This is an introduction for the first day of class, combining basic phrases with interactive activities. The objective of the lesson is to get to know the students and create a comfortable environment for speaking English.
I have used this lesson with an adult community English class and high school English conversation clubs, but it can be utilized as a first day introduction for any type of English class. It’s simple enough for basic learners and a good introduction for advanced learners.
Time: 1–1.5 hours
Materials:
- paper ball with questions
- tape
- markers
- colored pencils
- board markers
- white board
- paper
Vocabulary / Key Phrases:
- My name is… // Me llamo…
- I am from… // Yo soy de…
- I am __ years old… // Tengo __ años…
- There are ___ people in my family… // En mi familia somos ___.
- I like to… // Me gusta…
- I am a/an… // Yo soy…
- I want to learn English because… // Quiero aprender íngles porque…
Lesson:
- Converse with students as they enter the classroom. “Hi, my name is Sarah. What’s your name?” etc. Perhaps bring some food to share. (5 minutes)
- Icebreaker: Arrange the chairs in a circle, and pass the paper ball around. When a student catches the ball, he or she must peel a layer off the ball, read the question on the piece of paper, and answer it. For example: “What’s your favorite book? My favorite book is Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami.” (Other questions include: What’s your name? Where are you from? How old are you? When’s your birthday? What’s your favorite food? What’s your favorite sport? What’s your favorite movie? What’s your favorite TV show? What’s your favorite genre of music?) (10 minutes)
- Present a chart to introduce yourselves. The chart has eight categories: NAME, NATIONALITY, FAMILY, AGE, HOBBIES, PROFESSION, REASONS for learning English, and an IMAGE that describes you. Write all the vocabulary and phrases on the white board (with Spanish translations if necessary), and explain the meaning of each phrase. The students repeat each phrase. As an example, introduce yourself to the students with your chart. (15-20 minutes)
- The students create their own chart. (20 minutes)
- They take turns introducing themselves to the class. (Advanced speakers can talk about each category in greater detail.) (15 minutes)
- The students split into pairs, and they practice using third person to introduce their partner to the class. For example, instead of saying, “I am from Colombia,” they say, “Yenni is from Colombia.” (Advanced speakers can try to introduce their partner without looking at their chart.) (15 minutes)
- Ask the students if they have questions. (5 minutes)
- “Goodbye. See you next week!” Clean up. (5 minutes)
Art & English in La Boquilla 