LET`S PLAY BINGO!

by Abigail Enzana Nava

One of the activities I use to do in my practices is Bingo. This activity is very interesting for me because it can help to develop knowledge of vocabulary.

Bingo should be played by a whole group. Everyone need to have a sheet of paper, the students have to divide it in six, eight or until ten charts. The teacher shows some words (using resources), then the students choose the words according to the spaces they have and write one word in each space. E.g- If their sheets are divided in eight charts or spaces, so they should choose eight words. Teacher writes each word he presented in small pieces of paper, after this he goes saying word by word in order to the students listen and check if they have written that words. Once a word is listened, the student has to put a cross.

When you have completed and all of your words are crossed you say: bingo; the first person is the winner.

Memory Game

by ANA LAURA ALCÁNTARA GONZÁLEZ

This is an activity, you can use in a class, it is interesting and the students like to participate because is funny, also is used to feedback and a mayor knowledge. Besides is used to learn more vocabulary. In this write I´ll give you the rules but first I’m to explain what it is memory game.

Memory is a card game designed for two or more people, the cards are laid out in a grid face down, and the player will first turn one card over, then a second. When the player dig over two cards and these are equal, the two cards are removed from the game, but if they do not match, the cards are turned back over.

The object is to match more pairs of cards that the opposing player. One point is scored for each matched pair, and the player with the highest score after all cards have been matched wins.

You can use some topic, for example: verbs, parts of the house, colors, places, animals, using in each card picture and the other card its name.

The cards can be: picture- picture, picture-word and word-word. I used more picture and word, because students to learn the names of the things and with the repetition they be able to remember more easily.

The Bingo

by Angélica Arellano Galindo 

In this write i going to recomendated a  game ”bingo”, this game is very interesting and funny for me, for this reason i think that use this activity in the secondary  school will be a very good strategic for the students  learn vocabulary.

This game consists in:

1. Teacher gives the directions to the students.

Y  Have students to draw a table with six boxes in a piece of paper.

Y  The students choose some word of the vocabulary, it depends on the topic, and writes these words.

Y  The teacher says the words, when the students listen this, they going to cross each word in the table.

Y  To finish the student that has all the words that the teacher said will be the winner.

This activity in secondary school can give the results that the teacher waits. Because is an activity of feedback where the students can remember the vocabulary learned.

I did this activity in my last practice, it was very useful, because the students were very motivate, and learned the topic.

THE ACTIVITY THAT I LIKE MORE WAS ¡BINGO!

by  Giovanni Mejía Pedroza

Bingo was a activity really funny and whit it a can check my work and my knowledge, this activity is with all the group and for this is more funny. The teacher has to say the instructions, the first one is that you draw 6 or 8 things in the notebook according whit the topic, after the teacher going to says the name of a lot of things according with the class, if you have a thing that the teacher says, you have to put a small paper ball in yours draws, the person who complete first the draws going to win!!!!.

This activity I can use when I’m going to practice  in my group because is very interesting, funny, easy and very effective for a fast check of vocabulary or concepts that has the topic, the last practice, I use this activity and  the students wants to participate  with it, and the most important, they learn more vocabulary, and they relate the word with the picture for know that represent the word. 

The Mistake Circle

by Jazmin Montoya Salazar

In all the visits in secondary school, I had seen a lot of problems with the teachers have to resolve respect to their teacher practice into the classroom.  The ingredient of these problem can to have influence with the missing motivation in the planning. The major problem is that the teacher build the class with unusual components that don´t have relation with students interests, likes or dislikes, which result we´ll have a bad attention by students, and our class don’t be successful. I saw a very good dynamic that we can use to teach students with missing attention, because they have to involves with the activity if this doesn’t happen they can´t answer the questions.

They have to put their chairs in circle and listen the teacher.

The teacher say a word for example “beatles” (we can use sentences or anything, that be useful to the topic that we´ll teach”.

Teacher just tell to one student and the student have to pronounce the word if that is correct the student to tell the word to the text classmate.

If the word is bad the teacher crouches a bit, and tells the word again. If the student makes the same mistake, the teacher now squats next to the student that have to repeat again, if the final the student makes the same mistake the teacher have to use to the next student and if these makes again the mistake the teacher have to repeat again, to all the group.

That is very useful to small groups to teach vocabulary or tenses that it depends to the teacher creativity.

My Resources

By Jessica Sánchez Munguía

I like to be an English teacher. For my students I prepare always things and activities that are very interesting for them. When I planning my lessons I considered some websites as: http://www.mes-english.com/, this website has a lot of activities and worksheets that I can use with my class. I like this site because I can do my own activities as: memory game, bingo, worksheet with my own vocabulary. Also this page provide me others materials as games, vocabulary, flashcards to print.

Sometimes I use this website http://www.eslflashcards.com/, but I don´t like so much because I have to send some activities for this site and is very slow to get download and activity. But I recommend the two websites because there are very interesting. Also helps teachers to teach English using interesting activities and some dynamics for their students.

ENGLISHTOWN

by Juan Manuel Hernández Vences 

Well I´m recommending to you this website for to learn English, I thing that the internet is a way to found some resources for to learn English, if you want of course. The website that I´m recommending is very funny, because you can to learn English very easy only searching in the web in wherever you want (house, cyber, etc.) the purpose is to know something about English every day.

I´m recommending this website because really this website are help me to improve my English, every day I spent time on the internet, and always I surf on the web about it, if you want to access only you have to do some steps for you can use this website, first you have to register with your name, surname and e-mail, with this you can use it, and every day you are going to receive some e-mails from Englishtown with some activities that you can answer and every day you can to improve your English. Really I like this website because at the moment that I´m surfing the time is flying. Finally I want to tell you the most important thing about this website "is free", now or whenever you want you can to access in this link http://www.englishtown.com.mx/online/home.aspx   and learn English easy and fast.

CROSS THE LINE

by Laura Antolin Antolin

If you are a trainee teacher like me. I recommend you to this activity that it will be useful when you start a class with new students.

Across the classroom you have to paste a piece of tape that separates the classroom in two parts. After this you have to show your students that they have to cross the line when you say a question that is related with their life. Give an example how they have to do the activity.

Then, you have to tell your students that the halves of the group have to stay far from the line, and you as a teacher have to say: Cross the line if you like to go to the cinema? , and if their students consider that the question is according with their life they have to cross the line, and their partners have to see where of their classmates like to go to the cinema. You can ask for different things

This kind of activity is flexible because you could use all kind of questions, obviously it will be according with the topic that you are teaching. But when you start a class you could see the interests of your students. I used this amazing activity when I went to practice in the Secondary School and my students love it.

The Hot Potato

By Laura Estrada Carreño

I recommend this activity when you want to teach someone English because is very interesting.

The activity is used like a game and of course the student learns across the game.

To develop this activity:

You need a ball and two or more students

Song: “the hot potato gets out the pan who has the ball is going to lose...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10”.  

The students pass the ball for each one or throw the ball around the classroom or form a circle at the same time they singing a song. At the end of the song the student who has the ball is the loser and she/he should to answer a question make by the teacher. This question could be adapted whatever topic that the teacher teaches in that moment. So the benefit in this case is to feedback any topic and recognizes that the students have learned.

And if you teaching at kinder garden or elementary school this activity is so good to teach numbers because the children love to sing and play simultaneously.

A GREAT SITE FOR LEARNING ENGLISH "BUSUU"

By Lino Iniesta Padilla

http://www.busuu.com/

This is a site for learning English and other languages ​​estrangers for free, where you can find many activities and exercises which are for all types of level of language proficiency from basic pole besides the expert, you can also practice your learning with others through interaction in conversations or activities exist where you can do where you posted the revising and are judged by people with better learning in the language you are learning, has an opportunity of meeting people from other countries such of the English language such as USA, England, Sweden, etc..

On this page can also find activities and ways of teaching students to apply in high school where we marked very well as teaching must be from the most simple to the complex in general I can say that this is a great site to any foreign language learn because It gives you lesson plans and then you can practice with native speakers.

Role Play

by Mónica Gabriella Ortega Macedo

When we are learning a new language, we have few opportunities to practice our speaking. That’s why role play it’s a good activity to do it.

Role play consists on acting dialogues that are already done. I t could be about different topics and according to our students level. Role play helps your students to practice their speaking in a “real situation”, and at the same time they are improving their pronunciation and new vocabulary.

Your students, as the principal actors of his activity, get involved in all the process, so they learn by doing it.

I suggest you to use all your creativity and encourage your students to do it without. Be careful with the students who are very shy, and give them confidence that they can do it very good.

I think it’s a funny activity that you can enjoy a lot.

Don't Drop the Ball

 by Selene Cid Montoya

In this activity, the familiar child`s game of catch is used as a metaphor for conventional activity to illustrate the implicit rules of this type of interaction. The playfulness of the activity creates a memorable impression in the learner`s mind of the expectations of listeners and speakers and allows the learner to recognize potentially inappropriate behaviors.

Use this as a class opener. When all the students are seated, greet someone warmly and ask a routine questions, such as, Did you have a good weekend?. As you finish the question, gently toss the ball to the student who. You hope, will catch it. If the student doesn`t answer the question, silently retrieve the ball and repeat the question and ball toss. When the student answer the question, signal that you want the ball tossed back. If the student only answers “Yes” or some similar short response, they don`t catch the ball, let it drop to the floor and stare at it morosely as it bounces away. After the brief dramatic pause, sigh and retrieve the ball. Ask the same student a new question: “Where did you go” and toss the ball again. Continuo doing this, when the students ask you a direct question, beam happily and catch the ball.

Cross the Line

by Taide Citlalli García Garduño

This activity is very useful when the teacher wants to explain whatever topic.

•  First, the teacher draw a big line in middle of the classroom
• Then the teacher asks students to move to the right side.
• Then the teacher says some sentences about the topic, the teacher has to starts the sentences with this phrase: cross the line, if you…And complete with something about the topic.
• The students have to think if this sentence has a relation with their own ideas, if their idea has relation whit the sentence, they have to cross the line the other side that is in the floor. 

I recommend this activity because encourage the students and the lesson is more attractive for them.  

Useful Resource

By Tanhia Karen García Goméz

http://www.eslfast.com/

I like this page because there are a lot of readings but not only has it, each reading has its listening. First, I always listen and I try to write every word that I understand, I do this three times and then I watch the reading and check my mistakes.

Then, I listen again the text and finally I read aloud the text.

I think it is very useful, because I use both, reading and listening, but the way that I use this page not only develop two skills. I develop the four skills.

I recommend this page, but you have to use correctly.

THE JAZZ CHANT

by Thalia Vázquez Serrano

The Jazz Chant is a good tool to the teaching, because the sound, the rhymes are very interesting for students, they develop their skills like speaking, listening, and reading. You practice the pronunciation, this is very important, to have the stress and intonation, with support of the chant, poems that use rhythms of Jazz, this details the structure, pronunciation and presentation according with the topic or interest of the students, highlighting the specific structures, vocabulary, and pronunciation for each chant.

The activity "Jazz Chant" is innovate and exciting way, we can invent of the jazz chant, with only use three words or a long phrase. The chants and songs focus on natural language used by children in everyday situations.

You can use this tool to introduce the topic, like warm up, has a special characteristic according with the context of the topic. In my micro teaching, I introduced at students with a song about the topic, I used specific vocabulary, and the rhythm and gestures was motivation to a good learning. The students showed interest because they sang one again and again. All depend of the effective teacher, because is optimistic, motivator, has an interesting environment, with exciting activities and attitude.

The Ball

by Valeria Clemente Lorenzo

The ball was an activity that I am learned with Shannon teacher, it  was very interesting for me for that reason I am going to talk about this  game.

With this game the teacher can develop some skills like: listening and speaking, because the student said a sentence using the word that is on the ball, this game can be useful to feedback and to introduce at the students in the topic, this activity consist in:

*First the teacher write on the ball some words depending of the topic in this case will be “verbs”.

*Then the teacher throw away the ball at the students and the verb that  his  pinky finger right mark are going to be the verb that the student are going to use to realize a sentence.

*Finally the students that said most sentences in the correct form will be the winner.

I am realized this activity in my last practices it was very fun and attractive for the students, because they can learned and play at the same time, and with this activity can improve the participation in the class and motivate at the students to follow learning English.

I am recommend this strategy at the teacher because  I think that the game is an important way to make that the students learn faster.

It was really a very good activity.

useful resource

by Viriadaria Juárez Marín

http://www.englishexercises.org/ 

I think nowadays is easier to find web sides with English exercises, but sometimes is too difficult to find the adequate page and also is difficult to find the exercises with the level that you really need. I have found a page with many kind of exercises, where you can check and answer them, I think this web is so useful, because there is a part, where you can write the level, ages, and the contents, then the page open some possible exercises that can help you and at the same time you can download the exercises, thus I considered that web as a good side with exercises in English.

Useful Resource

by Yoana Escamilla Santoyo

http://www.teachingenglishgames.com/presentation/

This website is really helpful because can help you to teach English in a good way, funny and easy, you can find in here games for all ages, from children to adults , you can also listen some songs that can be interesting for your  students , and the songs are in the website, so you can download them. It gives you tips for teaching too. But if you are not a teacher and you want to teach your son you can do it, just follow the instructions. You and they are going to send you some games to teach. I registered and I received very good options every week.

Useful resources:  http://www.englishclub.com/teach-english.htm

This website supplies you a lot of materials to teach English like worksheets ,ideas for classroom activities and games at different levels and ages. It answers you some common question about a lesson plan. It also gives you tools, tips and resources for school administrators and senior staff. 

Days of the week in the box

by Yessica Yazmin Cruz Resendiz

This game is like the game magic box with numbers, it is a box that has numbers and you couldn`t repeat the numbers in horizontal and vertical.

Teaching English you can use this activity but using the days of the week, it is an interesting activity because your students can learn thinking about where is the correct place that the word need to stay, this activity help the students to learn vocabulary and don`t forget it.

Procedure:

Draw a box with forty-nine charts.

Put some clues that help the students to finish the chart.

Students need to think about.

This activity help students to thinking in all moment and they need to do their best job, the teacher could use this activity in a competence that the students review their knowledge about the days of the weekend.

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY
WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY
THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY
SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY

United States - Delicious Cuisine

by Abigail Enzana Nava 

The food in United States is as diverse as the geography and the people that live there. There are some dishes which have their origin from other countries; this is because this country was created by immigrant people who came from Europe, Asia and Africa, among others.

That is the reason why this country has a great diversity of food and is really important to know more about it, especially if you like to give your palate eating good tasting things. To eat in United States you have to know the time to do this because the American people have different times to eat than Mexico has. Dinner is considered the main meal of the day, usually served after 5:00 p.m. but before 10:30. Breakfast and lunch are usually light; they consist in cereal, eggs, toast, pancakes, coffee, and/or fruit juice. Lunch is usually served around noon, and an American lunch menu almost always includes sandwiches, soups, French fries and more. Full desserts are typically only served after dinner, and these are elaborate for special occasions.

I should say that this kind of food is amazing; that is why almost twice a week I opt for eat out and get in a place where I can find all of food above. I enjoy having breakfast at the same way than in U.S.A; including all the food mentioned. Also lunch and dinner, perhaps not at the same time but I can not stop eating delicious meals.

Is common that people cook turkey as a main ingredient especially in holidays but also they use ingredients like potatoes, corn, lima beans, cucumbers and pepper. The people from other countries love the fast food, which stands out routine or costume if you prefer, in the cuisine of the United States.

Who doesn´t like to eat delicious as fast as be possible?  The answer is nobody. When this happen I say: thanks for the fast food. And now the famous hamburgers, my favorites, or hot dogs that in Mexican people know, or maybe the fried chicken, French fries, chocolate chip cookies, macaroni and cheese, pancake, popcorns, pizza among others.

They are really delicious food and you can get it at local restaurants and take away if you want. As we can see the cooking in other countries could be very good. For me is a pleasure tasting food like this and share the Mexican with American food.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_the_United_States#Cuisine

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-c13119/United-States:Food.And.Drink.html