Normal, slow, fast

Aim: to use mime as a stimulus for detailed observation and description.

Focus: Past tense

Level: all

Time: 30 - 40 minutes

Preparation: Write down short situation or stories the students can use. 

Procedure: 

• Students work in groups of four or five. Give each group 15 minutes to prepare and rehearse a short mime incident.
• Thy will perform the mime once at a normal speed, once in slow motion and once speeded up. 
• Each group joins with another group and preforms the sequence at the three different speeds. The group observing has to describe precisely the sequence of actions they have observed. Every group will both perform and describe. 

 

Walking dream

 

 Aim: to develop a group story through free association. 

Focus: past tense

Level: Intermediate and above

Time: One hour

Procedure: 

• Students sit in a circle, facing outwards so that no one is looking at anyone else. If you have a bigger class, let students form circles of about ten students. If you can play some soothing music. As the activity gets under way, gradually lower the volume of the music. 
• Explain to the students that you will begin to tell a story. When you stop anyone can add one or more sentences to continue the story. Students should only speak if and when they feel they can add something interesting to the story. 
• Let the story go one for about ten minutes. Then raise the volume of the music again.
• Run a short feedback session, going back over the story so far. Students make notes. 
• Students work in groups of four to prepare a dramatized version of the story, which they present to the class. 

Note:

The first part of this activity is a valuable cooling down activity if you want to restore clam after more hectic or more concentrated activities.

 

The Dialogue 

Aim:

After this activity the students are able to use the past simple and past perfect.

Level(s):

Intermediate

Language focus:

Past simple and past perfect

Time:

15 – 20 minutes

Procedure:

1. The students have studied the past simple and past perfect. During this drama activity the teacher divides the students into pairs of two.
2. Each pair of two is going to prepare a dialogue, including the past simple and the past perfect. Six to seven lines long.
3. Each pair gets ten minutes to prepare.
4. Each pair is going to perform his or hers short dialogue in front of the class.
5. The other students have to write down which form they hear in the past simple and past perfect. What are the differences? When do you use the past simple and when do you use the past perfect?
6. They can ask each other questions if needed.

 

Preparation:

You can make pairs before the lessons starts. If necessary you can make example sentences to get the students going.

Variations/additions:

You could include different themes depending on the season or theme of a chapter.

Notes to the teacher:

Make sure that everyone is engaged during the activity. Walk around to see if a student needs extra help.