Drawing dictation

Summary

In this interactive classroom activity, students practice describing pictures and work on prepositions of place, movement, and comparatives. The teacher acts as an observer, while a volunteer draws a picture based on student descriptions. The aim is for the volunteer to replicate the picture as accurately as possible with guidance from classmates. This exercise encourages active communication and accuracy, with the teacher stepping in only to resolve misunderstandings. The task is motivating, memorable, and allows for further pair work, reinforcing descriptive language skills in a creative and engaging way.

Takeaways

• 😀 Students practice describing pictures, focusing on prepositions of place, movement, and comparatives.
• 😀 The activity shifts the teacher's role from instructor to observer, allowing students to take charge.
• 😀 A volunteer (Chad) is selected to draw a picture based on students' descriptions, ensuring active student participation.
• 😀 The pictures are kept secret from the volunteer, creating a sense of mystery and challenge.
• 😀 The task emphasizes accurate communication between students as they guide the volunteer's drawing.
• 😀 If mistakes are made during the drawing process, students are encouraged to give corrective feedback.
• 😀 The goal is for the final drawing to be as close as possible to the original, achieving 99% accuracy.
• 😀 The teacher only intervenes if there's a breakdown in communication between students, fostering independence.
• 😀 At the end of the activity, the students rate how similar the drawing is to the original picture, reinforcing self-assessment.
• 😀 The task promotes engagement through its unique and creative approach, making it both motivating and memorable for students.
• 😀 The focus is on the accuracy of descriptions and instructions rather than the artistic quality of the drawings.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the activity described in the transcript?

The main goal of the activity is for students to practice describing pictures, work on prepositions of place and movement, and comparatives. Additionally, the activity helps students gauge whether they have successfully communicated their descriptions to others.

How does the teacher manage their role during the activity?

The teacher steps out of the limelight and becomes more of an observer. The students are responsible for describing the picture to the volunteer, with the teacher only intervening if there is a breakdown in communication.

What role does the volunteer play in the activity?

The volunteer is tasked with drawing a picture based on the students' descriptions. The volunteer needs to follow the instructions closely, ensuring the drawing matches the original picture as accurately as possible.

What is the importance of keeping the picture a secret from the volunteer?

Keeping the picture a secret from the volunteer ensures that the volunteer can only rely on the students' descriptions to recreate the image. This encourages clear communication and helps assess whether the descriptions are accurate.

What does the teacher emphasize about the final picture?

The teacher emphasizes that the final picture should be 99% similar to the original picture. Accuracy in the description and drawing is key to the success of the activity.

What is the expected role of the students who help the volunteer?

The students who help the volunteer are expected to describe the picture accurately. If the volunteer's drawing doesn't match the description, the students need to correct the volunteer and ensure the instructions are clear.

What should the volunteer do if they do not understand a description?

If the volunteer does not understand a description, they should ask the student for clarification or request that the description be repeated to ensure they are drawing the picture correctly.

How does the teacher assess the activity at the end?

At the end of the activity, the teacher shows the volunteer the original picture and has them assess how accurately they have recreated it. The volunteer gives themselves a mark out of 10, based on how similar their drawing is to the original.

What kind of mistakes does the teacher focus on during feedback?

During the feedback stage, the teacher focuses on common mistakes or general errors made by the students, such as incorrect prepositions or unclear descriptions. The teacher may also provide useful vocabulary that students had trouble with.

How can students continue practicing after the group activity?

After the group activity, students can work in pairs, either by using a different picture or by having one person invent a picture and describe it to their partner. This further reinforces their skills in giving and understanding descriptions.