Identifying mistakes, correcting mistakes, and interrupting politely, using Excuse me, you said . . ., You should have said . . . instead.
Skills
Listening, speaking and reading.
Control
Guided.
Level
All.
Time
10 minutes.
Materials
Any text which all the learners can have copies of.
Preparation: Select an appropriate text and make copies.
Procedure: Class, group or pair work.
Read out the text and deliberately change some of it.
The learners should follow their copy of the text and immediately stop you when they notice one of the changes.
Once the game is understood it can be played in groups or pairs. For example one might read the text as, 'Read out the text and deliberately change all of them. The learners must follow you.
Learner1: Excuse me, you said 'all' instead of’ some' and you should have said, 'The learners should follow'.
Principally listening for detail in group or pair work. Speaking and writing occur
Control
Free.
Level
All.
Time
15-20 minutes to prepare a text. 3-4 minutes for each learner who reads a text.
Materials
None.
Preparation: None, unless you would like to prepare your talk
Procedure: Class, group or pair work.
Discuss the idea that there arc always people who like 'to pull other people's legs', i.e. to make them look a little foolish. Explain that this game will train the learners not to have their legs pulled! Explain that you will talk and include a few untrue statements. The learners must immediately raise their hands on hearing an untrue statement and say what is wrong with it.
Once the idea of the game is understood, it can be played in groups in pairs. Learners might prepare their 'talk' in writing, perhaps for homework.
Teacher or Learner 1: Yesterday I went into town and saw a marvelous car. It had six legs and went very . . .
Learner 2: That's not true. Cars don't have legs, they have wheels. And. they don't have six wheels either. Teacher: Oh, sorry. You are quite right. Anyway, it was going very fast indeed. I was at the chemist's buying some bread,
Teacher: Paris is the capital of Italy...
Learner 3: Rome is the capital of Italy!