Hello colleagues, Teachers often have a tried and true routine for starting class. Depending on the class I'm teaching, my routine will be different.
With beginners
- I have often started class with a conversation grid where students interview each other using questions related to the theme and/or grammar point I am teaching.
- I've also had beginners start the class by writing in a dialogue journal. A dialogue journal is a conversation in writing between the teacher and the student.
- I often start by writing a few sentences on the board and asking students to "fix the sentences." The sentences are derived from the students' own writing --without sharing anyone's name, of course!
With intermediate and advanced learners
- I often start with a focus on vocabulary drawn from the materials we'll be using in the day's lesson. The students use the vocabulary in personally meaningful ways in both conversation and writing during this warm up activity.
- Another activity I've used with advanced students is writing an inspirational quote on the board and asking students to respond in a writing journal. They then share their ideas with a partner or in a small group before we discuss the quote as a whole class.
Tell us how you start your class!
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP