ICE BREAKERS AND WARM UPS FOR ALL AGES Sara Denne-Bolton Kelli Odhuu
BY THE END OF THIS WEBINAR, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: i. Define and distinguish between ice breakers and warm ups ii. iii. iv. List the reasons for using ice breakers and warm ups Identify best practices, including when and how to use Create a list of some examples of each
SOME THOUGHTS ON LEARNING A commonly held myth about learning is that learning has to happen with formal instruction within a traditional institutional environment Participation in everyday life can be thought of as learning (Jean Lave)
All learning is physiological and emotional The brain is social Complex learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat Principles of Brain/Mind Based Learning Caine & Caine
According to brain-based learning theory, we learn better when we are relaxed The human brain functions more effectively and at a higher level when stress is reduced (Kathy Cabot )
A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS Learning can happen through peers not only from the teacher
Learning quality is increased through peer support Community and learning extend outside of the classroom Shared Knowing (Tinto 2003) LEARNING COMMUNITIES Shared Knowledge Shared Responsibility
students become self-directed learners, moving away from passively waiting to be told when and how to do something Kemp 2010
SUMMARY OF THESE LEARNING THEORIES Theory 1: Activity is learning Theory 2: Learning involves the whole body/mind Theory 3: Learning is shared
Ice breakers are a way for learners to get to know each other
ICE BREAKERS Must Enable students to get to know each other Allow for plenty of communication Should Be easy activities with few rules Be fun! Can Be loud or quiet activities Use speaking, listening, reading and/or writing Be separate from lesson Involve mother tongue
BALL TOSS My name is.. What s your name? (throws ball)
LINE UPS
Picture Me!
Find Someone Who.. Speaks three or more languages Likes early morning Watches You Tube Is afraid of heights Likes nature Has three sisters Uses Facebook Loves the color blue Wants to be an English teacher Writes a diary in English Likes to tell jokes Gets sleepy in class Can cook a meal Likes rap music Eats something sweet every day Plays a musical instrument Is afraid of the dark Prefers coffee to tea Has a job Hates spiders Likes animals Can sing a song in English Has one brother Enjoys dancing Exercises regularly Listens to music while studying Can t stand sad songs Is a parent Use: Do you?are you? Can you? When you get the right answer, write the person s name in the square.
QUESTION SWAP
WARM UPS Set the tone for the lesson Focus learners on the class Activate learners schema Introduce topic for the day Provide structure to lesson Create autonomy
WARM UPS Must be In English Should be Kept under 10 minutes Easy activities with few rules Connected to the lesson Communicative Can be Loud or quiet activities Speaking and listening or reading and writing
WHEN DO WARM UPS? At the beginning of any class To give the students a break Before starting a new topic or grammar point To wake up sleepy students
WHAT DO THESE THREE OBJECTS HAVE IN COMMON?
SIMON SAYS Simon says raise your hand Simon says put your hand down Simon says touch your toes Raise your hand! Oh no! You re all out!!
WHO AM I? (STUDENTS HAVE NAME OF FAMOUS PERSON ON THEIR BACK AND ASK YES/NO QUESTIONS TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE) Am I a woman? Am I alive? Do I live in the United States? Do I have children? Bill Gates Am I rich? Do I play sports? Have you seen me on TV? Am I married? Am I businessman?
SENTENCE COMPLETION Give students sentence stems which they have to complete in 2 minutes The sky was I walked into the store and Brothers and sisters always.. A good student is.. Students share their sentences with their peers for 2 minutes
LISTENING Play 5 minutes of a tape (or read to them for 5 minutes) Students must raise their hands every time they hear a certain word READING Students all read the same short text Teacher asks how many times does (certain word) appear? Students raise hands with answers, and the first person correct wins
Circulating Story WRITING Teacher gives the stem of the first sentence of a story for example: The funniest thing happened to me yesterday when. Each person writes one sentence continuing the story and then passes their piece of paper on. Everyone writes on the story that is passed to them After 3 passes, teacher collects the stories to pass out and continue the next few days At the end of the week, students read the stories they started and class votes on the best
Without clear & simple directions, You may get this response
**MODELING** Don t just tell them, SHOW them!! Model activity with a student before asking the class to do it Ask students to tell you what they are going to do to check understanding
DON T STOP THERE.. ADAPT!! Change the content Change the rules Change the order Change the structure Experiment!
GOODBYE! HAVE FUN WITH YOUR CLASSES! Kelli Odhuu odhuuke@state.gov Sara Denne-Bolton denne-boltons@state.gov