I'm teaching again.... 12th graders at Meynaa School - a special afternoon class

Nahidha, the Deputy Principal at Meyna School, asked me if I'd teach a special class of 12th graders.  These are students who did not pass their English "O" level exams.

The Starter Activity for the first class .... couple of things I wanted to accomplish... first for the students to have fun with this activity, secondly to begin getting these students to think and write more creatively, and lastly.... a diagnostic assessment for myself so I can plan my lessons accordingly.

I set the timer, and gave students three minutes to complete the Starter Activity.

12 students in this class, so a very nice number allowing me to closely monitor and check for understanding.

First I had the students share in pairs what they had written.  Then.... I randomly called on students and had them read what they had written to the whole class.

Eventually.... I quickly went around the room, asking each student to tell the whole class what animal they'd chosen.  Lion and monkey came up the most often!

Next, I gave the students a short story.... The Magic Pebbles .... had them number the paragraphs, double box the title, then quickly scan the text and underline word they did not know. 

As students identified words they did not know, I'd write the word on the board along with a definition.

Since this was a four paragraph story, I had the students fold the paper in half.... between paragraphs 2 and 3.  I read the two first paragraphs, then asked the students to predict what they thought would happen next.

Make the predictions was a new experience for the students, and a fun one, since the story lent itself to guessing what might happen next.

With the story read, I asked the Who, What, When, Where, How and Why questions.  Students work independently first, then in pairs, and lastly I called on students randomly to answer these questions.

With a few minutes left at the end of the period, I gave the students a listening activity.  I described a picture, they could only listen, then when I finished talking, only then could they begin drawing!

I think I'm going to use this concept of having the students draw a picture, then have them use their picture to write a story....

Think I'll describe an island..... palm trees, houses, maybe a river, few animals, boats in the port, tuna in the water.... but the fun part here...

Have the students imagine they are walking along the beach.... and suddenly they see a creature coming out of the water!  What does it look like?  What's its personality like?  What does it eat?  And since they will be creating a new creature.... what will they call it?