14602087 using pictures to teach english to all levels

8/14/2019 14602087 Using Pictures to Teach English to All Levels

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Collaboration is a strong learning tool

Using pictures to teach English to all levels

How to use a picture collection:

Pictures are best used in student collaboration can in pairs or small groups.Collaboration reduces student anxiety and eases the learning process by sharing

knowledge and building new knowledge. Pictures can be used to review grammar or vocabulary that has already been

taught in class.

Pictures can be used to expand vocabulary. Allow students to use their

dictionaries to look up new words. Have the students teach the new words to the

rest of the class.


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Considerations

ALWAYS model the task you want the students to practice by using a picture to showexamples of the grammar, vocabulary or story that you would like for them to work on.

ALWAYS, check the student comprehension of the task before handing out the pictures.

NEVER, had out the pictures first, as the students will become too distracted to listen to

your examples and instructions. I learned this lesson the hard way!!!!

What can be practiced with pictures? Below is a partial list of uses of the pictures to practice language that has already

been taught and practiced in the class.

Pictures can also be used to create descriptions and stories which may include

words that are new to the students. In this case, the students will need to use theirdictionaries to look up new words, and pronunciation of the new words. All new

words should be taught to the rest of the class by the student presenters.

1) Grammar: Describing the action in a picture (Explain and model the task, thenplace many pictures on a table or floor and let the students choose the one they

want to use) Lower levels: Present, present continuous and simple pastIntermediate: Irregular past, future, past continuous

Advanced: Future continuous, conditionals, perfects, passives

2) Grammar/Vocabulary: Describing a person or picture content(Explain and

model the task, then place many pictures on a table or floor and let the students

choose the one they want to use)Lower levels:

a. Clothing, parts of the body, colors, numbers (how many?)b. Physical descriptions (tall, black hair, handsome, female, young)

c. Prepositions of location (in,on,under,on top of)d. Seasons, time of day (spring, summer, afternoon, night)

Intermediate:

a. Occupations/sports (doctor, baseball player)b. Describe the setting (city, country, forest, office)

a. Comparatives and superlatives(tall, taller, tallestc. Mood of the characters ( happy, sad, surprised, angry etc)d. Prepositions of time (see examples below)


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after: after the school, after lunch, after three at: at five o'clock

by: by midnight, by noon, by tomorrow for: for an hour

past: a quarter past three to: a quarter to

three of: a quarter of three

in: in the morning, in the summer, in April, in

2007, in time

from: from Monday to Friday on: on Tuesday, on April 30th,on time

Math:

a. Finding shapes(circles/circular/triangles/triangular/rectangles/rectangular/

cube/squares)

b. Oral Math problems and measurements. (adding prices etc.)Advanced: (Critical thinking/analysis)

a. Describe setting mood/tone (disturbing, loving)

b. Moods of the characters (anxious, satisfied, fearful, worried)

c. Describe gestures and body language being used and theireffect on the listener/viewer.(pointing a finger=threatening,

giving directions, explaining)d. Prepositions of place/direction, manner, means

Prepositions of direction examples

around: She walked around the car/the rock at: They are at home/at the market/smiled at her

down: They lived down the road In: lives in Dakar, in a housefrom: from Senegal, 10 K from here inside: Put it inside the house

of: south of Senegal on: We sat on the other side

through: They drove through the tunnel/village up: He walked up the stairs

To: give it to me with: He went with me

Prepositions of Manner examples

by: Do it by yourself With: ate with a fork

Prepositions of Means examples

by: He was hit by a ball. She came by train. He got there by swimming. Came by mail.

in: He takes pleasure in it. on: They live on bread and water.

with: He chased the cow with a stick from: His success results from hard work

3) Writing:Describing the picture (Explain and model the task, then place many

pictures on a table or floor and let the students choose the one they want to use)Lower levels:

a. Write nouns found in the pictureb. Write 1 to 3 sentences describing the picture

Intermediate:a. Write a paragraph about the life of one person in the picture.b. Write one descriptive sentence about the picture and pass it on

to the next person to write another descriptive sentence.Advanced:

a. Write a 3-5 paragraph short story using the picture as a writing

prompt.


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b. Write the first line of a story and pass it along to have the next

person write the second line of the story etc.

4) Ora/listening: Describing the picture (Explain and model the task, then place

many pictures on a table or floor and let the students choose the one they want touse)

a. Oral: Do any of number 3 (writing) above, orally instead of written. Story

creation in pairs or groups is a great way to increase vocabulary, and awonderful opportunity for students to use critical analysis.

i. BEFOREtheybegin, you may want to have them practice

answering the wh questions (what, where, when, who, how) about

their picture.b. Oral Predictions: Fold the picture in and have small groups of students

or pairs predict what is on the other and why they think so.

(Intermediate/Advanced)

c. Listening: In pairs or small groups, have one student describe the picturewhile the other students listen and draw what they hear. Younger students

can use crayons for the colors.d. Listening: Places a number of the pictures on the board with a number

under each. The teacher describes a picture and the students write down

the number of the picture they think is being described. At the end, re-read

the description and have the student shout their answers.

14602087 using pictures to teach english to all levels

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