English Classroom Best Hits

1. English Classroom Best Hits • Speaking - PCV Lawrence Gipson • Games - PCV Zachary Pritchett • Creative Writing - PCV Julia Lee • Discussion – Resource, Events, Opportunities

2. Speaking Activities • Hot Potato • Describe and Guess • Dialogs

3. Hot Potato The teacher passes an object – usually a ball or soft toy – to students who must then give a response in English. This game involves physical movement and forces every student in the class to participate. EXAMPLES: “What is your name?” “Name any color.” “What did you eat for lunch?” “What are you wearing?” “Describe your best friend.”

4. Scaling Hot Potato BEGINNER Students simply translate a word or phrase from English into Russian, or Russian into English. INTERMEDIATE Students give answers to basic questions. ADVANCED Students answer basic questions and then ask questions to other students.

5. Hot Potato Example What is your favorite …? EXAMPLES: “What is your favorite food?” “What is your favorite subject?” “What is your favorite book?” “What is your favorite city?”

6. Describe and Guess One student describes an object from a set of objects (pictures, toys, classmates, etc.) and his or her classmates must guess which one is described. EXAMPLE: 1 2 3

7. Scaling Describe and Guess BEGINNER At this level students do not even describe the object. The class guesses directly from a short list. INTERMEDIATE With help from the teacher, students write their riddles step by step, then present to the class. The answer could be from a list or generally known. ADVANCED Without any help from the teacher, students write their riddles, then present to the class. The answers could be from a list or generally known.

8. Describe and Guess Example ? This is a team sport. ? ? This is a competitive sport. This is summer and fall sport. FOOTBALL!!!

9. Describe and Guess Example This is a team/individual sport. ? This is a competitive/ non-competitive sport. This is a spring/summer/fall/winter/all year sport.

10. Dialogs Students act out a conversation between two people. Although most of the time students simply memorize dialogs, the goal is to get them to be able to speak spontaneously. We want them to create language, not simply memorize sounds. Memorized Example: Hello, Bob. Hello, Sam. Do you like pizza? I love pizza! It’s my favorite food? Why do you love pizza? I love pizza because it has cheese and tomato sauce! Spontaneous Example: Write a conversation between two friends about their favorite food, “pizza.”

11. Scaling Dialogs BEGINNER Students simply memorize a dialog and repeat it. There is no attempt at creativity or independent thought. INTERMEDIATE Students are given most or some of a text, but they have to think of their own key words or phrases. ADVANCED Students have no text, only a basic description of their conversation. It is entirely student created.

12. Dialogs Example (just text) Hi, Anne. What are you doing? Hello, Bill. I’m going to the theatre! It’s my first time. Wow, that’s great! I love the theater. What is your favorite part of the theater? My favorite part of the theater is the beautiful scenery. That sounds great. Well, I need to go now – goodbye! Goodbye!

13. Dialogs Example (easy) Hi, ________. What are you doing? Hello, ______. I’m going to the ______! It’s my first time. Wow, that’s great! I love the theater. What is your favorite part of the theater? My favorite part of the theater is the _____________. That sounds great. Well, I need to go now – goodbye! Goodbye!

14. Dialogs Example(medium) Hi, ________. What are you doing? Hello, ______. I’m going to the ______! It’s my first time. Wow, that’s great! I love the _________. What is your _______ part of the ________? My _________ part of the ________ is the _____________. That sounds great. Well, I need to go now – ________! ________!

15. Dialogs Example (hard) Hi, ________. What are you doing? Hello, ______. I’m going to the ______! It’s my first time. Wow _______! I love the _________. What is your _______ part of the ________? My ____________________is the _____________. That sounds ________. Well, I need to go now – ________! ________!

16. Games!

17. Creative Writing Write On! Ukraine Classroom Activities Websites

18. What is Write On! Ukraine? • An international competition coordinated by U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers, for students from 6th form to 4th year University students. There is even a category for teachers! • This competition is designed to encourage students to develop their critical thinking, free expression, and writing skills, especially in the area of creative writing, and to allow them to have some fun!

19. Write On! 2013 in Putivl • 33 students from the Educational Complex and School No. 1 in Putivl participated in Write On! 2013 • 5 students won on the oblast level

20. Creative Writing Activity #1 • Adverb • Noun • Liquid • Verb • Number • Noun (Plural) • Verb • Adjective • Noun • Noun (Plural) • Illness • Occupation • Body Part (Plural) • Body Part How to wash your face: In order to wash your face [1] , you must wet your [2] in warm [3] . Then, [4] it across your face [5] times. This will wash off any remaining [6] . When you are done you should [7] the cloth in [8] water to clean it. You should also wash your face with a [9] to keep it smooth and shiny. This will keep also keep away [10] . Don`t worry. It is normal to experience [11] the first time you try this. Consult your [12] if you break out in [13] . This works well on your [14] too! Word Types Fill –in-the-Blank Mad Libs Story

21. Creative Writing Activity #2 • Who • What • When • Where • Why • With whom? • How? • Dima • eats borsht • at midnight on Wednesday • in the Carpathian mountains • because he is sad. The 5Ws Chain Stories/Exquisite Corpse Method

22. Creative Writing Activity #3 • Students are given random objects (watch, scarf, keys, etc.) and then they have to write a story that incorporates the object into the plot

23. Creative Writing Websites: • Write On! Ukraine websites • http://creativewritinginukraine.wordpress.com/ • http://vk.com/writeon • Free list of Mad Libs http://www.madglibs.com/index.php?page=-1 • Creative Writing Seminar videos http://englishinputivl.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/creative-writing-with-kasey-and-meriden/

24. Discussion Sharing resources & opportunities

25. Resources • U.S. Embassy • Regional English Language Office (RELO) • English Teaching Resource Center (ETRC) • Window on America Library • British Council • CEI Sumy • Camp Excite Sumy Oblast • Peace Corps Databases • http://pcukraine.org/en/tools/materials.html • http://ua-pcvcamps.wikispaces.com/Welcome • English Tips • Learn Well English • Busy Teacher • Breaking News ESL • ESL Flow • English in Putivl blog • E-Connect for Teachers Organizations Databases & Websites

26. Upcoming Events • May 11th: WELL Seminar in Sumy • June 5 - 6: Free Kick 2-Day Camp • June 10 -15: Cowboys and Cossacks Camp • June 17 – 22: Camp TOBE • June 24 – July 3: Camp HEAL • July 14 -19: Camp Excite • July 22 – 27: Camp GLOW • July 22 – August 2: CACTUS Camp

27. Opportunities • How can we make learning English more enjoyable for students? • How can students use their English skills outside of the classroom? • How can teachers continue with professional development? • How can ?