This unit starts off with the well-known format of light bulb jokes, e.g. "How many Charismatics does it take to change a light bulb? - Five. One to change the bulb and four to bind the spirit of darkness in the room." Students match questions and answers of denominational light bulb jokes, which leads to a discussion about denominational stereotypes. In a jigsaw reading activity, students read, memorise and share further religious jokes, thereby improving their reading, speaking and listening skills. A subsequent small group discussion has them reflect on their sense of humour, good and bad taste jokes and the role of humour in church. |
Discuss! - Intermediate
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Students put discussion phrases into categories. They use phrases of agreement and disagreement to respond to controversial statements. In skeleton dialogues (short structured conversations) they argue for their opinions.
For free speaking practice, they play a board game in which they argue for or against further controversial statements. Promotion until 11 November 2018: Enter coupon code NOV2018web at the checkout, and you will get this unit for free! |
Discuss! - Upper-intermediate
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Students put a wide range of discussion phrases into categories. They read a discussion about Christian music and evangelism. Then they fill the gaps in this discussion with suitable discussion phrases. In a ladder discussion (a discussion format with changing partners) they argue for their opinions about various music and evangelism topics. This unit can also be covered by intermediate students who already have considerable discussion practice (e.g. as a follow-up to "Discuss! - Intermediate"). |
Students rank and complete discussion phrases in a wide range of categories. These categories include asking for clarification, clarifying, backing up with Scripture, changing the topic, interrupting and preventing interruption.
They read short descriptions of three religious films. Then they read a discussion about these films in an evangelistic context and complete it with suitable discussion phrases. In small groups, students practise the discussion phrases in three role plays. In each of the discussions one student has a (slightly disruptive) role that lets him or her focus on phrases of (dis)agreement, clarification, interruption or changing the topic. For free speaking practice, students plan an evangelistic outreach event. This unit can also be covered by upper-intermediate students who already have considerable discussion practice (e.g. as a follow-up to "Discuss! - Upper-intermediate"). |
Prompted by a flashcard, students recollect the story of Zacchaeus. They then put into order the mixed-up sentences of the Biblical account.
They read a dramatised version and practise dramatic, life-like intonation. With the help of finger puppets, they act out this version. In a game, they learn and practise stationery vocabulary and expressions for making requests (which they will need later when they make their own finger puppets from master copies). Small groups choose a Biblical story each, which they transform into a finger puppet play: first they discuss the cast and dialogues. Then they make their own set of puppets and rehearse their play. Each play is presented to the rest of the class. This unit includes master copies for finger puppets (man, woman, boy and girl master), which can be coloured in, cut out, glued and stapled. |
He's got the whole world
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Students learn the names of nine every-day objects, which are reinforced by two games. They learn and practise the structures "have got / has got" and "in my/your/... hand / bag / pocket" in positive, negative and question forms. By completing clearly arranged grammar tables, they obtain a systematic overview of these structures.
With further vocabulary input, the class sings the song "He's got the whole world in his hands". Students write additional verses, which are also sung. |
Some stuff about me
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This is a getting-to-know-you activity. The class is divided into two groups, A and B. Students note down short answers to questions about themselves on specified places on their handout, with Students A answering different questions from Students B. Questions come in three levels: for elementary to pre-intermediate students, for intermediate to upper-intermediate students and for advanced to proficient students, with a mix of Christian and secular questions.
In the next step, you as the teacher display your own answers to some questions. Students ask or hypothesise about them and learn to ask follow-up questions. Then students work in pairs (one Student A + one Student B together), exchange their handouts and ask each other questions as well as follow-up questions. They report back to the whole class what the most interesting thing was that they've learnt about their partner. |
As a warm-up, students compare their own experiences with and opinions about testimonies. Then they read two sample testimonies, which they evaluate, thereby realising the importance of structure, understandable wording and honesty.
Students become aware of the use of religious jargon and match "Christianese" expressions with less religious-sounding alternatives. Paraphrasing Bible verses takes them a further step towards communicating Christian beliefs plainly and intelligibly. Through a guided discovery, students revise present and past tenses, which they are likely to need for their own testimony. A third sample testimony serves as a gap fill exercise for verb tenses. They are given a loose structure and prompts / questions to prepare their own testimony. Testimonies are first presented to small groups, then to the whole class. A reading comprehension text about the life story and conversion of John Newman (former slave trader and writer of the hymn "Amazing grace") concludes this unit. The class sings the hymn. |
After discussing their own experiences of reading Biblical texts aloud, students try out three online resources that give the pronunciation of English words and names. They learn the phonemic script and practise deciphering it.
They are presented with the rules of sentence stress, pausing between chunks of text and linking words. Employing these rules and techniques, they prepare to read out short Bible passages. Students learn the English names of all books of the Bible and their pronunciation. They practise them together with liturgical opening and closing words for reading out Scripture in a service. Next, they concentrate on old English from the King James Version of the Bible. Through the method of guided discovery and a group game, they notice and understand key features of KJV grammar and vocabulary. Learning and singing the hymn "Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer" makes them aware of old English outside Biblical texts. In a final reading (either from the KJV or a modern version of the Bible), they "dramatise" lines of dialogue and put into practice everything else which they've learnt in this unit. |
What's the word?
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Over 250 word cards and 10 games to play with them!
Make vocabulary revision fun for your class: in the first game, one student explains a word to the rest of their team, but he or she can neither say the word in question nor any of the other words on the card... and the clock's running! For example, the student needs to explain the word "pray", but without saying the forbidden words "talk", "God", "ask", "worship" and "Our Father". Cards for pre-intermediate students contain three forbidden words, while cards for intermediate to proficient students contain five. Before the game, the rules are explained clearly and students match rules and examples on a worksheet. This pack contains 45 word cards for pre-intermediate level, 99 cards for intermediate / upper-intermediate level, 108 cards for advanced / proficient level plus a template for making your own. And the fun doesn't stop there! The teachers notes explain nine more vocabulary games that you can play with these cards. May the best team win! |