October 2005 Archives

Here are some pointers on public speaking I had put together for my junior high students to help them improve their public speaking skills.

Level: Advanced Students
Time: 50 minutes

This was a supplementary lesson on the story of Anne Frank that I prepared for my junior high students. There was a chapter on her life in the English textbook we were using in class. This lesson, in addition to teaching students about the dangers of intolerance and educating them about the story of Anne Frank, provides an excellent opportunity to teach or review or practice language functions such as using interrogative pronouns (who, what, where, why, and when) and the past tenses (simple past and the passive voice - simple past).

Having materials such as a world map, pictures of Anne Frank (which can be downloaded from the Internet), a copy of Anne Frank's diary (The Diary of Anne Frank), and the Anne Frank handout (see below) will allow you to present the information in a clear manner.

Start off the lesson with a friendly greeting (good-morning or good-afternoon depending on the day). Ask students some warm-up questions such as "How are you? "What's the date today? "How's the weather? "What's the time?

"What am I?�" is a fun and enjoyable guessing game activity. My students loved playing it. I did too. I've used it as a warm up activity, to review vocabulary, and/or to just liven up the class when the students were feeling tired. Besides helping to improve their listening skills, it encourages students to speak up in class, which helps to build their self-confidence.

'What if' questions make great icebreakers and are a fun activity to do in class. I like using 'what if' questions for several reasons. They help my adult students get to know each other, helps them to think outside the box, and helps to create a relaxing and positive atmosphere in the classroom. Here's a sample of 'what if' questions that I've used in my adult ESL classes.