Junior High School - Year 3
Asking About Experience - 1
| Unit | Lesson Number | Topic | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 | 3.1 | Asking About Experience -1 | A: Have you ever been to Brazil? B: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. |
Resource Content and Card Game Rules
Note: This is a short, 2 sentence, conversation with a 'Yes', 'No' type answer structure. It's very easy to set up a card game to practice this kind of conversation and I often do. This card game is very similar to the well known Go Fish, except that the language used reflects the target language and nobody says 'Go fish'.
Level - Beginner
Age - This course is for 15-16 year olds, but of course any age is OK if the level is right.
Number of Players - 3 to 5 players in each group. The Game Cards printout makes 20 cards.
Resources - Worksheet
Flash Cards
Game Cards
Time - About 50 minutes
Advantages - Cards games are a great way to practice specific target language.
Disadvantages - Though the target grammatical structure is the same, there are 10 different questions with different verbs to learn in this lesson.
If your class is not very strong, using less might be better.
Game Preparation
- First of all, read the examples on the worksheet through with the students, check understanding and practice.
- Next, use the flash cards to practice the target language without the students reading.
* Tip : If you don't already, it's really important to periodically test individual students throughout drill periods of the lesson. It ensures students are practicing hard and confirms whether they can say the language or not. If you can get a good rhythm, and technique working which suits your style of teaching, when it comes to playing the game, everyone can use the language, the game runs smoothly and everyone has fun.
Play the Game...
- The basic aim of the game is to collect as many pairs of cards as possible. The winner is the student who collects the most.
- Example language:
Student A: Have you ever eaten a cow?
Student B: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
- Make groups sitting around a table.
- Give each group one pack of game cards.
- Students deal out 1 card each.
- The remaining cards are placed in a pack in the middle of the table.
- The first student student A chooses another student and asks them a question, 'Yuki, have you ever eaten a cow?'
- If Yuki student B is not holding the corresponding card to the question, then student B answers, 'No, I haven't.' and keeps his card(s).
- If Yuki student B is holding the corresponding card to the question, then student B answers, 'Yes, I have.' and gives student A the card.
- If student A can make a pair, then they put the pair down in front of them.
- When student A has finished their turn, they pick up another card from the pack in the middle, whether they can make a pair or not.
- If, at any time, a student loses all of their cards form their hand, then they can also pick up another card from the pack.
- The game continues to the left until the pack is gone and no student is holding any cards.
Have fun...