Name that expression: the value of fun in language learning
By Scott Granville
I’m a big believer in encouraging students to have fun with their learning whenever possible (and appropriate). Of course, such a statement should hardly be viewed as revolutionary. Isn’t that an expected part of any learning (and teaching) process? To enjoy oneself on the journey? Sadly, in many environments, the pressure to pass the next level or move on to the next course results in ‘fun’ within a language learning context being largely bypassed. And when that happens, tangible mental health benefits such as positive and light-hearted human interaction are overlooked.
So for that reason, I wanted to share a quick game that I have used successfully as a starter or closing activity both in a physical and online classroom with adult and young adult learners.
The concept is simple and incorporates short video sequences that encourage learners to identify facial expressions, attribute describing words to explain the expression, and then act out their own version. It is silly, low-stakes fun BUT in engaging with the activity, students expand on their vocabulary, use it productively in real-time and then practice important body language signaling.
Background
I have taken two examples from the Chasing Time English video library to use in the demonstration, incorporating clips from two series, My Name is Lucky and Days Crossing.
Link to video: https://vimeo.com/692010081/6fcdfc1e55
The activity works for all levels of language proficiency with the chosen vocabulary adjusted according to learner needs.
Step 1
Play the video through once without stopping. I generally do this with no sound to avoid audio distraction. As students watch, ask them to make a list of the facial expressions used by the actors. They should try to identify at least three expressions for each example clip.
Step 2
Play the video a second time. Give students a few minutes to update their lists. This can be done with a partner for more speaking time. Then, make a shared list together as a group. With lower level learners, I find separating the expressions provided into positive/negative works most effectively.
List of possible examples from the video:
My Name is Lucky: happy, excited, curious, friendly, kind, loving
Days Crossing: grumpy, mean, serious, confused, surprised, concerned
Step 3
Students now work in pairs. One person chooses an expression from the list and then ‘acts’ it out while their partner guesses. Give extra points for not laughing (you may also want to add a rule – lose a point for negativity).
Teachers should demonstrate the first one and join in the fun – remember, that’s the most important part.
A time limit of 20-30 seconds per guess adds to the excitement.
Conclusion
This is a great activity to start a lesson or to finish off a long week of teaching/learning and like any attempt at a positive interlude during a busy or high-pressure time, it’s important for the teacher to lead by example.