Funky flipcharts and interesting interactivity (IOW Conference Part 1)

Funky Flipcharts and Interesting Interactivity was the first session I attended. Lesley Welsh from The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Hartlepoool, delivered an enthusiastic presentation about the benefits of using an IWB. OK, I was already convinced, but her positive energy was certainly infectious!

· Look at primary resources for simple graphics
· Move furniture/ objects around to teach prepositions
· Bubble game: text with multiple choice options in a bubble. Students work in pairs, one reads, the other one tries to guess what option was chosen, if it is right he/she then takes on the reading .
· Spotlight tool used with all new words/ pictures for new words on a slide
· Blind tool can be used to slow reveal: Team A un …./ Team B une …
· Erase and reveal e.g. country shapes, students have to say the name of the country.
· Brainstorm: paste a circle with a word in it and draw a line to show connection
· Drag and drop: Key phrases to fill in, re-order sentences (good starter)
· Phrases to fill in with extra support behind a colored rectangle
· Focus circle (with a countdown clock in the circle and a key word e.g. job). Make as many sentences as you can on jobs with te words provided
· Team vocabulary test: get the right spelling on your half with 10-15 chances given for somebody else in your team to amend the spelling.
· Labeling activity: e.g. a house
· Taking a picture with a camera tool is better to keep quality of picture rather than use copy and paste.
· Numeracy: looking at prices, students have to put the right coins in the till.
· Blockbusters, noughts and crosses
· Dice: Person 1=je 2=tu 3=il/elle 4=nous 5=vous 6=ils/elles

Verb 1=finir 2=parler 3=manger 4=dire 5=boire 6= être
· Use the dice to make a sentence with different types of words e.g. pronoun/ verb/adjective
· Flipcharts are good to ensure all the resources are together e.g. music/ audio
· Scroll adjectives (e.g. 10 ), write down as many as you can remember
· Scroll words with some vowels missing
· Match up exercise for the answers
· Use photographs of pictures instead of re-sized images for higher quality
· Activote systems: can be used for survey, quizzes, spelling or vocabulary tests (e.g. numbered parts of the face, multiple choice answers). They are good to identify students’ overall weaknesses as well as individual students’ difficulties.
· Use videoclips: e.g. weather forecast to listen to authentic audio

Best of all, I enjoyed Lesley’s top tips:
· Be prepared
· Find out what works for you
· Experiment and enjoy

Couldn’t agree more!!