Today you will need pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks and paper.
You are going to tell me about Tet Holiday.
I want to know what you do that is special, what you eat and what you wear.
Do you like Tet ? Explain why … or why not !
First, we need a vocabulary bank. Here are a list of adjectives you should try to use.
Write these words in your notebook next to the meaning in Vietnamese
traditional // lucky // fun // funny
delicious // beautiful // colourful
loud //terrible //
What is happening here ?
What is in the red envelope ?
Tell me about the food.
What are the ladies doing ?
What are the men doing ?
Write and draw about Tet Holiday.
At Tet I … (my family) …
I eat …
I see …
If I have lucky money, I will buy …
My family go to …
My Mummy …
My Daddy …
I like (don’t like) Tet Holiday because …
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Look at the first picture at the top of this page.
Can you see it on the virtual tour ?
Look at the picture of the boys playing.
What is the name of this painting ?
Can you find this part of the painting ?
What other games can you see ?
LEVEL UP: score 500 points
LEVEL 5
Look at the painting ‘Children’s Games’ from 1560. In your teams, write a short story about what you see. Some people can draw, others can write. When you are finished, you may present to the class.
LEVEL UP: score 1000 points
GREAT WORK
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Margaret Hale, the protagonist in the novel ‘North and South’ returns to her childhood home, and revisits her old school. The new school mistress, who has made drastic changes, cajoles Margaret into giving an impromptu lesson.
One student is having difficulty with the ‘a’ sound.
“A, an indefinite article,” said Margaret mildly.
“I beg your pardon,” said the Vicar’s wife … “ (the new teacher).
The children had been taught to refer to ‘a’ as an adjective absolute. Margaret sat down “abashed.”
“The children knew more than she did. Mr Bell turned away, and smiled.”
(Chapter XLVI Once and Now)
Mr Bell, who is a fellow at Oxford and therefore very educated, passes no comment, yet his body language sufficiently expresses his opinion.
I had not come across an adjective absolute before. I could have taken the blue pill and kept on reading, or taken the red pill; I switched over to Google and began my descent into the rabbit hole of grammar taxonomy.
Others word forms have subdivisions; nouns can be proper, concrete, collective etc, verbs can be transitive or intransitive, and there are several types of adverbs.
Fortunately, the nomenclature is more frightening than the definition. So, without further ado let’s have a rabbit about adjectives (1), starting with the adjective absolute.
Most adjectives can be modified, e.g.
London is very expensive.
The book is extremely confusing.
Studying Vietnamese is quite difficult.
However, some adjectives do not need to be modified; they are superlatives (the biggest, the tallest) or binary (either yes or no). An old joke cracks that a woman phones her mother and tells her that she is a little bit pregnant. Of course, a woman is or is not pregnant.
Show, don’t tell:
A mark of 25% is unacceptable.
The building was destroyed in the fire.
Dinosaurs are dead.
The hostages were set free.
Modifiers such as absolutely, completely, totally may be used for emphasis.
The holiday was totally perfect.
My shirt is completely ruined.
I’m afraid it is absolutely impossible for you to get into Cambridge with those grades.
Now we know why Mr Bell “turned away, and smiled.”
I mentioned the rabbit hole because there are over a dozen types of adjective. Should you be interested, here’s some links to enlighten you:
A version of the Grammarians game but this time aimed at younger students.
The teacher could give points for individual answers or use the Monopoly board template. Place students in teams, and make sure every member takes part, writing and speaking.
Without further ado … the game:
Grammar:
What is the correct grammar ?
EXAMPLE:
I to be sad … NO !
I am sad.
I to be hungry
You am happy
He to be tired
She are angry
ms huong am beautiful
WE is to be quiet
They to be loud
Adjectives: What is the opposite ?
EXAMPLE: hot and cold
fast and ______
young and _______
big and ______
tall and ______
beautiful and ______
Animals:
Tell me two animals that are fast
Tell me two animals that are slow
Tell me two animals that are big
Tell me two animals that are small
Tell me three animals that can fly
Tell me three animals that can swim
Sentences
EXAMPLE:
I like dogs but I don’t like cats.
I like cats but I __________________
I like dolphins but I __________________
I like birds but I __________________
I like cats but I __________________
I like cake but I __________________
I like pizza but I __________________
I like chicken but I __________________
I like tomatoes but I __________________
Dancing
Who can dance like Starlord ?
Happy New Year one and all
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What is different about helping verbs can and like & want ?
Can uses verb 1, but like & want use infinite (to + verb 1)
Now … Your turn
Write 3 sentences using can, like & want.
Remember:
can + verb 1 // like + infinite // want + infinite
Only good grammar can defeat Thanos …
Good Luck !
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Arrange class into small teams. Each team can roll the die, highest number goes first. Start on the top left square.
Every time a team completes a turn around the board, they collect £200. However, the top right space is the jail. If they land on the bottom left space, the team goes to jail and misses a turn.
A correct answer means the team can choose a Christmas item, or they can buy one for £300
The red stops are vocabulary
Stop 1: Give me three words for food
Stop 2: Give me three words for family
Stop 3: Give me five words for Christmas
The yellow stops are speaking
Stop 1: Tell me a sport you like and why
Stop 2: Tell me a film or TV show you like and why
Stop 3: Tell me why you like learning English. I want TWO reasons.
The green stops are writing
Stop 1: Write a sentence about a present you would like.
Stop 2: Write a sentence about a present you would not like.
Stop 3: Write about a present you would give to your English teacher !
The dark blue stops are listening. Repeat what I say
Stop 1: Apples, oranges, chocolate, mince pies and Christmas log.
So here it is, Merry Christmas Everybody’s having fun Look to the future now It’s only just begun
The Orange spaces are free speaking. Remember to speak for as long as possible.
Stop 1: Tell me things you like and don’t like about your city
Stop 2: Tell me what you like to do in your free time
Stop 3: tell me what job you would like to do when you are older.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, HAPPY HANUKKAH
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
A useful template for classroom activities. The teacher can add various instructions on the squares to suit the abilities of the students. The game is, of course, Monopoly.
An online die and some markers are all that is needed.
I shall add some sample questions based on the text books at my centre in the next blog(s).
The mission is to use all your English skills to find Neo, meet Morpheus, learn English, beat Mr Smith and save Morpheus, then come back to the classroom safely.
First, we need two teams RED & BLUE. Next we need to find Neo and his friends.
Task 1 describe these people. Use lots of adjectives.
Task 2 You will need grammar to enter the Matrix. Conjugate these sentences. All team members must speak.
I like to eat oranges
I don’t want to do homework
I have a new laptop
Task 3 Time to meet Morpheus. Tell me about his house.
Next tell me about three favourite things in your house and why you like them.
EXAMPLE: I love my sofa because I can watch TV and play games on it. Also I can sit or sleep because it is very comfortable.
Task 4 Now it’s time to fight Agent Smith. He knows so many words … can you beat him ?
Write down 7 colours
Write down 10 animals
Write down 5 healthy food items
Tell me your favourite sport and why
EXAMPLE: I really love football because it is exciting and fun.
TASK 5 At the board correct these sentences:
I very loves to going fish
You is goes to homes
Hes having a coat red
Seh don’t liking to red boooks
It are rain twoday
Neo are a hundsame men
We is happy wen we win the games
They is drink any milk
Task 6 You can rescue Morpheus if you can tell me about your home.
How many rooms do you have ?
What do you have in the rooms ?
What are the colours ?
What is your favourite room and why ?
Task 7 Time to return to the class. Choose the best actor in your team; they have to say this:
“Unfortunately no one can be told what the matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.”
(The clip starts at 1:00 – 1:13)
Now you have entered the Matrix. Keep learning English or Agent Smith will chase you.
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Today we shall focus on story-telling, using nouns, adjectives, verbs (in the past tense or Verb 2) and linking words.
Students can also practise intonation and pronunciation when they make their presentation.
Quite simply the class, in small teams, are going to retell the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. We have covered this myth several times already, but here’s a quick reminder curtsey of the good people at Lego:
If the class works in small groups, it could be a good idea to give them some large paper in order for some to draw, while others write. However, every member of the team must write something, and speak during the presentation.
First, a quick recap:
Every year, the King of Athens has to send 12 children to Crete to feed the Minotaur. The King’s son, Theseus, said he will go and kill the monster.
When Theseus and the children arrive in Crete, Princess Ariadne sees Theseus and falls in love. She says she will help him.
The Minotaur lives in a labyrinth, or maze, and it is very hard to get out. However, the Princess gives Theseus some string, so he can find the exit.
Soon, the Minotaur smells the Greek hero and they fight but Theseus wins and the Minotaur is dead. The children are safe.
Theseus and Ariadne sail away from Crete back to Greece.
Now … your turn
Write and draw this story. First you, like Theseus, need some weapons, only your weapons will be words:
NOUNS Greek / hero / Prince / Princess / labyrinth / sword / string or thread
VERBS fight / sail / defeat / fall in love / smell /
LINKING WORDS and / as well as / but / however / because / also /
Naturally, they lived happily ever after … well, not really, but that’s another set of stories.
Titian (1506 – 1576) Bacchus and Ariadne 1521 – 1523 in London’s National Gallery
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Continuing from yesterday’s blog, which was aimed at younger learners, a review lesson focusing more on listening and pronunciation skills.
Warm up
Quick writing: You have 10 seconds to write down as many words as you can beginning with the letters:
s / p / t
Tell me something you like and something you don’t like.
EXAMPLE: I really like English because it is fun, however I don’t like mathsbecause it is so difficult.
Tell me four things you can have in a:
kitchen / bedroom / living room
Tell me about your family. Try to speak for as long as possible.
Example: I have a mummy, a daddy and two brothers. My mummy is friendly. She is small and has black hair. My daddy is tall. My older brother likes to play video games. My young brother likes to read books.
Write a sentence with these adverbs. One sentence each:
always / usually / sometimes / never
Screen test. Watch this Christmas advert, then answer the questions.
The Questions:
What colour was the girl’s umbrella ?
How many buttons (not eyes) did the snowman have ?
Name three shops that you saw.
How many snow people were on the street ?
What was on the wall in the man’s kitchen ?
What toy did the old man have in the bath ?
What was the old man’s job ?
How many pigeons were standing on the street ?
What fruit was the man on the subway (Tube train) holding ?
What was the number of the bus ?
Complete the slogans: Give a little _______ Together we can make a big ____________
Pronunciation, intonation and stress
Thay Paul loves coffee and so does his friend Agent Cooper: Students can act out the scene. Not only does it require stress and emotion, but also pacing.
Tell me the story of Theseus and the Minotaur
The Answers
Red // 5 // Scarf Hut, Pharmacy, Opticians, Florist // 8 (one in the window doesn’t count) // a fish, a picture of the family, a shelf // a toy duck // a barber or haircutter // 4 // an apple // 222 // ‘love’ & ‘difference’
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Thay Paul's Notes 