Week 6 Technology tools for creating student-centered classes

Active participation in discussion is a critical part of second language acquisition for learners. It is not enough for learners to master grammatical rules, vocabulary, word recognition and pronunciation. Learners must move beyond acquiring such skills and enter the realm of an interactive.
In order to build discussion skills it is necessary for students to practice discussing with each other. Therefore, throughout the life of a course, students will be asked to actively with classmates, engaging in English discussions as part of a group and in pairs. To breakdown social barriers that inhibit students to develop discussion skills, teachers can combat shyness with ice-breakers at the very onset of a course. The following ice-breaker asks students to locate other trainees whom posses common qualities. Students sit in a large circle. The student in the center makes a phrase, asking other students if they share a commonality. For example, "The big wind blows for everyone who was born in August." Further details of the game will be demonstrated.