Draw What You Hear—A Sharing Activity
Sandra Fotos -- Senshu University, Tokyo
presented at the Association for Baha’i Studies Conference
August 3, 2004, Calgary, Canada
Based on the humanistic tradition within communicative language teaching, this
activity involves the four skills: the receptive skills of listening and reading
and the productive skills of writing and speaking. Sharing personal likes, hopes
and dreams with group members and giving appreciative feedback and asking questions
when others share their feelings encourage the creation of a supportive community
of practice. *
Procedure
A. Listening and Drawing
The teacher gives the students a piece of paper and tells them they should listen
carefully and draw what they hear. The teacher may show a sample page at the end
of the activity. The teacher begins:
- In the middle of the paper draw a circle.
- In the upper right corner draw a triangle.
- In the lower left corner draw a rectangle.
- In the upper left corner draw a heart.
- In the lower right corner draw a daisy.
B. Listening and Writing
The teacher tells the students to write the following phrases in or below the drawings.
- In the circle write, “ I like…”
- In the triangle write, “I want…”
- In the heart write, “I love…”
- In the rectangle write, “ My dream is…”
- Above or below the daisy write, “My favorite activity is…”
C. Reading and Composing
When the students are finished, the teacher asks them to complete each phrase.
D. Sharing and Giving Feedback
When the students have written full sentences, the teacher puts them into groups
and asks them to share their answers with the rest of the group. Students who
are listening are encouraged to give appropriate and positive feedback (“Wow!”
“Me too!” “I like___ too!”), ask questions and discuss
what their group member shared.
E. Summarizing and Presenting
Each group chooses one member to present a summary of the group’s responses
to the rest of the class. Again, questions and discussion are encouraged.
* “Communities of practice” are
groups of people who share similar goals and interests. In pursuit of these goals
and interests, they employ common practices, work with the same tools and express
themselves in a common language. Through such activity, they come to share similar
beliefs and values.
back to Materials
Home