Busy Teacher’s Graham Dixon has published an article on involving students in your classroom activities.
It’s extremely adaptable and can be used for almost limitless purposes:
- Review of the day’s material, or before a test
- Check understanding of key concepts and terms
- Diagnostic tests, to help draw up a syllabus or decide the students’ level
- Quizzing the students’ general knowledge, either to discover weak areas, or just for fun
- Build team spirit and an atmosphere of healthy competition
In adapting this much-loved institution to the ESL classroom, I’ve found some ways to keep it simple while retaining its ever-so-useful flexibility. I generally omit the cryptic word-play aspects, sticking to easily comprehended categories. I also do without the tradition of beginning the answer with ‘What is…’, preferring to vary between requiring short, factual answers and longer, explanatory responses. Double Jeopardy comes only at a pre-determined time (down to the exact minute), chosen at random by the teacher at the beginning of the game, and kept as a surprise. My students have absolutely loved it, and I’m sure this simple but thoroughly enjoyable game could find a place in virtually any class.