Things I Do at the End of Class

I have been meaning to write this post for a while.  If you're a teacher or a parent it might be of interest.

As an English teacher in Korea I make an effort to respect the time frame for my classes.  I have 50 minutes per class, and while I tend to do a bit of warm-up after the bell rings ("How was school today?", "Happy Friday!"), I usually get started fairly quickly.

We usually check homework together, as I feel it is a better use of time ("Change workbooks with your partner.  Get a colored pen or pencil.  Ok, Sally, read number 1.")

Then it's into the lesson and activities.

I try to finish on time in order to get my students out the door on time, as either they have 10 minutes break (which I think they need) or they are leaving the academy and need to catch one of the academy's vans.

This means I often finish a few minutes early, and long ago I found I needed a few educational activities I could do in a short time frame (as in minutes).

Here are a few of them, all of which my students have come to enjoy:

5 Things

So my students are packed up and ready to go.  I ask, "Bella, tell me 5 animals that don't have legs", or "Mike, tell be 5 foods that are green", or "Yeo-jin, tell me 5 countries that are not in Asia."

The other students shout out answers, but the chosen student has to tell me the 5 things.

This activity makes them think outside their books.  Sometimes they know the answer in Korean but not in English, so as a class we help each other to learn the vocabulary.

Map Search

In most of our classrooms we have a world map posted on the wall.

I ask, "Justin, where is Brazil?" or "Henry, where is Sudan?" and the chosen student has to get up, go to the map, find and point out the country.  If the student can't find it, another will eagerly help him/her.

This activity helps students learn the English names of countries, and I have noticed an improvement in students' geographical awareness.

Memory Circle

I begin, "I like to play soccer" and the next person has to say, "I like to play soccer and play tennis" and then the third person says, "I like to play soccer, play tennis, and go swimming" . . . and so it continues.

Or, I say, "I want to eat pizza" and the next person says, "I want to eat pizza and watermelon" and then the third person says, "I want to eat pizza, watermelon, and chocolate cake . . ."