WARMER ACTIVITY

                                                  

Sri Hastuti Nova Silvia Hazizah Puspa Sari Deka Duwi Anggraini

ARTICLE

WARMER ACTIVITY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

1.      Find Someone Who…

You’ll need to prepare a set of ten ‘find someone who’ questions (preferably related to one topic), and make a copy for each student. For example:

Find someone who:
… has met a celebrity__________
… has been on TV or radio __________
… has sung in front of a large group __________
(etc.)

1)  Do an example on the board. Elicit the questions students need to ask (e.g. ‘Have you ever met a celebrity?’).
2)  Students mingle and ask each other the questions.  If someone says ‘yes’, they should write the person’s name on the line (there should be a different name on each line).  They can ask for more detail but don’t need to write this down.
3)  Finally, ask the class to share something interesting they’ve learnt about someone.

For more warmer ideas, have a look at i-to-i’s Essential TEFL book, which contains over 300 warmers and activities – perfect if you need a it of inspiration!

If you’ve been teaching, what warmers have worked for you?  Please share your ideas – we’d love to hear them!

2.      Spelling Review

This activity will make students rewiew spelling in a funny way. You can create similar spellings as the following ones:
I.1.2.C.U = I want to see you
R.U.O.K? = Are you O.k?
I´s T = Iced tea
I.C.Q = I seek you
I.O.U. = I owe you
E.Z. = Easy
B.Z. = Busy
I.1.T = I want tea
I.8 = I ate
U.2 = You two/ you too.
Y? = Why?
C.U.@.9 = See you at nine
2E.Z.4U = Too easy for you
R.U.D.Z? = Are you dizzy?
stand
I------ = I understand
 

3.      Describe the Picture to a Partner

Student A gets a picture.  Student B takes out a blank sheet of paper and something to write with.  Student A describes the picture to Student B, and Student B has to draw the picture.  Student A cannot use gestures to describe the picture.  Student B is allowed to ask questions about the picture.  After 5 minutes, the class votes on whose drawing is the best and most resembles the picture.

To make it more difficult:  One great thing about this activity is that it works for all levels.  For beginners, use easy-to-describe pictures.  For advanced students, use difficult-to-describe images and tell them they have less time to describe everything in the picture to their partners.

4.      Here’s the Answer, what’s the Question?

The teacher writes the answers to a few questions about his/her life on the board.  Students have to guess what the question is.  This activity requires students to practice asking  questions, which is something they often struggle with.

Example:
1) 2
2) sushi
3) sales

Students would guess the questions that correspond to the answers about.  For number one, their guesses might be “How many brothers and sisters do you have?,” “How many jobs have you had?” “How many years have you lived in this country?” etc.

To make it more difficult:  You could limit this to a certain type of question to make it more difficult (past perfect, future conditional, etc.).

5. True/False Game

1)  Ask students to write down three statements about themselves: two true and one false. (You can do an example for yourself – don’t make the false one too obvious!)
2)  Students mingle, and tell each other their three statements.  The others have to guess which are true and which is false.
3)  Finally ask students to share things they found out with the whole class.

6. Hot Seat

1)  Put the students into small teams.
2)  One person from each group sits with their back to the board.
3)  The teacher writes a word they’ve recently learned on the board.
4)  The students facing the board describe the word without saying it.  The students with their back to the board have to guess what it is.
5)  The person who guesses correctly wins a point for their team.  They stay in the seat out the front, and the others have to swap with another team member.

(Variation: The students with their backs to the board ask their teams yes/no questions to work out the word.)

7.  Find Ten

This Activity of the target to revise knowledge of them of vocabulary. ( verb irregular, adjective, adverb, nationalities etc). Grouping student in group which consist of 4 people, given by 5 minutes , they think of ten word of category which we wish. A success Group answer  truly will get value, while group the replying is wrong, its value will be passed to next group which answer truly.

8. The Game of  Truth

I learnt this game when I was chatting with a brazilian girl.It is a very simple but interactive game. As you know people always as the same questions in chats over and over again.What do you do? How old are you? etc. She asked me if I wanted to play THE GAME OF TRUTH. I say yes of course! Here are the rules:( I made some changes for the English classroom)
1.Make a lot of small cards with interesting topics written on them, such as: LOVE,JEALOUSY,PIRACY,MONEY,SMOKING,SEX,DINKING,CLONNING,BRIBING,FRIENDSHIP,DEATH PENALTY,PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT,FAMILY,etc,etc.Look for topics that make students speak.Sometimes even CONTROVERSIAL ones.
2.-Every student in the class will take turns in taking a card.He or she will talk a little about the topic in the card he or she selected. For example:
MONEY: for me money is very important , but is not the most important thing.It is only a way to reach things.Success is not measure by the money you can get,etc,etc.
3.-Allow student to express their feelings even if it is not their turn. Remember the main point of this game is to make students speak!However don´t lose the control of the class.
P.D.If you select very interesting topics I garantee everybody will try to answer the questions even when is not their own turn.This activity is excellento "to break the ice" and to help you know each other in the classroom.