60 Treats for Your Bag of Tricks
Mercedes Koch
Ryan Rockaitis
Deerfield High School
Deerfield, IL
Contact Information
www.dist113.org/dhs
Mercedes Koch
mkoch@dist113.org
Ryan Rockaitis
rrockaitis@dist113.org
Community –
Building
Treats
What’s in a name?
Have students say the first names of
other students before addressing them.
¡Muy Bien!
Create a class chant to support students
instead of applause.
¡Muy bien! ¡Muy, muy muy bien!
Grouping
Treats
Popsicle Sticks
Write each student’s name on a popsicle stick.
Pull popsicle sticks to group students.
Pull a popsicle stick at random instead of calling on students
who raise their hands.
All students need to be ready to answer every question.
Row A / Row B
Label alternating rows A and B, or use
two other categories. (ie: school colors)
Each A is paired with a B.
When you want students to work with
new partners, pick one group (A or B) to
stand up and move to a new seat of the
same category.
Students can work with multiple
partners with little transition time.
Row A / Row B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
Postcards
Cut different postcards or pictures so that the
number of pieces equals the number of
students you want in each group.
Each student selects a piece of a postcard
while entering class.
Students find those who have the other pieces
of the same postcard/picture.
Depending on time and purpose, students can
show or hide their piece of the postcard and
speak in English or the target language.
Postcards
Speed Dating
Put students in groups of three.
In each group assign a #1, a #2, and a #3.
#1s stand and move to the next group, then sit
down.
#2s stand and move two groups over, then sit
down.
#3s always stay in the original location.
Speed Dating
1
2
1
3
1
3
2
3
2
1
2
3
Vocabulary Pairs
Choose 15 vocabulary words from the current
unit (for a class with 30).
Create one set of 30 cards, 15 with the words
in the target language and 15 with
corresponding pictures or the words in English.
Distribute one card to each student. They
must find the person with the matching cards.
Can be done with countries and capitals or
question/answer pairs.
Vocabulary Pairs
the pencil
the book
the pen
Everyday
Treats
Word Wall
When students ask how to say a new word,
write the word and its translation on a piece of
construction paper.
Post the words in a prominent place on the
wall.
You will be amazed at how often students
incorporate these new words into their work.
Attention Getter
Make a clear signal to let
students know that they
may only speak in the target
language.
“Uno, dos, tres. ¡No inglés!”
Exit Slips
Assign students a simple task at the end of the class
and collect their responses on the way out of the room.
Reach each response and assign a + or a -.
Those with a + go directly into the recycling bin. If a
student doesn’t receive a paper back, she or he knows
that the response was fine.
Return – slips to students the next day.
Examples:
Write the school supplies you need for
three of your classes.
Making the Most
When doing text book activities or
worksheets, tell the class, “Do 1 and 2.
You only have 20 seconds. Go!”
Call on two students randomly to hear
responses.
“Do 3 and 4. You have 20 seconds.
Go!”
Use a timer for accountability.
Big Numbers
When numbering questions on homework or
in-class activities, use numbers that students
need to review.
10.
20.
30.
40
300
400
500
Personal White Boards
Shower board, available at home improvement
stores, makes a great white board. A class
set will cost about $15.00
Some stores will cut the board into smaller
squares for free.
Use tissue or small pieces of old towels as
erasers.
Easily check the comprehension of every
student.
Parent/Guardian Emails
When students don’t have homework or aren’t prepared
for class, keep parents/guardians in the loop.
Collect assignments individually. If students don’t have
the assignment, they turn in a sheet of paper with their
name, the date, and the missing assignment.
Send a quick email home for each of these students.
“_____ didn’t have his work for class today. I want him
to do well, so I asked him to complete the assignment for
tomorrow. Any encouragement you could lend would be
most appreciated.”
Flashcard
Treats
Clip Art Flashcards
Give students a handout with clip art pictures
of new vocabulary.
Use the English word if an easily identifiable
picture cannot be found.
Students cut out the pictures for homework or
during class and write the target language
word on the back.
Students keep the flashcards in a pencil case
in their binders.
After quizzing themselves and partners
students sort the flashcards into three piles:
words I know well, words I “kind of” know, and
words I don’t know.
Clip Art Flashcards
Flashcard “Dinner Party”
Give each student one flashcard.
Students walk around the classroom making
sure all the other students can say the pictured
word in the target language.
If students keep one card for the entire activity,
this is great repetition for students who need
extra input.
If you want students to see all the words, have
students switch cards after each interaction.
Flashcard BINGO
Students make a 3x3, 4x4, or 5x5
square with their flashcards, picture side
up.
As the teacher repeatedly says the word
in the target language, students turn
over the corresponding flashcard.
Encourage students to keep flipping
over flashcards until they find the
correct word.
Flashcard Bingo
Flashcard Line-Up
The teacher gives the students a category.
Looking only at the word side students arrange
their flashcards according to the category.
Students can peek at the picture if they don’t
remember what the word means.
Possible categories: Biggest to smallest,
things I use most often to things I use the least,
most expensive to least expensive.
After each category the teacher calls on a few
students to explain their rankings.
Flashcard Line-Up
Smallest to Biggest
the
notebook
the pencil
the pen
the
markers
the sheet
of paper
the folder
the book
the
dictionary
the
backpack
Competition – Pics Up
Pairs of students share a set of flashcards,
placing them picture side up.
Teacher calls out the vocabulary word and the
race begins.
The student who finds the correct card first,
wins the point. Students create a pile of their
won cards, accumulating points. The one with
the most points wins.
At the end of the first round, all winners find a
new winner to go against and losers with
losers.
Competition – Pics Up
Competition – Word Up
Pairs of students share a set of flashcards,
placing them word side up.
The teacher projects the picture.
Students shout out the word in unison and then
try to pick up the correct card first.
The student who finds the correct card first,
wins the point. Students create a pile of their
won cards, accumulating points. The one with
the most points wins.
At the end of the first round, all winners find a
new winner to go against and losers with
losers.
Instant Information Gap
The teacher describes the location of flashcards in
relation to one another. (The book is in the center. The
folder is to the left of the book…) Students move their
flashcards accordingly.
Teacher then projects the flashcards so students can
self correct.
Pair students so that one student from each pair can see
the projected images. That student describes the
location of flashcards to his or her partner.
Start with a few flashcards and add more each round.
When some students finish, switch a few of the
flashcards.
Instant Information Gap
Game
Treats
From Me, To You
A fun game to use with commands or the
subjunctive.
Students select a classmate and write a
command for that person to complete in class.
Encourage students to write fun, silly
commands.
After collecting the papers the teacher
announces that the real name of the game is
“Don’t write something for your friend to do that
you don’t want to do yourself.”
Students perform the commands they wrote.
Flyswatters
Project pictures of the vocabulary using an
overhead or LCD projector, or write the words
on the board.
One player from each team holds a flyswatter.
The teacher says a word in the target
language. The first player to swat the correct
picture wins a point for his or her team.
Set ground rules, such as only one swat per
turn and no hints from teammates.
Flyswatter
¡Zócalo!
Explain the cultural significance of the word zócalo.
Students count up and down the rows in the target
language one number at a time.
Students cannot say any numbers that contain the
number 7 or that are multiples of 7. They must say
“Zócalo” instead.
If a student makes an error the entire class shouts
“Zócalo”.
Challenge students to see how high they can count.
¡Zócalo!
1
2
3
4
5
6
¡Zócalo!
8
9
10
11
12
13
¡Zócalo!
15
16
¡Zócalo!
18
19
20
¡Zócalo!
22
23
24
Four in a Row
Divide the class into 2-4 teams. Project the
game board so all students can see.
Allow students some time to make sure their
teammates can say all the sentences on the
board.
One student from Team A picks a square.
A different student from Team A translates the
sentence or answers the question.
A team wins by getting four in a row or a box of
four.
If a team wins quickly, play again.
Teammates are allowed to whisper to one
another when it is not their turn.
Four in a Row
Subject - Verb
Create a set of large cards with different
subjects of sentence. (He, she, the friends,
you and I, etc.)
Divide the class into two teams. One student
from each team stands up. Only those two
students can say the answer during that round.
The teacher says a verb and shows a subject
card.
The student to say the correct verb form first
wins a point for his or her team.
Subject - Verb
I
We
The girls
to go
Vocabulary Circle
Students sit with their desks in a circle. Each student holds a
picture of one of the vocabulary words.
Another student who is “it” stands in the center.
“It” says one of the words and then leaves the center to try to
touch the desk of the person whose word he just said.
The person holding the picture of the word that was said has to
say another word before “it” touches his desk. If “It” can touch
the new desk before a new word is called, the person whose
desk was touched becomes “It”.
When calling out words students cannot say the word that was
just said, nor can they say the words that are to the immediate
left and right.
Vocabulary Circle
Battleship
Create a 10 X 12 grid.
Label 12 columns with infinitives and 10 rows with
subjects (I, you, the teacher, etc.)
Distribute copies to students. Have them pencil in their
“ships” anywhere they’d like on their grids.
In partners, they need to try and locate one another’s
ships by providing the correct verb form for the box they
want to guess. Can be played with any tense.
Can also be played with a board of all numbers.
Battleship
Battleship
Review
Treats
Snowball Fight
Ask students to write as much as they
can about a given topic.
Students crumple their papers and have
a snowball fight.
Students open the papers, read what is
written, and add new information.
ABC
At the end of a unit, have students
come up with one relevant word or idea
for each letter of the alphabet.
Fast Forward
Students work in groups to act out a
one-minute play of the most important
parts of the story, book, or video.
Students only have five minutes to
prepare.
Everybody must say something and
everybody must act something out.
If recorded, these make great reviews
before the semester exam.
Sandwich Board
Connect two pieces of construction paper together with two
strings to create a sandwich board that you can wear over your
shoulders.
“Advertise” the correct way to say the errors that your students
make time after time.
Yo sé. = I know.
Jigsaw
While students are at their seats,
assign them numbers from 1 to 4.
1s meet and review one topic from the
unit.
2s meet and review a different topic, as
do the 3s and 4s.
After some time, form groups of 4
students: a 1, a 2, a 3, and a 4.
Each student is held accountable for the
information from his or her original
group.
Jigsaw
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
2
3
4
2
3
4
2
3
4
1
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
Hand signals
As you review topics/concepts, have
students signal true/false or I
understand/I don’t understand by
showing front or back of hand or thumbs
up/ thumbs down.
Even if students give thumbs up when
they do not actually understand, at least
they have thought it over and are aware
they have a gap.
Ask students to close their eyes for an
anonymous check.
Hand signals
One Picture – Three Tenses
Show students a picture.
Students say what happened before the
picture was taken, what is happening in
the picture, and what will happen in the
future.
Study in the Bathroom
When studying items in categories
(regular verbs, irregular verbs, stemchanging verbs), suggest that students
study each category in a different place.
(Regular verbs in the bedroom, irregular
verbs in the living room, stem-changing
verbs in the bathroom.)
When recalling information students will
remember where they studied it, and
therefore will also remember its
category.
Study in the Bathroom
Speaking
Treats
Poker Chips/Popsicle Sticks
Keep students accountable during activities in
which only the target language is allowed.
Give each student 3 poker chips or popsicle
sticks at the beginning of the activity.
Students lose one poker chip for each
violation.
Assign points based on how many poker chips
students have at the end of the activity.
Poker Chips/Popsicle Sticks
Situations
Create two roles (person A and person B) for a conflict.
A: You’re making plans with your friend for the
weekend. You’re very tired and would like to do
something at home.
B: You’re making plans with your friend for the
weekend. You can’t wait to get out and do something
active.
Students practice the situation with several partners.
Select one student from each role to perform the
situation for the class.
Fishbowl
Assess students on their ability to converse for an
extended amount of time.
Group 1: The “fish” discuss a randomly selected prompt.
Encourage students to ask a lot of questions.
Group 2: Every “fish” is assigned a “listener” from group
2. The “listener” writes down feedback for his or her
specific “fish”.
Group 3: Everybody else listens for overall trends in the
entire conversation, writing down main ideas, comments
that stood out, and suggestions for better use of the
target language.
Fishbowl
Index Cards
Write students’ names on index cards.
Below each name write
1) 10
9
8
2) 10
9
8
3) 10
9
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
0
0
0 (etc.)
Choose cards randomly to call on students. Immediately
circle the number that the response earns.
“What was the question?” earns a “0”.
When it is time to assign a grade, each student will have
10 scores on which the grade can be based.
Template
Treats
Postcard Template
Great for cultural topics.
Postcard Template
Newspaper Template
Create “book clubs” with authentic
readings.
Newspaper Template (cont’d)
Writing Corrections Template
Mark students’ writing so that THEY can
go back and learn from their errors.
Conversation Template
Give students the tools to converse about THEIR
interests for an extended period of time.
Student Information Template
Gather valuable information the first week of school.
Internet
Treats
Find a PowerPoint
Type “ppt” before a topic in Google to
find PowerPoint presentations.
“ppt Don Quixote”
“ppt Frida Kahlo”
“ppt Spanish imperfect”
Carefully review the presentation before
using in class.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
languages/spanish/mividaloca
Mi vida loca
A free interactive online video series from the BBC.
www.quizlet.com
Use this free site to easily create online review
activities.
The teacher simply types the words in English
and the target language.
Quizlet automatically creates online flashcards
and will pronounce the words in the target
language.
Scatter: Matching game
Space Race: See how fast you can type the
words.
www.quizlet.com
www.wordle.net
Use this site to create flyswatter games
to be played in pairs or small groups.
Print one copy for each pair/group.
Teacher calls out the definition or
English translation.
Students compete against their
partners/group members to see who
can point to the word first.
www.wordle.net
www.myfakewall.com
Students can create fake Facebook pages in the target
language.
www.tiki-toki.com
Create online interactive timelines.
Wallpaper Wonders
Use Google Images to find an intriguing cultural image to set
as your computer wallpaper.
If you use an LCD project in class, these images can become
a part of your classroom landscape.
YouTube Videos
Play music videos in the target language as students
enter class.
People en español publishes a monthly list of current
hits.
VideoEle
http://es.youtube.com/user/papitus
Spanish Language Interviews
http://authenticspanishlanguageandpedagogy.
blogspot.com
Spanish Language Videos
http://www.ver-taal.com
RTVE
http://www.rtve.es
Skype in the classroom
https://education.skype.com
Makebeliefscomix.com
Newseum.org
Find the front pages of hundreds of newspapers from
around the world, updated every day.