Screenshots from the online game, Droppy. Activity is designed to promote speaking in the language classroom.
See http://www.digitalplay.info/blog for lesson plan
8. Can I have a volunteer to describe
the first image?
Does anyone have a better
description?
9. Next stage
Can you explain to your partner...
What has happened?
http://www.pencilkids.com/the-vault/droppy-flash-game/
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15. Two more ways of using this online game in the language classroom
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog/2010/02/23/droppy-present-perfect-playing/
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog/2012/11/09/a-collaborative-written-walkthrough/
Follow the blog...
http://digitalplay.info/blog
Read the award winning book...
http://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/titles/methodology/digital-play
Hinweis der Redaktion
Now, I'd like to turn to a different kind of activitiy, which exploits a computer game called Droppy.
Droppy is an online game that has ten short stages, each of which involve solving a puzzle to help Droppy (the character) solve a problem
How I play this in class, using the IWB, is by first showing the learners a number of the screenshot images taken from the inital stages of the game. I tell the learners I am going to show them 5 images and ask them just to observe and remember as much about each image as they can.
After they have done this, then they have to write (and/or draw, as one of my students did) what they can remember of each image. They can then compare these notes with a partner.
Then I ask a volunteer to tell me what they remember of the first image. I use 'Graham Euros' in this class to motivate the learners, and so I give the learner who first volunteers some of these when they have finished. Then I ask if anyone can improve on this initial description. Rather than add information, I ask the learner to give a 'better' description – this way they have to say as much as they can about the image. I'll then ask if anyone else can improve on this, and so it continues. This way, the learners are encouraged to really work hard and to say as best as they can, with as much desciptive language as possible. I have seen my teenage learners during this activity really work very hard trying to speak at the very limits of their ability.
Let's try the activity out so you cn see how it works.
Here's image 1
Here's image number 2
Image number 3
Image number 4
Image number 5
Now, turn to the people next to you and describe as best you can the 5 images
Afterwards, I'll ask one of you to describe them as best as you can to me.
Now, turn to the people next to you and describe as best you can the 5 images
Afterwards, I'll ask one of you to describe them as best as you can to me.
The second stage in the activity is to show another five images, showing the solution to each of the five stages previously shown.
I then ask the learners to tell me what has happened, from the first image to the last one.
This gets the learners using different language and also shows them the solution to each stage of the game. Let's have a look at these now, and you can tell me what's happened in each of the stages.
Possible answer:
Droppy has made a hat from the cactus to protect him from the sun
Possible answer:
Droppy has moved the rubbish, turned on the streetlight and called a cab
Possible answer:
Droppy has fixed the antenna and is watching TV
Possible answer:
Droppy has caught a fish
Possible answer:
Droppy has stolen the golden statue
Finally, I would then let the learners play the actual game, which would not take much time now that they have seen how each stage can be solved.
Youy can either ask the learners to take turns to play each stage and get the others to help them by giving advice, or yu can play the game and ask the learners to tell you what to do. Setting a time limit (1 minute) to finish each stage is usually a good idea. If the student doesn't finish, then go to another stage and then return to the stage later with a different student volunteering.
Now, I'd like to turn to a different kind of activitiy, which exploits a computer game called Droppy.
Droppy is an online game that has ten short stages, each of which involve solving a puzzle to help Droppy (the character) solve a problem
How I play this in class, using the IWB, is by first showing the learners a number of the screenshot images taken from the inital stages of the game. I tell the learners I am going to show them 5 images and ask them just to observe and remember as much about each image as they can.
After they have done this, then they have to write (and/or draw, as one of my students did) what they can remember of each image. They can then compare these notes with a partner.
Then I ask a volunteer to tell me what they remember of the first image. I use 'Graham Euros' in this class to motivate the learners, and so I give the learner who first volunteers some of these when they have finished. Then I ask if anyone can improve on this initial description. Rather than add information, I ask the learner to give a 'better' description – this way they have to say as much as they can about the image. I'll then ask if anyone else can improve on this, and so it continues. This way, the learners are encouraged to really work hard and to say as best as they can, with as much desciptive language as possible. I have seen my teenage learners during this activity really work very hard trying to speak at the very limits of their ability.
Let's try the activity out so you cn see how it works.