Playing around with PPT games

You’ll need to download the file to listen to the tunes. I uploaded it as pptx leaving it open to be adapted according to your interests. Feel free to use it in anyway you like.

You can download all the files from here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7vyq316dc4nsal3/LdaqzdVDRe

On Monday we are back in class. And I am very excited as I took the couple of weeks off to read and reorganize some thoughts around mixed-level groups and intermediate plateau. My 9th graders are going to work with the screenscripts they had created before going on vacation and I wanted to start the semester in a lighter tone so I was thinking of start with a puzzle mystery task until Julie Raikou posted in the ELT CINEMA Facebook group a game activity called Name the Movie Tune by David Deubelbeiss.

I thought it would be really a cool idea to create something similar, and my students would enjoy it as some of them are crazy about TV series. As we are going to work with a Sitcom this semester, I thought I would also take the opportunity to use this sort of activity to create a follow-up task (I’ll post more about it tomorrow as I need to create my own poster) that could help me learn more about their preferences when come to TV series. So I created my own PPT inspired by David Deubelbeiss. Lot of learning for me as I had to download youtube videos, extract the audio, edit it using audacity. 🙂 I’m quite happy with it and I plan to learn how to create mazzes and puzzles using powerpoint. I saw some cool videos in youtube yesterday. 😉

One of the challenges I encounter though when using GAMES with my groups of 9th graders is that I have a huge language ability gap in most of those groups and it wouldn’t be fair to Lower Level learners if they don’t get similar opportunities to win the game. The aim is this case is to have of course language practice through the game, as well as testing their knowledge. I’ll be interested in learning what strategies learners who are good at English but not a huge fan of TV Series will employ in order to fully participate in the challenge.

Because of the gap, I need to think of ways to play it and giving support to the lower levels without losing the other ones in the process. Instead of just playing it orally (it would probably be more fun and dynamic for Higher level learners), I created clue cards that I will read out (HLLs will focus on making sense of what they hear and negotiate meaning in L2 and I’ll encourage other HLLs to contribute to it). For learners who are total beginners I’ll provide the clue card in L2 and L1 and make sure they have an opportunity to listen and read to the L2 clues . For those who are lower level but around A1 level, they will listen and read the card in L2 only and be able to negotiate meaning by asking questions like, what does ____ mean in L1?.

Working with different levels of English together and trying to attend each group need is not easy, but I am confident that if the group respect and care for each other success, it is possible. I’m learning and experimenting with different tasks, estrategies and task lenght this year. Differently from last year, I can see the work with multi-level group being more fun and enjoyable for them and me as I learn to see things from their perspective. Here is the raw version of the clues. Let me know what you guys think and any suggestion is welcome.

View this document on Scribd