Even the most well prepared lesson plan can fail with a class the size of a small army. While teaching a big class is not ideal, it's often reality, and when planning activities for class, it's necessary for teachers to consider effective activities for large groups.
The following ideas will not always substitute a full lesson plan, but may act as filler activities that can supplement a base lesson or unit of study.
Continue the Story ESL Activity for Big Classes
Depending on the class, this activity can be freestyle or geared toward vocabulary being studied at the time. The teacher sets the mood for a story of which the class will write many versions. He or she can do this with a photograph of a dark house on a hill or a comical costume party for example, then write the first sentence on the board.
Each student copies the first sentence, then passes their paper to the next person who continues the story sentence by sentence. Teachers may adapt this activity by telling students that they must write a sentence using a vocabulary word studied that week. Once everyone's story is passed around the room, each student or the teacher may read it aloud and the class can vote on the scariest or funniest version.
Chants and Songs for Large ESL Classes
Chanting and singing allow all students in a large class to participate, and may even make shy students feel more comfortable with a group chorus covering individual voices. The teacher may assign different parts of a song or chant to certain parts of the class, then reverse roles. In order to keep students on their toes, teachers can try a Disappearing Chant Lesson.
Interview Circle for Large ESL Classes
This activity works best with a class of older students who do not know one another very well and can help build rapport between each other. For this activity, the teacher must prepare a set of interview questions. He or she may write them on a blackboard with a number next to each one and check for comprehension.
The teacher sets up an inner ring or circle of chairs and a complementary outer ring of chairs that face one another. One student rolls a die and determines the question that begins the interview between each pair. The teacher times each round at one minute and signals the outer ring of chairs to rotate one chair to the right to discuss a new question for another minute interview.
This activity allows everyone to participate simultaneously and speak with a purpose: to get to know each other. The teacher may walk around the circle and monitor dialogues.
With a large class, it's hard for a teacher to know that everyone is involved. The above activities ensure that each student has a role to play.
Katherine Kocisky - Katherine graduated with a degree in English Education and French in 2004 from Illinois State University. Since then, she has taught high ...
