Margit showed me some of the amazing imagination worksheets her students had done.
I’m always amazed at how differently young kids do these. (And it’s also one reason I wasn’t happy with the teachers yesterday, because they just went “meh” when they saw them!)
Anyway we got talking about extensive reading, and how we really need extensive listening as well. Then it goes into how much budget and time we’d have to set aside for such a huge project – you’d need hundreds of them and they’d all need to be really good!
Extensive Listening Materials
But then it hit us….. why not do Imagination Stories… where the kids write their own stories just like they have done with the one page worksheets so far! They’d come up with way better ideas than any adult could, and almost by definition it would be controlled English level!
So I set Margit’s kids a challenge, do me a four frame cartoon titled “The bad apple” or “The hungry umbrella” (yeah, I could have done better with the titles!) but just look what they came up with!
Well done kids, they’re fantastic! Plus Margit said it’s the most peace and quiet she’s had all summer holidays! So let’s brain storm some title suggestions in the comments and let’s get these made and shared! This could be huge!!
Earn More From Your Passion For Teaching English!
On very nice. I can see this taking off in a big way.
I like it!
Technically, how do you handle the activity?
Do you tell the kids in their mother-tongue to imagine the story and you translate when they don’t know ?
How many kids per group? What level and age is it suitable for ?
I used to be a camp counsellor and I had an activity that I made up with the kids, which was to listen carefully to a classic music that i had picked. They had to close their eyes and relax. Then i asked them to actually listen again but that time they had to imagine what the music was about, because it was a story. Then they all came up telling me while drawing what they had guessed the music was about. They were very talkative. Then I said we would try to make one story with all their drawings, so we had to find the character’s name, etc. That was the hardest part ( lol) but the kids were quite happy that they made a ” book “, my boss glad that we had such a project to present the parents, and the parents impressed that we had a project including/introducing classical music!
It was with a group of 8 pre-schoolers. I guess it can be an ESL idea as well.
Glad you like it.
I won’t use them in class, as I just have one lesson per week and time is too precious. So it’s for homework.
I give them one sheet per week.
Age doesn’t matter at all. The younger the more creative, but the older ones love it same way, they focus on different things.
For imagination sheets:
I sometimes just give them the sheet and tell them topic and tell them to draw the picture for HW . Usually I choose a sheet that fits the GE topic we’ve covered in class, or if there isn’t one something that would fit into the season we are in.
Sometimes I tell them to close their eyes. In L1 I guide them into the scenery I want them to go, let’s say for the sheet:
“Under the sea”
I tell them in Japanese* You are on a wide ocean. You are on a boat. The ocean is deep blue and the sun is shining. … You are jumping into the water from the boat and dive into the ocean. … Now tell me, without opening your eyes: What can you see?”
And we brain storm
It takes 3-5 minutes at the end of the lesson and they almost run home to draw the picture they have seen.
With the cartoons:
I just tried these two with my own kids, 8 and 10 years old. Richard gave them the topic, and at home I just asked them how they want the story to start, what is the problem to solve, where are we?
They came right away with all kinds of words.
Then I asked them how they want the story to end (4th picture). Of course they want a happy ending and told me concretely what that would be in their case.
“Okay, now you just have to think of something that might happen in between. How does the hungry umbrella get to his happy ending? That’s what must be in the 2nd and 3rd picture.”
From there I just had them go and they were silent for 1 hour. Without fighting(what’s rare for brother and sister during holidays) …
When they were finished they told me the story. They had naturally thought of a story that could be told in the English they knew.
I’m thirsty. Would you like a drink . Here’s some cherry juice….
I actually forgot the “thank you” and was very pleased that my daughter put it in naturally without having it even mentioned by my side.
And then we took the video.
So if it would be the students I would after once teaching them the important points of how to create a story (beginning peak ending) just set it as homework.
And take the video in the next lesson. Not much time needed.
I’m thinking of having a competition as well.
Anyway they love them and I think imagination is the most important thing to be able to communicate.
Margit, you are brilliant! I love the brainstorming at the end of the lesson. If I try drawing during class it takes up far too much time and if I just leave it for homework it can be hit or miss if they draw it. The brainstorming would be great for motivation.
the videos of your children speaking are so cute! They obviously own the story so they sound so confident in their speech. What a great idea.
What did you do for the writing? Were they able to write this on their own or did you provide some prompts?
Keep us updated. This is so full of possibilities!
What did you do for the writing?
I wrote it!!!
I think for now I want to keep it for listening and speaking.
Once they have the phonics I’ll add that.
They are completely into this. They might end up with a booklet during holidays. I’ll write some ideas for topics up on the Forum.
Very nice, thanks for sharing them
appreciated
I found this link, that might help to make up titles:
http://www.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/storybasket.html
Very well. Thanks again.