Cat And Mouse

 
In the US, they call it Duck Duck Goose. In Bulgaria, they call it Pesek and in Ghana they call it Antokyire. Children across the globe call it in many different names.In the Philippines, we call it Iring-iring. Iring is a Bisaya (a Filipino vernacular) word for cat. This is my reinvention of this games and I would like to call it Cat and Mouse. The objective of the game is to identify the card (vocabulary) and be the first to occupy a vacant seat in the circle.
 
Players
ten or more
 
Materials
picture cards
 
Target Language
Q: What is it?
A: It's (a book).
 
Q: What do you have?
A: I have (a comb).
 
Q: Where are you going?
A: I'm going to the (super market).
 
How to play
Players sit in a circle facing each other. One player is the "it", and he walks around the circle with a card (vocabulary) in his hand. As the "it" walks around, he tags one of the players and both run in opposite directions. When the "it" and the player meet half-way, they do Q and A, followed by RSP (rock-scissors-paper). The winner gets the card and again both run in opposite directions trying to take a vacant seat in the circle. The rule is; if a runner has the card and was succesful in taking a seat, he places the card at the center of the circle and the game continues with a new card. But if a runner has the card and remains standing, he must continue the game with the same card, until he is successful in securing a seat.

EFFECTIVE DRILLING: HOW IT IS DONE?

What is drilling?
Drilling is a listening and speaking exercise using prompts from the teacher, from words or from pictures. Driling is not reading. Students reading aloud a sentence on the board isn't drilling; it's reading.
While most teachers might only use one kind of drill, there are in fact quite a few different kinds.

Come join me on March 20th, 2011 as we explore the importance of effective drilling and how it is done!

date:         March 20th (Sunday), 2011

time:         9:30 - 12:30 am

venue:      Tsukuba Capio
                3F Conference Room
                http://www.tsukubacity.or.jp/

This workshop is FREE. Pre-registration required.
To pre-register please click the COMMENTS button below.

CHRISTMAS JINGLE: Fun and Easy Games for Children's English Class

Jingle bells... Jingle bells... Jingle all the way!
Once again, Christmas is just around the corner. Looking for games for your children's Christmas party? Come join me on December 5th (Sunday) for another smashing presentation on games for Christmas.

Venue: Tsukuba International Congress Center, EPOCHAL TSUKUBA
            4 Floor Conference Hall 407
            http://www.epochal.or.jp/

Date:  December 5th (Sunday), 2010

Time:  1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Note:   Pre-registration required.
          (You can pre-registered by clicking on the COMMENTS button below)
           Limited to 30 participants only.

The First MABUHAY CLASSROOM TEACHERS WORKSHOP ON HALLOWEEN (October 11th, 2010)

The first MABUHAY CLASSROOM TEACHERS WORKSHOP was a blast! Thank you so much for making it possible. To all fantastic Filipino teachers mabuhay!

Halloween Spelling Race

Divide the board into two by drawing a line. Write HAPPY HALLOWEEN at the right side and TRICK OR TREAT at the left side. Prepare a set of letters for the same words in two different colors (orange and black) and attach magnets at the back of each letter. Hide the letters in random around the room and group the class into two (2) teams. Assign each team a banner HAPPY HALLOWEEN (orange team) vs. TRICK OR TREAT (black) team. Say; "Go!" players start to find letters and form the words of their banner. If a player is on "orange" team and sees a letter for the "black" team he/she just leave it alone. The first team to complete their banner wins.

Note:  To make the game more challenging players are instructed to follow the sequence of the letters on the banner.

The Haunted House

Children sit in a circle. Teacher says; "I went into the haunted house and saw (a black cat)!" All players say; "Happy Halloween!" to other players to their right and to their left. The teacher continues; "I went into the haunted house and saw (a ghost)!" All players say; "Happy Halloween!" to other players to their right and to their left. "I wen into the haunted house and saw (a robot)!" All players stand and change chairs shouting; "Happy Halloween. Let's go!" The teacher quickly grabs a seat too. Now, there will be one player left standing without a seat, that player will be the new 'it'. He stands at the middle and starts the game all over again.

Find Jack O' Lantern

Jack O' Lantern Song

Jack O' Lantern
Jack O' Lantern
Halloween, Halloween
Let's go trick or treating
Let's go trick or treating
Halloween, Halloween!

Children sit or stand in a circle, their backs to the wall. The "it" sits at the middle of the circle, head down and eyes closed. Children pass a small plastic Jack o' lantern (or card), while singing the Jack O' Lantern Song. After awhile, the 'it" shouts; "Stop!" Children stop singing. The player who has the pumpkin hides it at his back, the other players follow. The "it" will approach one of the players and say; "Happy Halloween!" If the player has the pumpkin he will show the pumpkin and say; "Happy Halloween!" If the player doesn't have the pumpkin he will show his hands, but will not say anything. The aim is for the "it" to find the pumpkin. The "it" is allowed to make three (3) guesses.

(Variation)
For big number players, choose three (3) or five (5) players to be the "it". They stand in front of the class facing the board with their backs to the class. All other players stand in random. Pass about five (5) small plastic pumpkins or cards at the same time, while singing the Jack O' Lantern Song. When the five "it" shout "Stop!" The class stop singing and the player(s) who has the pumpkins hide them. The five (5) "it" faces the class and try to find the pumpkins.