For me, one of the most powerful strategies in the English classroom is getting students to write. Analysing texts is extremely important, but getting students to experiment with words themselves seems to enhance their ability to analyse other peoples’ writing.
There are numerous activities included in the resource below that can be used as starters or in fact anywhere inside a lesson. They are not exclusively set for the English classroom either, and can be used for any age (with some adjustment to some sections). Most are designed to allow students to explore the way words change in meaning depending on how they are arranged or communicated. There are a wide range of activities connected to the mechanics of language, and others more reliant on creativity.
The rationale is that by continually experimenting with words in these short engaging activities, students attain a better appreciation of their use, and become better at using written language in general. Teachers are encouraged to alter the activities to suit a relevant theme or topic of a lesson.
Click here for the PPT: WORD CHALLENGES
Rarely have these activities not resulted in the entire class absorbed in learning.
A big thanks goes to Maria Freestone (@incathecat) for her activities on memory, and Jamie Clark (@jamieclark85) for his ideas about using vocab (Star Words) and his amazing connectives Underground Map. Also to @heymrshallahan
I would love your thoughts on these resources, and if you have anything you use that works, I would love to know about it.
I’m @edmerger
LEARNING DESIGN by Paul G Moss 