Susan Halliwell (III)

Speaking more freely 

I have chosen two activities of Susan Halliwell called ‘Battleships” and “Guess what I’ve got on my promptcard” to practice classroom language for allowing students speak more freely. They belong to group 2 which is called ”Guess” of the book Teaching English in the Primary Classroom. Useful examples of this type of language are:

- Asking children to guess and remember 

- Setting up pairs and groups

- Children in pairs or groups 

In the first activity the teacher hands out grids for each student but they have to play in pairs. They complete them putting ten crosses. Then, children keep their grids from their partners but try to find out what their partner has marked. So, for example, child A “fires” by asking the question: “Does Alan like sweets?” and child B have to say “Yes, he does” or “No, he doesn’t”. If child A is right he hits a score and he marks it on his card. The first who score the ten points is the winner. 

You can explan better this activity using the white board and putting examples. 

The second activity consists of provide oral practice on the topic of the weather. The teacher collects the prompcards into a pile. After she gives the pile to one child who holds them so that the other children cannot see which card is on the top of the pile. The teacher starts the guessing herself, so she provides a model for the children to follow:

T: Is it raining?

Children with cards: no!

T: Is the sun shining?

Children with cards: no!

T: Guess!

Another child: is it snowing?

When someone guesses correctly another child is allowed to choose a card and the process start again.

This game can be extended by numbering pictures in the blackboard or using sentences too. 

You can do this activity with high technology too: