Break the Ice 3
Jono Ryan
Following on from Mike and Mia’s posts, I’d like to share some additional thoughts on the role of icebreakers, before dusting off a couple of old favourites.
For some teachers, the ice breaker is something that happens in the first week or so of the semester and is then tucked away until the next new group starts. This is based on two assumptions. The correct assumption is that often people need to get to know each other before they're willing to take essential language learning risks: risks like making an embarrassing error or appearing incompetent. The incorrect assumption is that once the class has spent some time together, their relationships will be sorted. Not necessarily so. Some classes start strongly and then the bonds begin to disintegrate, just as they might in any other group endeavour. The best sports team coaches know this, and successful ones often spend considerable time building the team culture, not only in pre-season but throughout the season.
In the language classroom, there's a good case for doing the same throughout the semester through the use of icebreakers. The ones at the beginning of the semester break that initial ice and the ongoing ones keep things from freezing over. The main difference is length: longer at the beginning, short and snappy after the first week.
Here are two of my favourites.
There are two kinds of people
This activity is a variation of ‘The Sun and the Moon’, published by Maley and Duff (2005) in their book of drama techniques for the language classroom. If used as a one off, it requires at least 10 minutes. Shorter versions can be used later in the semester. Like many good icebreakers, it allows for the finding of random points of connection between people.
Level: Elementary and above
Preparation
The first stage of preparation involves finding pairs of images that represent two different ways of being or behaving in the same situation. A quick google search will bring up useful collections of such images. Some examples I've used include:
· book vs screen
· cat vs dog
· night vs day
· made bed vs unmade bed
· one 6:00am alarm call vs many (6:00, 6:05, 6:10 …)
· shower vs bath
· peeling a banana from the ‘stalk end’ vs ‘the flat end’
Prepare a PPT presentation, with each pair placed on a new slide, side by side (left and right).
Procedure
1. Students gather together in the middle of the classroom.
2. When the next slide is shown, students must quickly decide which of the two images they identify with and then make their way to that side of the room (i.e. left or right).
3. When they get there, they should discuss with one other person—who they haven’t yet talked to today—why they chose that option.
4. They then find someone from the opposite end to compare with.
5. The teacher calls ‘Come back’ and they make their way back to the middle.
Snowball
This is another very popular icebreaker activity, with variations of it widely used outside of language teaching circles. It introduces a physical element to the class, allowing nervous energy to dissipate.
Level: Elementary and above
Preparation
Decide on a question prompt for the day. For instance:
· What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
· What’s your dream job?
· What’s your favourite weekend activity?
Procedure
1. Hand each student a piece of paper (e.g. half a sheet of A4).
2. Dictate the question and have students write down their answer.
3. When everyone is finished, have them crumple their paper into a ‘snowball’.
4. Students toss their snowballs to others in a game of catch around the room.
5. After a couple of minutes, when the balls have gone everywhere, have students pick up the nearest one.
6. Students take turns to uncrumple their snowball and read aloud their sentence.
7. The class tries to guess who wrote the sentence.
References
Maley, A., & Duff, A. (2005). Drama techniques: A resource book of communication activities for language teachers (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.