Contents
=> ‘Uses’ Game - fun guessing game activity
=> Trivia Dictation - a dictation game activity
=> What’s Happening
=> In the Next Issue

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“‘Uses’ Game”
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Get 10 or 20 household items. A stapler. A match. A paperclip. A sponge. A nail. Just get anything you have lying around the house. A sock is always
a popular item. Tools and, well, things that you USE tend to work best.

Only one student will see each mystery item, and that student will describe the uses of the item, while the rest of the group guesses what it is.

Write these model sentence-starters up on the board:

This is used for…
You use this when…
You use this to…

(Models always help learners stay on task. They will also get students using lots of VERBS).

EXAMPLE: “This is used when you eat dinner. You use it on your lips sometimes. Maybe you spill something or you get a little food on your mouth. You wipe your
mouth with it. It can be made of paper or cloth.”

Answer: napkin

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Trivia Dictation
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I like dictation because all students simultaneously practice the skills of listening and writing. Dictation, like any other classroom activity, can be done with a lot of variety.

This activity is actually a 5-question trivia contest. You dictate the 5 questions. Only the questions. Students in pairs work as teams. They write the questions
AND the answers. They may discuss them. Tell them to discuss the answers very quietly so others can’t hear. This is a competition! Give 5 points for each correct answer. Substract one point for each spelling error.

(I’ve made two quizzes: one about Russia and one about America that those non-Russian subscribers to “ETs in Russia” may find of interest. The Russian
questions are actually kind of tricky–even for Russians. For younger learners, just make easier questions yourself).

You’ll find the answers below.

Russia - trivia dictation

1. Who is St. Petersburg named after?

2. What is the shortest river in Europe?

3. Who was Ekaterinburg named in honor of?

4. In what year was President Putin born?

5. Where did Alexander II die?

America - trivia dictation

1. What three colors make up the American flag?

2. What is the most populous state in the USA?

3. In what state will you find the Grand Canyon?

4. How many states are there in the USA?

5. What is the official language of the USA?

<> Russia trivia dictation (answers)

1. Who is St. Petersburg named after?
Saint Peter. Thus, the name SAINT Petersburg.

2. What is the shortest river in Europe?
The Neva. 74 Kilometers.

3. Who was Ekaterinburg named in honor of?
There are 2 acceptable answers: (1) Catherine 1 (not Catherine the Great, but
Peter I’s second wife) and (2) Catherine, the patron saint of mining.

4. In what year was President Putin born?
1952

5. Where did Alexander I die?
In Taganrog, on December 1st, 1825

<> America - trivia dictation (Answers)

1. What three colors make up the American flag?
Red, white, and blue.

2. What is the most populous state in the USA?
California.

3. In what state will you find the Grand Canyon?
Arizona.

4. How many states are there in the USA?
50.

5. What is the official language of the USA?
There isn’t one.

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What’s Happening
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<>CONFERENCES<>

1. In Vladivostok, the huge, enormous,
5th PAN-ASIAN CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE TEACHING at FEELTA, June 24-27, 2004 http://www.dvgu.ru/rus/partner/education/feelta/pac5/

2. TESOL-ELT in SAMARA, June 29-30:
“New Vistas” conference
Contact: Yulia Markushina tel: (8462) 32 49 03 email: ioofs@samara.ru

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In the Next Issue (around April 15, 2004)
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Phrasal verbs and more.

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Copyright 2004 Kevin McCaughey & I.M. Poosheesty
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