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Adjectives and nouns

1. Students suggest adjective-noun phrases, for example, 'a black cat', 'an expert doctor', etc. Contribute some yourself. As the phrases are suggested, write the adjectives in a column down the left-hand side of the board, and the nouns on the right-hand side, so you will get something like this:

A smart \ cat
A poor \ student

2. Then they volunteer ideas for different combinations, for example 'a smart student', and you draw a line to join the two words. See how many the class can make. If someone suggests an unusual or strange combination, they have to justify it – can you justify 'a poor cat', for example?

What am I doing?

1. Tell the students that you are going to imagine yourself being somewhere else and doing something else.
2. Students try to guess, e.g. You are drinking beer in the pub.

Sensory styles

1. Write down on the blackboard: 0 = can't at all; 1 = hardly; 2 = pretty good; 3 = easily.
2. Tell the students that you are going to test how they recollect their memories.
3. Read all three columns and ask some students at random.

__SEE wallpaper in your room
__SEE a kangaroo
__SEE your front door
__SEE your toothbrush
__SEE a friend's face
__SEE a plate of food
__SEE a TV show
__SEE your hairdo
__SEE a smiling cat
__WATCH the TV scene change

__HEAR a shot
__HEAR sounds of the waves
__HEAR a horse's laugh
__HEAR your favourite song
__HEAR rain
__HEAR a fire alarm
__HEAR a friend's voice
__HEAR your own voice
__HEAR birds singing...
__HEAR the birdsong change to a call of alarm

__FEEL yourself angry
__FEEL your feet in cold water
__FEEL hot potato in your mouth
__FEEL excited
__FEEL yourself swimming
__FEEL grass under your feet
__FEEL a cat on your lap
__FEEL the key, while opening the door
__FEEL your fingers on a piano keyboard
__FEEL your fingers playing a few notes

4. When you've done the test add up your scores for each sense: SEE ___; HEAR ___; FEEL ___

Guess who?

1. Give each of your students a piece of paper and ask them to write four facts about themselves. These can be anything they choose, e.g. I was born in February, I own a bicycle, I like Beethoven, etc. as long as the statement is true.
2. Collect their pieces of paper together and then redistribute them so that each student has personal information about another student.
3. Students turn the statements into questions, and then ask other students those questions.
4. The activity ends when everybody has found out whose personal information they have.

Words my neighbor knows

1. Divide the class into pairs. The partners must not communicate at this stage.
2. Ask each student to write a list of ten words which their partner
a. should know;
b. should know but doesn't;
c. definitely doesn't know.
3. Then ask the pairs to check out the accuracy of the predictions.

Guessing mimes

1. Teacher tells a student a simple instruction, for example: You are watching tennis,
2. The student mimes this. The teacher then asks a series of guessing questions to show the other students what is required, e.g. Are you watching football? Are you crossing the road? The person doing the mime can only give Yes/No answers.
3. Now the teacher gives out cards or tells the instructions to a volunteer to mime before the class. If students cannot guess within 5 questions the presenter wins a point.
4. Here is a set of simple mimes:
- You are opening a tin.
- You are watching tennis.
- You are crossing the road.
- You are taking a shower.
- You are riding a horse.
- You are moving the furniture.
- You are working with Xerox.
- You are taking an exam.
- You are watching a comedy on television.
- You are changing a car/bicycle wheel.
- You are dancing tango.
- You are climbing mountains.
5. Next set of cards with more complex actions:
- blowing into a bag for a police breath-test
- taking photos of yourself in an automatic machine
- a lion-tamer, putting your head into the lion's mouth
- in a crowded bus, trying to read someone's newspaper
- a film director, showing the hero and heroine how to kiss
- lying in bed, in the dark, trying to switch off an alarm-clock
- trying to keep awake during a boring lecture
- an Egyptian belly-dancer in a night-club
- the Mona Lisa, sitting for her portrait
- blowing out the candles on birthday cake
- a parachutist, getting ready to jump
- a discus thrower, getting ready to throw

Turn out somebody's pockets

1. Ask each student to list the contents of the pockets or handbag of an imaginary person: they should list 10-12 objects.
2. Get them to exchange lists: each person then writes a thumb-nail sketch of the imaginary person whose list they have.
3. Ask them to stick the word lists and descriptions around the walls so that everyone can read them.

What letter is after

1. Divide the students in two teams.
2. Ask each team questions like: What is the letter before Z or What is the letter after I?
3. The team that makes less mistakes wins.