I have just given a brand new talk at the BELTE Conference in Brighton, UK, sponsored by Helbling Languages. The title is – Getting the most out of mental imagery in the EFL classroom – and I would like to share an activity I did there with you.
The great thing about using mental imagery in the classroom is that you need very few material resources, because you use the limitless resources of students’ imagination as the stimulus for activities.
Here’s an example, creating a story.
I adapted this activity from – Imagine That! – by Jane Arnold, Herbert Puchta and Mario Rinvolucri – Helbling Languages.
The extracts in blue come from my book – The Coconut Seller – but you can use any book you want.
Invite the students to relax and close their eyes.
Tell them:
We are going to create a story together.
Bruno, a poor coconut seller, stopped what he was doing for a moment and sat down on a low wall in front of the beach. He stared out to sea with a broad smile on his face, contemplating the vast emptiness, lost in thought as he enjoyed a moment’s rest.
I will give you 20 seconds to imagine what Bruno is like.
Later, Clara came to the kiosk and shouted rudely –
“Hey, you! Give me a coconut water!”
I will give you 20 seconds to decide what sort of woman Clara is.
A few weeks later, at the restaurant, Clara’s father bluntly asked Bruno –
“What kind of future are you going to offer my daughter?”
I will give you 20 seconds to imagine how Bruno and Clara felt and reacted.
Zeca told Bruno all about a foolproof plan he had to steal the official university entrance exams, and secretly sell the results before the day of the exam.
20 seconds to see the situation in your mind’s eye.
Suddenly the doors crashed open and a loud, firm voce cried out, “Police! Drop your guns! Get down on your knees with your hands above your heads!”
20 seconds to finish the story.
This activity can be used for all levels from elementary to advanced, and is a great way to practice all the four skills.
1. The students listen to you telling parts of the story and giving the instructions.
2. Then they individually write the story they imagined.
3. They then swap their story with a partner and carefully read the story they receive.
4. Finally they speak, re-telling the other student’s story to a new partner.
Another idea might be to get the students to prepare their own bits of narrative for homework and present to the group.
ENJOY!
Jack Sc
holes has a first degree in German/Russian from Liverpool University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education and EFL from London University, and he is also a Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He has over 40 years experience in ELT and is now a freelance writer, trainer and ELT specialist.
holes has a first degree in German/Russian from Liverpool University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education and EFL from London University, and he is also a Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He has over 40 years experience in ELT and is now a freelance writer, trainer and ELT specialist.
