Workshop Day!

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”  William Arthur Ward.

Last week we had a workshop in which some teaching techniques were presented to help us to have more alternatives to teach in a creative way.

Every students of the teaching practicum took one technique and the techniques were:

1- memory games.
2- puppets.
3- telling stories.
4- modeling clay.
5-recycling paper (pieces of color paper, news paper, magazines, old books).
6- songs/chants.
7- spinning wheel.
8- boxes.
9- Disposable plates.
10- name tags.
11- crowns and hats.

Technique:  Memory games.

Teacher: Iliana escobar.

Materials and budgets:

4 color pages. $ 0.20.

Glue. $0.50.

Print (pictures) $ 0.75.

Total $ 1.45..

Procedure:

First, look for the pictures (fruits) using the internet. Then, copy and paste in a word document, write the name in each picture, and print it. When you have the pictures cut it, and fold the color pages in 6 parts, after that cut it. Paste the pictures in each piece of paper. And you have a memory game.

Stages in which you can use it:

Warm-up.Practice.

Recommendations, you can use this technique with any topic, just make sure you can have some pictures of it.

 Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         You can create your memory game on the board, just make sure that you cover the pictures with another piece of paper in order to play it.

·         You can use a power point presentation with the memory game.

·         You can create your memory game on the floor.

     Some helpful videos:

Technique: Puppets.

Teacher: Luis Amaya.

Materials and budgets:

Puppet (Super Selectos) $ 5.00

Flash cards $ 1.00.

Physical objects (things you have at home according to the topic)

If you want to create your puppet here are some ways to do it easily.

All you need:

Puppets from paper. Cut the figure that will be your puppet, this can be done from imagines from books or you can print an image to use it, then, reinforce the paper with a stronger material, parte a stick in the back of the figure and it is done.

Sock puppet. Choose a sock that comes up to your knee, because t will look better than a short one, wear the sock and poke the rubric between the finger to make the mouth, finally add the eyes ( can be drawn or bought) and if you wish add some hair (wool).

Finger puppet: trace your fingers in a piece of paper, leave an extra space when do it, you will need two parts when creating the puppet, the front and the back, to add some details other materials can be used, to finish this sew it all together, starting with the details then finishing with the big parts.

How to use it:

Using the puppet, if possible change or use a different voice when speaking as the puppet, present the materials and flashcards, make students repeat after you the names of the objects presented before. Also create a way in which the students interact directly with the puppet and if you want use the grammar objective when speaking as the puppet.

Stages in which you can use it:

Practice.

Warm-up.

Presentation.

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Create a theater with puppets.
·         Change the voice for each puppets.
·         Look for some dialogues.
     



   

          Some helpful videos:

Technique: Tell a story.

Teacher: Raul Montoya.

Materials and budgets:

Cardboard. (Use some boxes or buy it)

Pictures. $ 2.00.

Colored paper. $ 0.75.

Markets.

Steps.

Create a story and memorized in order to do the story.

Elaborate the scenario with the colored papers and the cardboard.

Procedure:

Have an interesting story to tell your kids, you can create one or look for one on internet. Memorize the basic story. Also, use hand motions to emphasize the story and facial expressions too. Therefore, allow your voice to be expressive according to the story, add details and practice in advance.




Stages in which you can use it:

Warm-up.

Presentation.

Practice.

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

Use some objects to make it more vivid.

Get a structure to be more comfortable.

Use your imagination if you lost the story.

Ask the students in order to review the story.

Some helpful videos:

Technique: Modeling clay.

Teacher: Cristela Navarro.

Materials and budgets:

Clay different colors $1.00.

Pencil.

Sticks.

Procedure.

In order to make any figure. This time we will create and snail.First, you have to make the snail shell. To do it, roll a piece of clay into a long shape. Then, you have to make the snail body, to make it, roll a piece of bright green clay into the same tapered long shape, only slightly shorter. Finally make the eyes of the snail by making some little balls and put each eye in a stick, next put the eyes in the snail.

Stages in which you can use it:

Warm-up.

Presentation.

Practice.

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use any topic.
·         Make sure to do your best job with all the figures you want to make.
·         Use your imagination.
·         Helps students in the process.

Some helpful videos:

      

    Technique: Recycling paper (pieces of color paper, newspaper, magazines, old books).

    Teacher: Juan Carlos Henriquez.

    Materials and budgets:

    An empty soft drink can.

    A few pebbles (rise, beans, sand).

   Colored paper.

    Marker.  

    Recycled material.

    Free cost.

Steps:

Steps:

Step 1: Put the pebbles (rise, beans, sand) inside the can.

Step 2: Cover the opening of the can by sticking a piece of chart paper across it.

Step 3: Take colored paper of a size that is enough to cover the entire can. Stick it over the can with glue.

Step 4: Decorate the can the way you want to. You can draw flowers, cartoons, faces or whatever catches your fancy.

  Stages in which you can use it:  

    Warm-up.

    Practice.

    Practice.

    Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use different materials.
·         Make different instruments.
       

Some helpful videos:

   Technique: songs/ chants.

   Teacher: Juan Jose Escobar.      Materials:

   Lyrics of the song.

   Mp3 song.

   Procedure.

   Look for some songs on the internet according to the topic that you want to teach. Make sure to get the song or you can give the rhyme as you want with an instrument or making some sounds with your body and finally practice with your kids.  

 Stages in which you can use it:

  Warm-up

Practice.

       

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use some instruments.
·         Practice each part of the song more than one time.
·         Choose short sounds.
·         Crate your own.
·         Move around singing the song.
·         Make movements with the song.

 
 

   Technique: Spinning wheel.   

Teacher: Monica Ponce.   

Materials and budgets: 

  Styrofoam $ 1.50. (Vidri)  

 Colored papers (25 pages) $ 1.00.  

 Markets $ 1.00. (Don Bosco bookstore)  

 Iron and set-screws $ 3.00. (Design, material and workmanship)  

 Total $ 6.50.   

Stages in which you can use it:   

Practice.  

Warm-up.

 

   

How does it works?  

Spin the wheel. When the wheel stops of spinning, the arrow will select a category (Topic) which includes a set of questions or instead of it pictures. Ask the corresponding question to each category.   

How to make it?   

Select different categories: vocabulary or grammar, both can be assessed and both words and pictures could work.   Use Styrofoam to make the wheel.   Use colored papers or foam to divide the categories in the wheel.   Put an arrow to select one category.   Use setscrews and iron to support the wheel.

 

  

 Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use just pictures or words that can help students to review the topic.
·         Place some regards and punishment on it in order to make it funny.
·         Use it with games.

   

 Technique:  boxes.   

 Teacher: Karen Gisselt Romero.   

 Materials:   Boxes of shoes.   

Color paper.   Glue. 

  Pictures according to the topic. 

  Balls of paper. 

 Cost of the materials: 

 Empty boxes of shoes that you have in your home. 

 Color paper $ 0.20. 

 Glue $ 1.00. 

 Pictures you can print it or get it from a paper store $ 0.30.

 Procedure:  

Take the empty boxes of shoes you have in your house and cover each with paper of different colors.do not cover the tops, just the boxes. We will no use the tops. Then, paste the picture of a different animal like: cat or dog on each box. The pictures should be big enough so that kids can distinguish them. You can paste the pictures on the top of the back side of each box so that they can be seen. Finally just make some balls of paper to throw in the boxes. 

   How to develop this activity in the classroom.  

 To practice whether your kids have already acquired the animal nouns you have just taught. Then, you have to dive the class in two groups. Then, make two lines with the two groups and place the boxes in front of the kid’s lines. Give one ball to each student at the top of the lines; next, you say the name of the animals and students with the balls should throw them into the right box. Write down the points earned per each team if you want the losers to receive a punishment at the end of the activity. Finally, you decide how many students can participate.       

Stages in which you can use it:   

Practice.  

 Warm-up.  

 

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Instead of paper balls, use some toys according to the topic.

·         Have some questions on the boxes or ask the students some questions and have the answer on the boxes.

 

     

Teacher: Marcy Marquez.  

 Materials and budgets:  }

 Plastic disposables plates $ 1.92. (Super Selectos)   

Glue or cold silicone $ 1.22. (Super Selectos) 

  Decorative ribbon $ 1.26 (Super Selectos) 

  Ruler. 

  Pen. 

  Glitter $ 0.95. (Super Selectos.) 

  Print some Pictures according to the topic $ 0.90.

  

 

Procedure.

   First, you have to use the ruler and mark with the pen three centimeters below of the plastic disposable plate roundness and mark a straight line from one side to the other side. Then cut the lines and space in which you count the three centimeters in order to make a handle to the plate. Put some ribbons and any other decorative material that you want to put in every plate as you wish. Paste both plates to form a kind of bag. Finally you can use the bag to put whatever you want to put, in this case the family members and some clothing items.   

   

   

 Stages in which you can use it:  

  Warm-up.  

 Practice. 

  Practice.   

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use it with any topic.
·         Make some others figures according what you teach.




    Some helpful videos:

   

Technique: Name tags.  

 Teacher: Ingrid Giron.  

 Materials and budgets:   

Two folders of hard paper. $ 0.50. (Fabriano paper or cartoncillo)  

 Colored markers. $ 1.00 

  Glue. $1.00.  

 Print some vocabulary $ 0.90.   

Stages in which you can use it: 

Practice.   

Warm-up.  

 Presentation.

 

  

 

Procedure. 

  First, design a name tag with a double color paper with the topic that you choose. Put the name of the students on each cards, the name will be at the bottom of the picture, paste the picture inside the card. Then, students will review the topic or find the new vocabulary on it.   

 Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Use it with any topic.
·         Use it for first day of class.
·         Let students to do their own name tag.
·         Use the imagination to create a way in order to take the name of the students.

 

  Technique: crowns and hats.   

Teacher: Gloria Jacinto.   

Materials and budgets:  

 Colored paper $ 2.00. 

  Print some picture $ 1.00.   

Markets. 

  Glue.

 

  

 Procedure.

 Make a cone with the color paper and paste it. Then, decorate as you want, use pictures, draw something and customized it as you want and according to the topic.   

Stages in which you can use it:   

Warm-up.  

 Practice.   

Production.     

 

    

Variations of this technique that I can do for this technique:

·         Let students to make their own.
·         Use it with any topic in order to use the imagination.












Some helpful videos: