Communicative activities for large classes (may 2016)

COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR LARGE CLASSROOMS

ILA TEACH

Hello!Todd BierbaumAcademic Manager, ILA Vietnam, Go Vap DistrictCambridge CELTA, DELTABachelors of Science, Electrical Engineering

Communicative Activities for Large Classrooms

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)Benefits of CLT

CLT in Large ClassesExamples of CLT Activities

Participation is encouraged!

Introductions

1. My name is .2. I’m a at .

3. I’ve been a for years.4. My favorite .

Talk to your peers.

What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is a method for teaching...

A. grammar and vocabulary only

B. speaking and listening onlyC. reading and writing onlyD. all of the above

CLT is a method for teaching all skills/systems of a second language (i.e. English)

When did Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) begin?

A. 1870s

B. 1920sC. 1970s

D. 2000s

CLT is a common ESL teaching method used internationally.


or

A B


Focused on the students...

not on the teacher.

A


táo apple

It’s an apple.

or

A B


It’s an apple.

Students learn naturally...

not by translation.

B


A: Have you been to Singapore?

B: No, I haven’t.

or

A B


A: Have you been to Singapore?

B: No, I haven’t.

Students learn by example and practice...

not by rules.B


“Involve me, and I will learn.”or

“Teach me, and I will remember.”

A B


“Involve me, and I will learn.”

Students learn by involving them...

not by teaching them.

B

Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)

● Focused on the teacher.

● The students learn by translation.

● The students learn English through rules and vocabulary.

● The students are “taught”.

●

●

Talk to your peers.

Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)

● Focused on the teacher.

● The students learn by translation.

● The students learn English through rules and vocabulary.

● The students are “taught”.

● Focused on the students.

● The students learn “naturally”.

● The students learn by example and practice.

● The students are “involved”.

Benefits of Communicative Language Teaching

CLT Benefits: How do we learn language?

“You + ‘to be’ + adjective.”

“You are handsome.”

CLT is “natural”. It’s how humans learn language.

A

B

CLT Benefits: Why do we learn language?

To communicate!

(i.e. not to pass an exam, or get

a good job)

Talk to your peers.

Examples of Communicative Activities

for Large Classrooms

Participation is encouraged!

Skill: GrammarPurpose: Past Simple ‘to be’

Activity: Memory

Communicative Activities: Example #1

There was one _______.There were four _________.

There were three _________.


There was one apple.There were four bananas.There were three oranges.



There was ….

There were ….

Talk to your peers.


❏ The language was “natural”.

❏ Focused on students.

❏ Not focused on rules (i.e. There + were + numerical adjective + plural noun)

Skill: VocabularyPurpose: Colors

Activity: Point to something...



Teacher: “Point to something…”


Students: “Point to something…”

Talk to your peers.




❏ Activity was “fun” through competition.

System: SpeakingPurpose: Talking about your city

Activity: Speak for 45 seconds



citymotorbike

livefood

restaurantriver



weathertransportation

workschooltime

neighborshometown

hobbies

friendsmusicfamilyriver

downtownstudents

rainmuseums

Talk to your peers.




❏ Made students communicate.

Communicative Activities: Other examples

How can you use this as a communicative activity?

Talk to your peers.


Adapt children’s games to use in the classroom.

For exampleStudents give example of present continuous and move forward a space.


How can you use this as a communicative activity?

Talk to your peers.


Talk to your peers.

Surveys are popular CLT activities. Students ask each other questions. Adaptable for all levels.

Communicative Language Teaching in Large Classrooms


Two Advantages

More students = more ideas!

Students learn from each other

Two Disadvantages

Managing students

Working with individual students (strong & weak)

Talk to your peers.


Two Disadvantages

Managing students

Getting students to participate

How to overcome

these?

CLT in Large Classrooms: Managing Students

S S

S S

S S

S

S S S

Students work together in small groups. The teacher watches and guides them.

TT T

Talk to your peers.

What does this represent?

CLT in Large Classrooms:Getting students to participate

Use “fun” and engaging activities.

Talk to your peers.

What does this represent?

Summary

What…Why…How...


● Focused on the students.

● The students learn “naturally”.

● The students learn by example and practice.

● The students are “involved”.

Why use Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?

It’s to communicate.

It’s how humans

learn language.

How to use Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?

“Fun” and engaging activities.

S S

S S

TPut

students in groups.

Questions?

Homework1. Create and use one

CLT activity in your class.

2. Share it with your peers.

Thank you!

Communicative activities for large classes (may 2016)

Education