Many people are experiencing a great deal of stress during these uncertain economic times. Those with jobs wonder how long they will last, while the young people graduating from school face a difficult time finding a job that utilizes their training. The solution to that problem will take time to evolve but we at Successful ESL have suggestions that will bring laughter to your classes and help your students to forget, for the moment, the worries of their everyday lives. Remember, laughter is good for everyone’s health!
When thinking about laughter most people think of jokes.
Well, jokes are great and should be included in every program. It’s important training for English second language students but for the most part they find them very difficult to understand. Jokes are generally specific to the culture of their origin.
So, how do we make them laugh?
Most of the humor is the result of interactions in your classroom. Some cultures like the Tibetans, find their interactions, the way something is expressed in English and their mistakes, very funny. Others like the Japanese look on it more seriously. For them it’s not funny! Let’s look at some samples of interactions that bring on laughter in many cultures.
Whole Class Activities
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This activity follows the teaching of informal introductions.
Informal Introductions
Some students find the names easy while others from Asian countries find them difficult. These students often don’t know if a name is male or female. All of the students will laugh as they respond to the questions, especially when answering, “I’m so-so.” Have them exchange names and repeat the activity several times.
Students like a competitive game like Word Bingo.
Students Love Bingo!
It reinforces the new vocabulary words, gives practice with listening and understanding and creates an atmosphere of enthusiasm and laughter.
Note: Be sure that your students play it using the words not the numbers!
Try these activities with your classes. You’ll find that they brighten your day and send your English second language students home in a cheerful mood. Encourage your students to keep on learning but make their path easier by providing lots of laughter provoking Successful ESL activities.
Our curriculum is in use in more than 75 countries around the world.