Besides being a full-time Spanish teacher, I also still work for an organization called Camp Adventure Child & Youth Services through the University of Northern Iowa. I spent five summers in college working as a camp counselor on military bases overseas. My current role in the organization is working to develop the college students into leaders in the organization. One of the events that I help to facilitate is our veteran training. This event has been run for many years by Angie Widner, who has taught me many ice breakers, team building, and leadership activities. One of these activities she calls “the bus stops here.” In this simple ice breaker, 2 images are projected, and once switched everyone must “get off the bus” and choose which item they like more. You must choose which one you like more and can not hang out in the middle.
After facilitating this event this year, I came to the realization that this would make a wonderful language game. My 7th grade exploratory Spanish was working on the phrase “I like” and it was a great way for them to get up and move while expanding on their answers. In our Friday feedback, many 7th graders mentioned that they love how they get to move in Spanish class with baile viernes, songs and games, so every day I like to have some kind of movement in the middle of our hour long classes.
What do you like more? – Game for novice learners
- Explain that once each slide comes up students must quietly walk towards that side of the room.
- Project the basic Google Slide show
- When the slide switches, have students move to the side they agree with.
- Circle the question “what do you like more?” and the student’s answers.
- T – Jane, what do you like more?
- S1 – I like Snapchat.
- T – Class, does Jane like Twitter or Snapchat more? Jane likes Snapchat.
- Class – Jane likes Snapchat more.
- T – Jane, why do you like Snapchat more?
- S1 – I like Snapchat because ____.
- The process continues with another side
- Do not overdo the circling because you do not want it to get stale. It works best when students are heated and very divided on their likes and dislikes. Here is my basic Slide show, but make sure to personalize it. Try adding the rival state university or professional teams as well for good debates! Students may need support with their reasoning with the teacher adding common reasoning words on the board as support.
- Switch to a new slide and repeat.
What are other ways you get your classes up and moving? You might like these movement activities for Spanish class too.
