DEVISING ACTIVITIES
PRE – READING ACTIVITY.
PREDICTION
Students’ level: B2
Time allotted: 18 minutes
Type of work: group work
Classroom interaction: T – G; S – S; G – T
Teacher’s roles: controller, organizer, observer, feedback provider
Students’ roles: collaborator, negotiator, spokesperson
Skills: Reading, writing, speaking
Aims:
To provide language preparation to successfully read the text
To develop students’ prediction skills
To improve students’ correct spelling
To develop students’ paragraph writing skills
To enable students to interact with each other
Objectives: By the end of the activity, the students will be able to:
predict what the text they are going to read is about
write their prediction down using correct grammar and spelling
Stages:
0. Prepare the necessary material for the activity For this activity I have
prepared four small sheets of papers on which I have written a few words and
expressions from the text that the children are about to read. I have folded the
sheets into paper planes.
1. Lead-in I write down the title of the novel on the board using capital
letters in jumbled order. (e.g.: ETH EGART SGBAYT). I tell the students that once
they have unscrambled the letters, they will discover the title of the main
(Ex:character) from the text to be studied.
2. Set – up the activity I divide the students into four mixed ability groups
and give each group a paper plane on which there are written three words \
expressions from the text to be studied.
Each paper plane contains different words. Based on the words received,
they should write down their predictions regarding the content of the text, the
characters, the setting.
I give them a three minutes time limit to complete the task.
3. Run the activity I let them work and monitor them that are following the
instructions correctly.
After the students finish, I ask them to fold back their paper planes and
throw them to another group. Based on the new words, the groups have to
continue making predictions.
I have them perform the same change two more times so that each group
receives all the words from the text. I explain to the groups that, with each
integration of new words, they have to revise their predictions and keep only the
most appropriate ones, the predictions which do not contradict each other.
4. Close the activity
I stop the activity and I ask some of the pairs to read their paragraphs. I
allow the students to walk around, read their mates’ predictions and suggest
improvements or correct the mistakes.
5. Follow-up The next activity will focus on reading. I give the students the
full text and inform them that the group with the best predictions is the winner.
WHILE – READING ACTIVITY. NARRATIVE WRITING
Students’ level: B2
Time allotted: 15 minutes
Type of work: individual work + pair work + whole class work
Classroom interaction: T – Ss; S – S; P – T; Ss – T
Teacher’s roles: organizer, observer, participant, feedback provider
Students’ roles: autonomous learner, collaborator, negotiator
Skills: Reading, writing
Aims:
To develop students’ fluent reading
To develop students’ reading skills: scanning
To develop students’ paragraph writing skills
To focus students’ attention to the main parts of the story
Objectives: By the end of the activity, the students will be able to:
summarize the text given by writing down the main idea.
write a narrative paragraph using correct structure and spelling.
Stages:
0. Prepare the necessary material for the activity activity
For this activity I have prepared four small sheets of papers on which I have
written the same number of hand - outs as students in the class. The sheets
contain a page long - text in which an event \ situation is briefly described. On the
other side of the sheet, a five corner star is drawn
1. Lead – in I show the students a flipchart sheet on which a five corners
star is drawn. As a whole class activity, I ask them to quickly think of a famous
person and a funny situation in which he was recently involved (for instance, a
singer falling off the stage). Then, I ask them to tell me when the event took place,
where, what happened and why. My task is to guess the name of the star.
2. Set – up the activity I inform the students that they will receive a text in
which an event \ situation is described. Individually, each student has to put out
the essential information from the text in order to complete the five corners of
the star. Each corner contains a question
I put the students into pairs and give them a five minutes time limit to
complete the task.
WHO IS THE STORY ABOUT?
WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
WHERE DID IT HAPPEN?
WHAT HAPPENED?
WHY DID IT HAPPEN?
3. Run the activity I let them work and monitor them that the Ss are
following the instructions correctly
After the students finish, I check their answers by asking them to complete
the corners of the star from the flipchart with the correct information from the
text. Then, I ask a student to sum up the information and write the main idea of
the text on the board.
Who – an ancient Mariner
When – during the night, when the Moon came out
Where – in the middle of the sea, on a ship
What – the Mariner shot the Albatross
Why – for no good reason
The next step of the task is for the students to develop the main idea of the
text, writing extra information. This time, they should be able to write a paragraph
and describe the event \ situation which took place, giving details. I ask them to
work in pairs again and give them another 3 minutes time limit.
4. Close the activity
I stop the activity and I ask some of the pairs to read their paragraphs. I
allow the students to walk around, read their mates’ descriptions and suggest
improvements or correct the mistakes.
5. Follow - up The next activity will focus on narrative writing
AFTER – READING ACTIVITY. JOURNALING
Students’ level: B2
Time allotted: 20 minutes
Type of work: individual work + pair work + whole class discussion
Classroom interaction: T – Ss; S – S; P – T; Ss – T
Teacher’s roles: organizer, observer, participant, feedback provider
Students’ roles: reflective learner, collaborator, presenter
Skills: Reading, writing, critical thinking, self-reflection
Aims:
To encourage self-reflection and critical thinking.
To enhance students’ writing skills.
To deepen students’ understanding and engagement with the text.
To improve students’ ability to articulate their thoughts and insights.
Objectives: By the end of the activity, the students will be able to:
maintain a reading journal to record their thoughts, questions, and insights.
discuss their reflections with peers.
use correct grammar, spelling, and narrative structure in their journal
entries.
Stages:
0. Prepare the necessary material for the activity For this activity, I have
prepared a template for a reading journal that includes prompts and questions to
guide students' reflections. Each student will receive a copy to use for their
journaling.
1. Lead – in I start by discussing the importance of journaling and how it can
help students understand and connect with what they read. I share examples of
famous authors who kept journals and discuss how journaling can be a powerful
tool for self-reflection and learning.
2. Set – up the activity I inform the students that they will begin keeping a
reading journal. I explain that they should write their thoughts, questions, and
insights as they read. I introduce the journal template and go over the prompts
and questions included, such as:
What did you like or dislike about the text?
Where are any parts that confused you?
What connections can you make between the text and your own life?
What questions do you have if you are meeting the characters?
3. Run the activity I give the students 10 minutes to write their first journal
entry based on the text they have just read. During this time, I walk around the
classroom to make sure the students are following the instructions correctly.
Then, I ask a student to sum up the information and write the main idea of
the text on the board.
"I liked the imagery of the changing seasons, but the tone felt very sad."
"I was confused about why April is called the cruellest month and why
winter is described as warm."
"The description of spring reminds me of how I feel refreshed and hopeful
when winter ends."
"I would ask the narrator why they find April so difficult and what memories
and desires they are mixing."
4. Close the activity
After the students finish, I ask them to share their thoughts and questions
with a partner. Each pair discusses what they liked or disliked about the text, any
confusing parts, connections to their own lives, and questions they have about the
characters. After the pair discussions, I invite a few volunteers to share their
reflections with the whole class.
5. Follow – up The next activity will involve students continuing to use their
reading journals as they read new texts.