Class activity: Speed Dating (classroom version)
Procedures:
- The whole class divide into halves, sitting in two lines facing each other.
- Teacher raise questions, one of the two groups take the go to make a guess about the other group’s answer and then listen to their real answers to the questions. Each student has to respond to their own partner only.
For example, Teacher can start with an easy question type – yes/no question – such as “Would you live in California for the rest of your life if you were given one billion dollars? No travelling outside this state.” Then students A, B, C … in the group on the left would make a prediction about their opposite partner’s response and listen to the real answer to see if they made the right guess. After the last pair finishes, the teacher continues the second question, and now the group on the right make their guesses.
The activity keeps going with questions raised. Teacher can participate in the game in case odd number of students.
Teaching Target:
As this game can involve any topics and students’ answers may lead to the great diversity of the game itself, it may not be appropriate for a particular lesson theme, but instead will be a perfect icebreaker. Students can have a lot of fun and get to know each other more through personal information exchanging process.
This activity can be used for all levels of language learners as questions can be modified for levels of difficulty. For beginning and intermediate levels of language learners, it will greatly motivate them to talk without much pressure to produce a good answer. During playing the game, students can see how their classmates respond and then smoothly follow to express their “story”. Topics can be personal interests (e.g. favorite movies, music, hobbies), social life, or more generic stuff that always let students have something to talk about. Engagement in this game also offers a good chance to listening skill practice. Based on what students hear and understand, follow-up questions can be asked to clarify misunderstandings and request for more background information. For advanced learners, the justification can be an add-on as a comprehensive listening and speaking drill. For example, when one student makes a wrong guess for his/her partner’s answer, the partner can explain his/her opinions to justify the choice and persuade their partner.
Coauthors: Kathy Yang, Minh, Brieanna, Ayako