2011-05-08 - 8:39 p.m.
�GUESS THE TOPIC�
(By. RUBY ASTARI)
Running out of ideas for your TE (Talking English) class can be annoying. If the topic you present does not hold their interests (whether it is too difficult or less challenging), you might want to try this simple game:
1. Create a set of cards with different topics written on each. You may set up a specific theme (like �Valentine�s Day� or �Halloween�, for example) or go totally random (where each topic is not really related to one another.) Either way, unpredictability is the most exciting element of this game.
2. This game can be played in groups or individually. Each student still needs to create a story from the card and speak in front of the class for five to seven minutes after that.
3. Let the students pick one card each. Tell them not to read the card out loud or show it to their friends � or it will spoil the surprise and ruin the fun.
4. Give the students about ten minutes to prepare for their short stories. (It can be fact, related to their personal experiences, or plain fiction.) Tell them not to use any key words on the cards that might blow their covers. (For example, if their card says: �My Worst Enemy in School�, they must try not to use the specific key words in the card.) They have to sit quite apart from each other and work quietly. Supply a dictionary or two for extra help.
5. If the students want to ask questions, ask one by one to come forward to your desk. They have to take turns. To avoid spilling the beans, they can either whisper in your ear or write the questions on a piece of paper to show to you. You can answer them by writing back on a piece of paper.
6. If necessary, give students five minutes to memorize their stories before presenting.
7. When they tell their stories, they can use simple words � present or past tenses � according to the relevant time frame and context. (Usually, it is easier for students to create stories based on their personal experiences.) For example, if the topic in the card is �My Worst Enemy in School�, the story can probably go like this:
�I hate this boy very much. I can�t stand him. He always disturbs everybody, even when the teacher is around. All teachers can�t stand him too. They always send him to the principal�s office, but this boy never changes. He loves making fun of me too, even when I get angry at him��
8. After that, let the audience guess what the topic might be about. Some may say: �Bad Boy!� or �My Enemy!� The one with at least the closest guess to the original topic is the winner.
This game is time consuming, but it can help the students practise their speaking and develop their conversational skills.
