Activity 3: Language learning strategies

Put it on the Map

Age: 9 - 12 years old

Materials: Building Flashcards and masking tape.

Aim: Teach prepositions (in, opposite, on, next to, in front of, behind)

Procedure:

1. Draw a simple street plan on the borad or, to make the activity more physical, mark out the plan on the table/floor with a masking tape. Label one of the streets “High Street” and lay out the flashcards.

2. Teacher: “Xavi, put the museum on High Street”, “Marc, put the block of flats opposite the museum”. Continue until all the cards are on the plan.

3. Ask questions like “Where is the museum?, Where is the____?”.

4. Role play (in pairs)

Student A: Excuse me, where is the cinema?

Student B: Oh, it’s next to the_____ // I don’t know.

Extension:

1. Take all the flashcards off plan. Choose two students and tell them to put the cards back on the plan in a new order.

2. Tell the rest they have 2-5 minutes to memorize the new plan. They then turn their backs on the plan.

3. Get two students to ask “where” questions.

Tip:

Giving directions is difficult to master and children need lots of listening practice before giving instructions themselves. When using street plans they often fail to realize that after a 90º change of direction a “left hand turn” is now different from before. Walking or pushing a toy car round a large scale plan makes “direction giving” more intelligible and MORE FUN!