joy

Baby anyhow I'll get another toy

And everything will happen and you wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me about the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm (11) _____ my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

And I wonder, wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see, and all that I can see, and all that I can see

Is just a yellow lemon-tree

Fool's Garden - Lemon tree (completed)

I’m (1) sitting here in the boring room

It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon

I’m (2) wasting my time

I got nothing to do

I’m (3) hanging around

I’m (4) waiting for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I'm (5) driving around in my car

I'm driving too fast

I'm driving too far

I'd like to change my point of view

I feel so lonely

I’m (6) waiting for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

I'm (7) turning my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I’m (8) sitting here

I miss the power

I'd like to go out (9) taking a shower

But there's a heavy cloud inside my head

I feel so tired

Put myself into bed

While nothing ever happens and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me

Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I’m (10) stepping around in the desert of joy

Baby anyhow I'll get another toy

And everything will happen and you wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me about the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm (11) turning my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

And I wonder, wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see, and all that I can see, and all that I can see

Is just a yellow lemon-tree





 REFLECTION  :

In my opinion, teaching English with songs is really useful to teach grammar, vocabulary and more to our students and also it’s important if we want to keep our students involved with the language with new creative activities in order to not bore them with the typical activities a teacher does in class.

ERROR CORRECTION

Hi buddies!, As we know, sometimes it’s difficult to find a way to correct our students because we are in a risk that if we correct them in away they don’t like or in some way we make them feel embarrassed or something like that, they won’t want to talk or write again because they will be afraid of committing mistakes in class at the moment of speaking or writing. Or also as many of us have noticed in ICPNA classes we find many kind of  people teenagers , adults ,people in their forties , people who don’t like being corrected and so on!. What to do in these cases? Here I have found three techniques.

1. Teacher Modeling & Correction of Spoken Errors  When the teacher corrects a speaking error, what he or she is actually doing is providing a correct model for the learner to emulate. This stage, applied at any level, and especially at low levels, ensures that the learners receive correct information.

The best technique that a teacher can use is to correctly repeat back to the learner what they had said incorrectly, and then have them repeat it again. Never echo the error that the learner has made, as this can sound like you are mocking them.

Whatever you do, you must make this process gentle and positive to ensure that the learner is receptive. Your goal is to ensure the learners are developing awareness of the error, rather than making it a matter of “right and wrong.” Avoid negative language at all costs. Avoid saying, “No,” or “Wrong,” or anything similar. In fact, praise the effort made, even if incorrect. Follow up by modeling the correction, and praise the learner again when he or she reproduces the language correctly.

2. Learner Comparison & Correcting Written Errors  In classrooms where the learners have developed a good working rapport with each other, (an important requirement for this technique!) the teacher can step out of the center by allowing the learners to develop error awareness amongst themselves.

It is important however, that the learners are encouraged to compare errors, rather than actually employ a correction technique. The latter approach could result in management problems for you. For example, a younger learner should not correct an older learner in some cultures. In others, a woman may not correct a man. In multi-lingual classrooms, there could be resentment of one national correcting a non-allied national (ex: Japanese to Russian, or French to German). Beyond the cultural conflicts, there could also be resentment arising from personality conflicts.

To get around these problems, an effective strategy is to leave spoken error correction to the teacher. For the correction of written tasks, however, invite learners to compare their answers. Avoid employing a teacher-to-learner correction of a task, which can be isolating, exposing and time consuming in most circumstances.

As they do this, make sure you monitor and make yourself available to clear up any further confusion, and also to correct any misinformation. In this way, it is unnecessary to correct the task with the whole class, and you can move more seamlessly on to the next task.

3. Self-Correction  When a learner can correct him or herself, you know that the learner has arrived at the most desirable level of error awareness: self-correction. There is nothing more satisfying than to hear your learners self-correct errors that, at one time, were frustratingly common every time they opened their mouths or put pen to paper. Getting to this stage, however, may take a while; especially for certain deeply-ingrained errors such as article omission, tense confusion, or word choice.

Be patient and gentle. Allow learners to finish talking. Don’t jump on the error. As soon as the learner has completed talking, draw their attention to the problem by asking them to repeat some part of what they said. If they repeat the error, gently indicate that there is a problem. If they are unable to self-correct, simply model correctly and have them repeat it.

REFLECTION!

I strongly believe finding the  correct way to correct our  students is really important if we  want to have a good  environment  and a good relationship with our students , also to  be really careful with students when we  correct them because if  we make our  students feel embarrassed or make a  world of their mistake they will not want to talk again , write , read and they will get discouraged , even they could not get back to your class anymore.

CHANTS

Hi guys , Since I haven’t found many information about chants on the  web, I decided to read and get information from by book.

Well, a chant is a poem, dialog or song, if often involves strong rhythms and rhymes .chants are the majority of the times used for language students. It helps students learn grammar, vocabulary and so on and also to read them and in that way practice pronunciation of the words.

EXAMPLE OF CHANT

Why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so low-down?

No, really...why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so low-down?

No, tell me...why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so low-down?

Well, the "highs" I go for are high self-esteem,

my high regard for you, high hopes for the future!

Yeah! The "highs" I go for are high self-esteem,

my high regard for you, high hopes for the future!

Yeah! The "highs" I go for are high self-esteem,

my high regard for you, high hopes for the future!

I've got better things to do than waste my time

Messin' up my body and messin' up my mind!

Why should I waste my money and my time

Messin' up my body and messin' up my mind?

Don't try to waste my money and my time

Messin' up my body and messin' up my mind!

I'm too special for that kind of junk---you bet!

We're too special for that kind of junk---yeah!

You're too special for that kind of junk! Uh huh!

There are so many things in this wonderful world

That capture my interest and spark my mind---

So many places to go, and people to know,

So many things to do and see and learn and to experience!

Places to go, and people to know,

So many things to do and see and learn and to experience!

I get my kicks out of livin', my highs out of life!

We get our kicks out of livin', our highs out of life!

So get your kicks out of livin', your highs out of life!

It's like I said before, drugs'll mess up your body and mess up your mind,

and sooner or later you don't feel so fine!

And when your mind and your body get all messed up

you forget what's real and what isn't real---

But the harm that's done is there to stay,

'cause once you do it, it stays done; that sure isn't my idea of fun!

And the things people do when they've got that junk in 'em---

They don't care about others or about themselves;

They forget what's real and what isn't real,

But the harm that's done is there to stay,

'cause once you do it, it stays done; and that sure isn't my idea of fun!

Oh, why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so low-down?

No, really...why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so low-down?

No, really...why do they call it "high" on drugs,

When the way people act is so loooooooow-down?

Links

http://www.beachnet.com/~jeanettem/chants.html

REFLECTION

I think chants can be really useful in class and specially for children because at the moment you read or  sing a  chant  you get involved and you follow the rhythm , then students are able to remember vocabulary , grammar or things like that by remembering the song  or just a little part of the chant, to remember everything.

Teaching Vocabulary

As we know, teaching vocabulary is really important for our students because that is the only way they can be more fluent and express their ideas correctly.
Learners usually start by noticing , then by reconigzing a word before they are able to produce it , so here I have four stages for new vocabulart acquisition:

The learner notices the new word (with help)

The learner learns to recognize it (with help)

The learner recognizes it on his/her own

The learner can both recognize and produce it.

Also, here I have ways to make vocabulary learning interesting for students:

Since students need to be motivated to learn vocabulary constantly, it is important that vocabulary review is as interesting as possible. Teachers can vary the types of exercises, strategies and activities. The visual element is equally important. Here are some of the activities I would like to use in my classroom.

Stage 1: Noticing the word: the visual element

• Flashcards
• Pictures

 

 Stage 2: Recognition

• True/false
• Categorize the words
• Matching. (this category is huge with both open and closed types of exercises)Matching the word to its definition, L1-L2, opposites, adjectives and nouns, verbs and adverbs, word to the picture, match two words that go together
• Multiple choice
• Drawing the word
• Bingo games
• Circle the word you hear

Stage 3: Production

• Dictation
• Answering questions
• Guessing games: I’m thinking of:
• Picture description
• Miming

Final Words: Points to consider

• Try to have as many success oriented activities that are geared to the age groups you teach.
• Gradually progress from one stage to another but vary the activities within each stage.
• Consider appealing to the various multiple intelligences. The visual element in learning is particular important – for all age groups but particularly important for younger children.

Reflection : 

I do really believe that teaching  vocabulary is really important for our studens by following this stages I have posted .I really like the way os using  flashcards to teach vocabulary to my students because then I would be able to make  games with them such as...''Matching pictures with names'' or ''guessing the name of the picture''  and so on, actually there are many ways guys, you and only you as  a  manager have to find the correct  way to teach them.