click here to return to games/activities |
Variations and Special Applications: This activity can easily be adjusted to create variety, address a specific area or cater for specific levels of proficiency. For instance, the questions can be pre-arranged for learners who have not developed good writing skills yet, and answers can be indicated with diagrams or pictures (for instance ticks and crosses, happy faces and sad faces etc.). A puzzle-like arrangement can be made by pre-setting questions and giving each student a different answer that needs to be hunted down by the others. For the sake of independent interactive development, the activity works best by giving students the general structure and letting them think up their own questions and answers. |
Classroom Set-Up: How you arrange the classroom "physically" will have an important bearing on the difficulty and effectiveness of the activity. There are some classroom layouts (in order of difficulty) based on a class size of 8 students. Note that the "outward" settings will have a much higher "listening" component and should be used for advanced groups. See the downloadable version to view different possible seating formations. A variety of other formations are possible and the teacher can use creativity to subtly adjust the "flow" of communication and add variety for students who have used the activity frequently. For complicated formations, controlling the direction of questions and answers can be pre-arranged by plotting the formation and dictating which students ask which. |
Applying the Activity - Overview: LEVEL A 1) Select the key language and construct Question and Answer Models using Yes/No Question format (main "be", Information "What is?" and "Where is?"); 2) Following Presentation and/or set Practice activities (usually open and closed pair-work) hand the students a Vocabulary Sheet. Review the vocabulary and then give students a blank Question Sheet. Demonstrate how to fill in the sheet by drawing a picture and then completing the question and answer boxes; 3) When the Question Sheet has been completed and checked (make sure the questions can be asked to other students in the class), decide on an effective classroom set-up, and hand out the Answer Sheets; 4) Demonstrate how to ask from the Question Sheet (option: reinforce the structure through additional pair-work) and then fill the information into the Answer Sheet. Indicate that the students should get started. LEVEL B 1) Same as Level A 1) above, except using Yes/No Questions ("be" and "do" in auxiliary forms for nouns and verbs) or Information Questions (What, Where, When, How); 2) Same as Level A 2) above minus pictures; 3) Same as Level A 3) above; 4) Same as Level A 4) above. LEVEL C 1) Same as A and B 2) above, except using advanced Question/Answer types like alternative, negative, tag or embedded questions, questions using various modals (should, could, must, would etc), or a combination of many different types (information "Why" because" questions are at this level) 2) Same as A and B 2) above. Option: have the students select and answer an appropriate follow-up question; 3) Same as A and B 3) above, except consider more challenging classroom set-ups; 4) Same as A and B 4) above. |
How the Activity "works": Clearly the objective in the eyes of the students is simply to complete the spaces on their Answer Sheet. With 4 -8 (or more) questions, and 4 -12 students (depending on class size: in general the bigger the class the more effective the activity) to ask them to, they have quite a task in front of them anywhere from 16 -72 questions in total. The teacher should adjust the set up and materials so that it is possible to fill out most of the sheet in the class time available. What the students probably haven't accounted for is the fact that there are several other students with the same objective thus they will be under pressure to listen and answer questions while they are asking and writing the answers to their own. Students thus become each other's distracters. They need to listen carefully and speak loudly and clearly to achieve understanding through the classroom noise. The classroom set-up (see below) can be an important factor in controlling the difficulty and flow of communication between the students. In general, the activity starts off slow and calm and gradually picks up pace and noise level. It usually creates a certain degree of frustration, and brings out the students who enjoy a challenge so sometimes the noise level rapidly reaches crescendo level or a series of wave-like crescendos. Students tend to enjoy the frustration element and the fact that they are bellowing a language they may previously have thought of as difficult. A certain amount of laughter is likely to eventuate while students are roaring for each other's attention and having to repeat or ask others to repeat themselves. The classroom noise may seem chaotic, but it really brings the skill focus areas under pressure without focusing attention on any one individual. If the language models are clearly understood from the Presentation and/or initial Practice stages, the students will have very little need or inclination to resort to the native language. The activity should facilitate interactive communication in a very natural environment the most important part of the classroom noise is that it is "English noise". It is recommended that correction take place during the first running of the activity but as students get used to it the teacher should consider pausing the activity at intervals for error correction, or to do error correction at the conclusion of the lesson. Confidence, fluency and interaction are the key objectives of this activity. |
Role of the Teacher: This activity ultimately demonstrates the teacher's role as a facilitator above and beyond anything else. Having done the majority of the talking during the Presentation stage, the teacher's role is then to guide the students through the process of completing the activity by way of example. When the model and process is clear and the activity begins for real, the amount of participation on the part of the teacher is up to them and what they hope to achieve. They can be a "Questioner/Answerer" within the activity in order to provide an accurate model that students can fall back on and emulate; they can observe and correct or they can be a "pure" observer (least participation as the teacher neither interrupts or corrects the students). The last option is what will really promote interactive fluency between the students, but it depends on the teacher's objectives and the needs and level of the students. |
ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: This is a question-answer orientated activity designed to follow on from the Presentation and/or Practice stages of language learning. Used effectively, it provides "natural feeling" practice and confidence in producing spoken English. It also emphasizes the need to focus listening on key elements of the oral language, and to speak clearly when conveying information or expressing oneself. The activity is "natural feeling" in that it simulates the sort of language likely to take place between English speakers gathered together at say a party or a meeting. It is excellent for "getting to know" or "finding out". Given that the communication is in the main from students to students, it highlights the fact that they are the language users, and the language can be used in a way that is relevant and applicable to them From an ESL perspective, the activity is an important tool in "filling the classroom up" with the sound of English. Students are too busy using the language to consider switching back to the mother language. There is no individual focus, removing attention from shy or slow students. After regular use of this activity, the majority of students should have increased confidence in their own ability and the effectiveness of their class as a whole. Depending on the personalities of the students, it also has the potential to provoke frustration and humor, which can make it light-hearted and fun. |
Questions and Answers: "Speaking in a Crowded Room" Activity Type: Group Interactive (student <-> student) Level: High Beginner and above Language Focus: Question and Answer forms Skill Focus: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing Materials: - Pre-prepared question and answer sheets, Language Model - Listing of relevant/additional vocabulary |
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
Comprehensive Listings of Teacher Resource Sites |
Questions and Answers: "Speaking in a Crowded Room" Activity Type: Group Interactive (student <-> student) Level: High Beginner and above Language Focus: Question and Answer forms Skill Focus: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing Materials: - Pre-prepared question and answer sheets, Language Model - Listing of relevant/additional vocabulary |
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
This is English Raven's favorite all-purpose activity for encouraging English communication in the classroom, applying all four key learning skills! |
There are a range of answer sheets according to age and level... Click below! |
Speaking in a Crowded Room Answer Sheets: |
OBJECTIVES -> Develop fluency and confidence in producing spoken English within an "English environment"; -> To emphasize and provide practice in the key area of Listening; -> To provide a smooth transition from Practice to Production practicing pre-learned question constructions and spontaneously producing effective "natural" responses; -> To provide students with key interactive communicative language that can be applied across a wide range of vocabulary and situations; -> To combine the skill focus areas of Listening, Speaking and Writing in one activity. KEY LANGUAGE -> Varies according to particular question/answer construction selected, but most effective for practice of Yes/No Questions and Information Questions; -> Auxiliary forms of "be", "do" and "have" in question, answer and statement forms; -> Various high frequency verbs, nouns and adjectives. VARIATION -> Three different levels (A, B and C) dependant on proficiency and target language. |
ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: This is a question-answer orientated activity designed to follow on from the Presentation and/or Practice stages of language learning. Used effectively, it provides "natural feeling" practice and confidence in producing spoken English. It also emphasizes the need to focus listening on key elements of the oral language, and to speak clearly when conveying information or expressing oneself. The activity is "natural feeling" in that it simulates the sort of language likely to take place between English speakers gathered together at say a party or a meeting. It is excellent for "getting to know" or "finding out". Given that the communication is in the main from students to students, it highlights the fact that they are the language users, and the language can be used in a way that is relevant and applicable to them From an ESL perspective, the activity is an important tool in "filling the classroom up" with the sound of English. Students are too busy using the language to consider switching back to the mother language. There is no individual focus, removing attention from shy or slow students. After regular use of this activity, the majority of students should have increased confidence in their own ability and the effectiveness of their class as a whole. Depending on the personalities of the students, it also has the potential to provoke frustration and humor, which can make it light-hearted and fun. |
Role of the Teacher: This activity ultimately demonstrates the teacher's role as a facilitator above and beyond anything else. Having done the majority of the talking during the Presentation stage, the teacher's role is then to guide the students through the process of completing the activity by way of example. When the model and process is clear and the activity begins for real, the amount of participation on the part of the teacher is up to them and what they hope to achieve. They can be a "Questioner/Answerer" within the activity in order to provide an accurate model that students can fall back on and emulate; they can observe and correct or they can be a "pure" observer (least participation as the teacher neither interrupts or corrects the students). The last option is what will really promote interactive fluency between the students, but it depends on the teacher's objectives and the needs and level of the students. |
How the Activity "works": Clearly the objective in the eyes of the students is simply to complete the spaces on their Answer Sheet. With 4 -8 (or more) questions, and 4 -12 students (depending on class size: in general the bigger the class the more effective the activity) to ask them to, they have quite a task in front of them anywhere from 16 -72 questions in total. The teacher should adjust the set up and materials so that it is possible to fill out most of the sheet in the class time available. What the students probably haven't accounted for is the fact that there are several other students with the same objective thus they will be under pressure to listen and answer questions while they are asking and writing the answers to their own. Students thus become each other's distracters. They need to listen carefully and speak loudly and clearly to achieve understanding through the classroom noise. The classroom set-up (see below) can be an important factor in controlling the difficulty and flow of communication between the students. In general, the activity starts off slow and calm and gradually picks up pace and noise level. It usually creates a certain degree of frustration, and brings out the students who enjoy a challenge so sometimes the noise level rapidly reaches crescendo level or a series of wave-like crescendos. Students tend to enjoy the frustration element and the fact that they are bellowing a language they may previously have thought of as difficult. A certain amount of laughter is likely to eventuate while students are roaring for each other's attention and having to repeat or ask others to repeat themselves. The classroom noise may seem chaotic, but it really brings the skill focus areas under pressure without focusing attention on any one individual. If the language models are clearly understood from the Presentation and/or initial Practice stages, the students will have very little need or inclination to resort to the native language. The activity should facilitate interactive communication in a very natural environment the most important part of the classroom noise is that it is "English noise". It is recommended that correction take place during the first running of the activity but as students get used to it the teacher should consider pausing the activity at intervals for error correction, or to do error correction at the conclusion of the lesson. Confidence, fluency and interaction are the key objectives of this activity. |
Applying the Activity - Overview: LEVEL A 1) Select the key language and construct Question and Answer Models using Yes/No Question format (main "be", Information "What is?" and "Where is?"); 2) Following Presentation and/or set Practice activities (usually open and closed pair-work) hand the students a Vocabulary Sheet. Review the vocabulary and then give students a blank Question Sheet. Demonstrate how to fill in the sheet by drawing a picture and then completing the question and answer boxes; 3) When the Question Sheet has been completed and checked (make sure the questions can be asked to other students in the class), decide on an effective classroom set-up, and hand out the Answer Sheets; 4) Demonstrate how to ask from the Question Sheet (option: reinforce the structure through additional pair-work) and then fill the information into the Answer Sheet. Indicate that the students should get started. LEVEL B 1) Same as Level A 1) above, except using Yes/No Questions ("be" and "do" in auxiliary forms for nouns and verbs) or Information Questions (What, Where, When, How); 2) Same as Level A 2) above minus pictures; 3) Same as Level A 3) above; 4) Same as Level A 4) above. LEVEL C 1) Same as A and B 2) above, except using advanced Question/Answer types like alternative, negative, tag or embedded questions, questions using various modals (should, could, must, would etc), or a combination of many different types (information "Why" because" questions are at this level) 2) Same as A and B 2) above. Option: have the students select and answer an appropriate follow-up question; 3) Same as A and B 3) above, except consider more challenging classroom set-ups; 4) Same as A and B 4) above. |
Classroom Set-Up: How you arrange the classroom "physically" will have an important bearing on the difficulty and effectiveness of the activity. There are some classroom layouts (in order of difficulty) based on a class size of 8 students. Note that the "outward" settings will have a much higher "listening" component and should be used for advanced groups. See the downloadable version to view different possible seating formations. A variety of other formations are possible and the teacher can use creativity to subtly adjust the "flow" of communication and add variety for students who have used the activity frequently. For complicated formations, controlling the direction of questions and answers can be pre-arranged by plotting the formation and dictating which students ask which. |
Variations and Special Applications: This activity can easily be adjusted to create variety, address a specific area or cater for specific levels of proficiency. For instance, the questions can be pre-arranged for learners who have not developed good writing skills yet, and answers can be indicated with diagrams or pictures (for instance ticks and crosses, happy faces and sad faces etc.). A puzzle-like arrangement can be made by pre-setting questions and giving each student a different answer that needs to be hunted down by the others. For the sake of independent interactive development, the activity works best by giving students the general structure and letting them think up their own questions and answers. |
click here to return to games/activities |
