Robert Dobie
Teaching grammar: Modal: may / might. Students work for 20 minutes both inside and outside the classroom. They take close-up pictures of objects (they must know the word of the objects). Pictures are later shown to classmates (in small groups) who have to guess what the objects are (eg. I think it might be a ...). Points are awarded for correct guesses and a winner is chosen.
Name of Method: | Visual Teaching of Modal Grammar |
Author: | Robert Dobie ADMC English Faculty |
Apps / Tools used: | Built-in Camera, Pages |
Difficulty of Use: (1-5): | 2 |
Subject: | ESL |
Level: | 2 |
21st Century Literacies: | Basic Literacy, Critical Literacy, Digital Literacy, Creative Literacy |
Blooms Understandings: | Applying, Analyzing, Creating |
Gardiners Multiple Intelligences: | Spatial, Linguistic, Bodily-Kinesthetic |
Teaching & Learning Methods: | Peer-to-Peer Learning |
Activity Time: | 1-2 Hours |
Short Description: | Teaching grammar: Modal: may / might. Students work for 20 minutes both inside and outside the classroom. They take close-up pictures of objects (they must know the word of the objects). Pictures are later shown to classmates (in small groups) who have to guess what the objects are (eg. I think it might be a . . .). Points are awarded for correct guesses and a winner is chosen. |
Lesson Plan: | This iPad Lesson is practice with modals of probability (must, might, could, may, can’t) and vocabulary building. 1. Write the following short dialog on the white board: What do you think this is? I think it must/might/could/may/can’t be a . . . 2. The instructor provides students with a vocabulary list of common objects, for example: tree, flower, stone, insect, sidewalk, car, wheel, book, desk, chair, fire extinguisher, door, wall, etc. 3. The Instructor models the activity by mirroring two or three of his/her own photos that she/he took before class. Some of the objects in the photos should be on the list of objects above. 4. Have the students try to guess what the objects are by using the short dialog above. 5. To make the activity more difficult, begin by zooming in on each photo - by pinching out - and then gradually expanding the photo. 6. Tip: the photos should have been taken relatively close-up, so that each object is not easily identifiable. Also, for the purpose of class demonstration, each of the teacher’s photos should have been copied and pasted into the Pages app (mirrored photos in the camera roll do not zoom in or out; it is necessary to use another app for this). 7. Allow the students ten or fifteen minutes to roam about the classroom, the hallway, parking lot, etc. (mirror a count-down timer to help enforce a strict time limit, or the instructor may lose some students!). 8. Students should take several close-up shots of objects that are on the list, and even some that are not on the list. 9. After the students return to class, have them sit down in small groups and practice the activity / dialog with their own photos. 10. Wrap-up with one student standing and practicing (with one or two photos) with the whole class. 11. Answer any vocabulary-related questions that students may have. 12. Create and send out the list of new words (both from the original list and that came up during the lesson). |
Other Notes: | This activity enhances learner interest and motivation in studying grammar. The inspiration for this activity came from an activity book and television program where children try to guess the objects from close-up photos. |
Resources: | Pages App Store Link: |