Check-In Chart
In light of the fact that many LESLLA learners are competent speakers, teachers should provide learners with opportunities to speak in class. A brief speaking activity can be a good warm-up. Teachers can create a chart with a few emojis (e.g., happy face, sad face, angry face) and put it on the wall/whiteboard. When learners enter the classroom, they will write their name or put their name card under the emoji that represents their feeling. Teachers can then invite a few learners to explain their choice or have learners talk in pairs/groups.
Benefits:
- It helps teachers understand learners' lives and their language abilities better. This can help teachers design lessons that are more suitable for the class.
- Talking with and listening to learners also shows that the teacher is interested in their lives. This forges a bond of friendship and motivates learners to engage in classroom activities.
- Having to express themselves in a spontaneous fashion sometimes allows learners to "experience 'Aha!' moments which come from needing to get their meaning across" (Croydon, 2005, p.18).