HoW To MaKe OuR StuDentS SPEAK UP!

Hi, Guys!!!,

As I see it, one of the most difficult task for teachers is actually getting your students to speak up 100%  English, though ovbiously, it is not an unrealistic impossible goal, but we have to work very hard. Because of that, I'd like to share some of my motivating ideas to help our English learners speak their target language. We should take into account that when you can communicate in English, you can handle the language!

Thus, one of my new academitc year's resolution is this! And how can I get it? By means of INTERESTING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. All students are very familiar with new technologies, internet, etc., so I'm going to ask them to prepare some oral presentations (max. 5 min.) about different cultural topics. It's going to be our English Cultural Corner at the end of the class. 

By this way, they must find some information about the following topics (I promise I'll add many more!!!). And also, they are going to learn  so much about many different cultural Bristish-American customs, traditions, historical characters, etc.

1. How many types of newspapers are there in UK?

2. What is the Commonwealth?

3. Why is the British flag called Union Jack?

4. Why are the Irish doors so colourful?

5. Where does the name "Wall Street" come from?

6.Who was William the Conqueror?

7. What is the highest building in New York city?

8. What are the origins, history and traditions of the British afternoon tea?

9. When did the Irish Famine happen?

10. What is the Act of Union 1707?

11. What do the Americans celebrate the 4ht of July?

12. Who was Lincoln?

13. Who was Charles Darwin?
14.  What is "Fish and Chips"?

15. Who was William Shakespeare?
16.  What is Halloween?

17. Who was Thomas Edison?
18. Why are London taxis called "black cabs"?

19. Who was Sherlock Holmes?
20. What is The Tube in London?
21. Who was Alfred the Great?
22. Who are the Buskers in London?
23. Who are the Beefeaters?
24. What's the meaning of "AIN'T"? 
25. Who was Robert Burns? and when is Burn's night celebrated? 
26. What is the Remembrance Sunday?
27. When is St David's day celebrated? Its origin and tradition.
28. When is St George's day celebrated? Its origin and tradition. 
29. When is St Patrick's day celebrated? Its origin and tradition. 
30. When is St Swithin's day celebrated? Its origin and tradition. 
31. What about the mystery of the Stoneghenge?  
32. What is Oak Apple Day?
33. What is the Bonfire Night? When is it celebrated?
34. What is Thanksgiving Day? When is it celebrated? 
35. Do you know what the Statue of Liberty stands for?
36. What's the meaning of  "LOL"? What about the netspeak?
37. What's the origin of St Valentine's Day? How was / is it celebrated?
38. Why is the capital of USA called Washington DC?
39. Who was Jane Austen? Where was she buried?
40. History of the Westminster Abbey. Its different parts.
41. Who was Edward the Confessor?
42. Who was Henry VIII?

(THERE WILL BE MORE QUESTIONS TOMORROW ;) AND IF YOU LIKE THIS IDEA, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS WITH ME. Thanks! )

Then, every student chooses one of the topics. After that, they have to prepare their oral presentations making a power point, showing some pictures, posters, real objects, music, what they consider more attractive and entertaining... They must explain the topic, they have to be careful with their English, make the other students involved, ... and so on. 

At last, once again, I'd like to emphasize ENGLISH IS ALWAYS FUN!!!!