Group 1 by https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv Made with charisma en-us 2020-10-27 21:35:45 UTC 2020-10-31 20:43:18 UTC hello@padlet.com this should be done if possible at the beginning of each class. It is a way of welcoming the students and allows for various spontaneous topics. The teacher can ask how their day has been, their weekend, if anything fun has happened in their day, if they’ve had a good lunch. Such random questions can actually lead to interesting and stimulating discussions. It makes students discuss between themselves too, not just with the teacher. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867679161 2020-10-27 21:38:42 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867679161 this works very well to get students to comment on a visual. It is interesting because it is both spontaneous and guided, as well as both emotional and reasoned. I feel it is the oral activity which could be the most surprising one, and so quite fun and always different. It shows students how differently people can react to the same thing. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867680408 2020-10-27 21:39:18 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867680408 I don’t have any experience with the systems mentioned but I liked the fact that in the socratic seminars, the idea was inquiry over information and discussion over debate. Quite often, debates can get heated and students are not really willing to listen to new ideas. As a result, the discussion, albeit interesting, ends up being somewhat superficial (the challenge is basically to ‘win’ the debate). In a discussion, however, students are more willing to listen to various opinions, even if they go against their own beliefs. As a result, the conversation becomes more ‘honest’ and students will get more out of it. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867681365 2020-10-27 21:39:47 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867681365 I use these for specific tasks. From experience, pairs work better than small groups for interaction because it will most often happen that in bigger groups students will quickly resort to speaking in their mother tongue. In pairs, however, this is less likely, especially as they are less self-conscious. In my opinion, pairs should be used for a very specific task, such as role plays or orals (presenting to the other person) - but not for a debate or broader discussion, where discussions need to be more lively. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867682648 2020-10-27 21:40:24 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867682648 In my opinion, debates are the oral activities which will improve students’ writing the most. It teaches them to structure their thinking and to select their words carefully. The task becomes even more interesting when a student is asked to argue against his/her own beliefs. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867683819 2020-10-27 21:40:51 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867683819 as mentioned in the online course this is great for self-conscious students, but it can also be a good way to get good students out of their comfort zone. j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867684611 2020-10-27 21:41:13 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/867684611 Role Play 'Hot Seat' activity for HL literature russellphillips https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/868780449 2020-10-28 08:08:56 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/868780449 Dragon's Den activity! j_macleod https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/869357885 2020-10-28 12:49:36 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/869357885 russellphillips https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/872291532 2020-10-29 07:11:09 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/872291532 russellphillips https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/872292949 Link to elevator pitch role play activity]]> 2020-10-29 07:12:06 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/872292949 "Student presentation + questions". The class prepared questions while listening to a student's presentation. Students, especially those that were not as confident/competent in English, felt less overwhelmed when the questions came from fellow classmates rather than from the teacher. They actually enjoyed it! Some even plotted prior to the presentation what to ask each other and prepared how to answer it. parkjaey https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/873120527 2020-10-29 13:45:49 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/873120527 One modification to a group discussion in this Covid-19 and distant learning era and for lower-intermediate and still lower level students can be one that involves a delayed interaction through voice mail exchanges online, when all students have a good wi-fi connection. I had some group discussion sessions this year—non-IB, by the way—sometimes face-to-face and other times through Google Meet, and saw some weak students first typing on their cellphones—they were using Papago, an equivalent of Google Translator—and then reading from it. I think a delayed oral interaction using voice mails online can be beneficial for these students when used from time to time in that they can prepare in advance, learn new vocabulary and expressions while preparing for it, and most importantly feel less overwhelmed and more confident in their speeches. I found these weak students were more motivated, self-directed and participating. Face-to-face surely is a lot better, though—when students do not shy away from speaking and welcome the challenge. parkjaey https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/873495096 2020-10-29 15:07:24 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/873495096 I use this type of activity to open and close my classes. I use this as a way of warming up students. Sometimes, I will relate it to the teaching points or goals of the days' class, or to see if they can use the concepts of the class before in a conversation, or just to see if they did anything new or exciting. This is a very effective way of making connections with the students, and to connect the classroom outside the classroom. To closes the class, or the cooldown, I generally like to ask about their future plans, or encourage the students to talk themselves about what their plans are. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878127405 2020-10-31 00:11:33 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878127405 I frequently use both of these activities mentioned here for presentations and videos. The one modification I make it to have the students not only formulate and ask questions about a students presentation but I also have them make further notes and develop a summary or a synopsis of the presentation, and have them present what they understood and then open up to the original presenter to correct or add what they missed or misunderstood. This works well in higher level classes. In lower level classes they see it as a competition and they try really hard so the original presenter does not have too much to say to them. The good thing about doing this is that HL presentations will be at the HL level, as SL presentations will be at the SL level. It does make it even. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878138422 2020-10-31 00:25:01 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878138422 I have not really used the ones mentioned. At least not exactly in the form. I have used a kind of spiderweb activity. It is also similar to hot seat. I have never named it, but this is how it goes. I placed word on the board, for example integrity. I will pick a student to explain the concept. Then they choose a word that relates to integrity, for example, plagiarism. They choose a student to explain this, and this goes on through the class, until all have had a turn. It works really well, and makes them think of connections and they must do it quickly. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878147339 2020-10-31 00:35:44 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878147339 In my opinion these are used frequently in most ESL classrooms in some way, shape or form. To work on oral production I like to have the students do spontaneous role-play in pairs. I find that many of these activities can be done in combination with others. For this pair work I might have them interview each other as sports stars, heads of state, or other celebrity models. I also like to do this for occupations, interviewing a housewife, a doctor, a fireman or a policeman. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878147680

]]> 2020-10-31 00:36:10 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878147680 These take a lot of prep work, and can be used in conjunction with other areas of learning like writing and research. I find debates difficult to use. I only have 40 minute periods, so these are tough to work into my existing classrooms. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878152183 2020-10-31 00:41:54 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878152183 I have mentioned role-plays before. I like to mix different aspects of activities together. I do not have the class time to do and type of panel work, but I do like to have competitions where students prepare and submit questions to me through the term based on the units of study. Then I will surprise them one day, by splitting the class in two groups and fire the questions from the first half of the term at them, the groups get points based on the first to answer correctly. 3210466101 https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878155854 2020-10-31 00:46:31 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878155854 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878896522 I use this type of activity as much as possible. Students like to talk about anything and everything. So, for sure, we start and close our lesson with an informal chat. I also don't miss the opportunity to let them express themselves about anything, whether it is related to the theme of the lesson or something personal during the lesson and/or while they are working on any other  type of activity in class, in groups or individually. 

]]> 2020-10-31 18:41:16 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878896522 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878907770 This is one of my favourite activities. It keeps students focused and leads them to methodical discussion. In other words, they go straight to the point instead of wandering around. I use this type of activity, when the target from the lesson is to discuss a specific concept and to work on a specific set of vocabulary. ]]> 2020-10-31 18:54:03 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878907770 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878933023 As Julia mentioned, I am not familiar with these discussion systems. I checked the link Russel shared with us, and I am in love with the Socratic Seminar, including  its stems that would be of great help for the students, especially the weaker ones. I will definitely plan a Socratic Seminar in my coming lessons. ]]> 2020-10-31 19:23:32 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878933023 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878951257 I use the three types of group discussions all the time. However, I focus more on pairs and small groups. They give more opportunities for students to collaborate, express their ideas and benefit from the others' ideas, too. I make sure that the pairs and small groups are of different level of English, as I assign the high level students to help the weaker ones about vocabulary, grammatical structures and expressing their ideas. ]]> 2020-10-31 19:45:09 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878951257 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878960684 In fact, I am not a super fan of Formal debates, and I think it doesn't really correspond to the goal of language B (I could be wrong about this point), which is about teaching students how to communicate fluently, easily and effectively in an authentic way. However, I could consider this type of activity when they have to learn how to speak and what to say in formal situation. ]]> 2020-10-31 19:56:43 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878960684 ihamdi https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878988985 I once tried the role-play role with HL students, where I asked them to play the events of a scene in a literary text. The main target from that was to clarify the scene itself. It was a little bit confusing for them, maybe because they hadn't enough time to practise. However, I didn't use the role-play situation activity yet. I would plan it in the future lessons.]]> 2020-10-31 20:31:03 UTC https://padlet.com/j_macleod/xhwur0ld81kr3ucv/wish/878988985