Archive for the ‘Modals of deduction’ Category

… are exactly the same as Xmas ESL ideas 2007 (haven’t written any special lessons on seasonal shopping in a worldwide depression yet, although I could use my grandfather’s story about his pet rabbit being served up for an East End Xmas lunch if I did), but at least that means this year I can get all the links out of the way in one post and so not repeat the TEFL equivalent of 6 weeks of nonstop Xmas carols like we had here in 2007. And here all the articles, teaching ideas and photocopiable worksheets are- a veritable Xmas feast, stuffed stocking etc etc to bring seasonal cheer to the last few weeks before the holiday without the need for sipping brandy between classes:

Articles and teaching ideas

Christmas vocabulary you can mime

Combining Xmas with a young learner syllabus

Doing something with Xmas songs

Putting the grammar back into Christmas

Games and other photocopiable worksheets

Future Perfect New Year predictions

New Year action and state verbs

New Year resolutions adverbs of frequency - going to for plans and learner training

Xmas first conditional superstitions bluff game - a classic, hopefully not ruined in my version

Christmas Adverbs of Frequency- Present Simple and lots of lovely (not stereotyped) cultural information

Christmas traditions passives bluff game

Xmas guess the country modals of deduction

Christmas Present Simple and Continuous mimes- contrasting routines and things happening now, with lots of nice Chrimbo vocab

Christmas Past Tense mimes - Past continuous when they finish miming and then tense review as they talk about their own experiences of those things

Will for future predictions Xmas

Xmas trivia number pairwork - good for Business English, Technical English and other ESP classes

Business English Christmas cards Do’s and Don’ts - imperatives and important cultural information

Describing Xmas foods bluff game - good for students who want to explain food from their own country to foreign guests, e.g. Business English students who often entertain clients

Going to Xmas mimes - for predictions with present evidence

Xmas party negotiations - the best ever game for the language of meetings and negotiations, as there is a clear winner, and some good Xmas vocab

Video Worksheets

Friends Series One New Year episode

Edward Scissor Hands- cute, seasonal, the easiest film in the English language, and full of lots of lovely reference expressions

The Life of Brian - as mentioned on a recent Dave’s ESL Cafe thread, only for veeeery high level and open-minded students

Xmas Song worksheets

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

The Christmas Song (”Chesnuts roasting on an open fire” etc)

White Xmas song correct the mistakes

Putting the seasonal cheer back into grammar (and putting the grammar back into Xmas)

Some of you might be thinking that the problem with Xmas today is an excess of commercialism or the lack of real religious feeling, but the way I see it the problem is an excess of worksheets teaching students vocabulary like “holly” that they will have forgotten by the same time next year (if they even understand the concept of holly anyway) and a lack of tie ins between those seasonal worksheets and everything else students do in the classroom. For those that agree with me that what is needed to make your Xmas complete is lots more grammar, here are some ideas on how to tie in your Xmas lessons with whatever grammar point you are studying at the time (the ideas should work with other major festivals and celebrations too)…

See below for not only shed loads of good grammar ideas in the continuation of this article, but also a whole stocking full of other ideas for Chrimbo-themed lessons for kids (from pre-school) to adults- “Christmastastic fun for all the family” (R)

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