| Motivation | | | | Grab an activities resource book for a rich fountain of |
| Motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, can be a | | | | short activities you can incorporate into your EFL |
| significant factor in English as a Foreign Language | | | | classes. If you're using a course book series, likely it |
| (EFL) classes. While you may need to follow a set | | | | has a resource book of "extra" activities. Otherwise |
| curriculum or course book, the learners want fun and | | | | you might try the book "Five-Minute Activities" by |
| games, if they even want to be there at all. So why | | | | Penny Ur and Andrew Wright (1996 Cambridge |
| not slip in one or more of these suggestions during the | | | | University Press) or any of a host of other EFL |
| course of your class week? A quick break in the class | | | | activities titles available. |
| routine should spice things up nicely as an aid to help | | | | 3. Prepare a conversation or dialogue about something |
| liven things up and motivate your learners. | | | | your learners like |
| Here are three unique new things you can try to make | | | | Farr too many text series are focused on presenting a |
| a class more dynamic and motivate your English as a | | | | grammar point or illustrating "correct usage", syntax, |
| foreign language learners. | | | | vocabulary collocations, etc. to be of true interest to |
| 1. Play a New Game or Do a Puzzle in Class | | | | many groups of learners. Find out what your learners |
| Go online to pick up some dynamics and activities you | | | | really like and have them construct a series of |
| can use with your English classes. Some good | | | | "conversations" around these interests. They'll have |
| websites to start with include:o for word search, | | | | more interest and fun in doing so than simply "following |
| crossword and other verbal-linguistic puzzle typeso is | | | | the book". |
| good for a slew of online, but adaptable gameso has | | | | Summary |
| more downloadable games you can modify and adapt | | | | Introduce a snippet of humor into the class session. Try |
| to the needs and interests of your learners. Actually, | | | | using a comic book, comic strip or a brace of jokes to |
| you might even have them suggest ways to "play" | | | | evoke some "medicinal laughter" from your learners. |
| online games in an "offline" environment.o will add | | | | So if your learners want more "fun and games" like |
| greater variety to your possible offerings to the | | | | mine often do, and you need to follow a set curriculum |
| students. Don't forget to give them some latitude n | | | | or course book, don't despair. Slip one or more of |
| modifying of adapting games to suit their use in learning | | | | these quick suggestions into your routine, and watch |
| English as a foreign or second language. | | | | your learners light up. If you have any short activities |
| 2. Try some "warm up" or short dynamic activities | | | | that your learners particularly like, drop me an e-mail. I'd |
| during the class | | | | love to hear about it. |