Photo by Alysha Rosly on Unsplash
I always like to start my online ESL classes with a warm-up activity. Warm-up activities can prepare the students for what they are going to learn that day, or they can be used to review content that was previously taught. However, I also like to use that moment as an opportunity for reflection on a topic that can foster a positive mindset in the students, which can help them to overcome their learning barriers or challenges. It can encourage them!
I believe that it is a good idea to create an environment in which the students feel motivated to attend the classes, continue their studies, and are empowered to use English without being afraid of making mistakes. So, the quotes are useful, especially at the beginning of the school year. I want my students to feel confident and ready to learn.
I usually use quotes from educators, leaders, and women in STEM.
If you teach beginners, it is a good idea to incorporate to the activity, a picture that relates to the quote you are going to use.
Activity step-by-step:
- First, show the students a picture that you chose for this activity.
- Then, ask the students to type in the chatbox, two or three words that they would use to describe that picture.
- After that, ask all the students to read the words and talk about the image.
If you teach beginners or newcomers, you can ask them to use their home language as well. All the students should participate.
- After everybody reads the words, you should share the quote with the students.
- After you read the quote to them, or you ask the students to read it aloud, everybody discusses it in English and in the students' home language.
✅ If you need, you can also translate the quote into the students' first language, to make sure that everybody is included. Or, you can ask the students to use a translator. Using the translator is a learning activity as well.
💡If you decide to do this activity again, you will only need to change the teaching strategy for each quote that you use. To save your preparation time, you can create a Google Doc and keep all the quotes and images there, so every time you decide to do this kind of activity, you already have the material ready to use.
📚 If you are teaching intermediate and advanced levels, you could do this activity using Padlet or Google Docs. You can add a picture to the Padlet or to the Google Doc and ask students to type sentences to describe the image. Then, you can post the quote for discussion on Padlet or Google Doc as well.
“Reading is not walking on the words; it's grasping the soul of them.”
― Paulo Freire
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