Drilling Games - Introduction

Drilling Games - Introduction

 

So we will start with the most basic concept, the drilling game. This is the best way to introduce a new set of vocabulary.

Attach flashcards (FCs) to the whiteboard using either magnets, sticky tape, or Blu-Tack.

Or

Write the words on the whiteboard.

Or

Write the target language sentences on the whiteboard.

Simply put, you point to the words/sentences and say them. The students repeat after you. After a while you point and wait for them to say; and when they do so, you say again with them repeating. Finally you stop speaking, you only point. The students continue to say the words/sentences you are pointing to, while now and then you help with pronunciation.

You say, they say. You point, they say. They say again and again. Repetition. Association. Drilling.

You can also adapt other techniques to your drilling. One good idea is to use different miming actions to tell the students if you want them to say the FCs very slowly, slowly, at normal pace, quickly, or very quickly. Another technique is the recycling drill. For this you will drill the first FC, then the second, then the first again, then the second, then the third, then go back to the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the first, etc. You can also get students to say the FCs individually, either going round the class clockwise or randomly calling out the name of the next student to say the FC.

Of course to stop the students getting bored and to keep their attention you need to get them to do something every once in a while.

Throw a ball.

Hit something. 

Run somewhere. 

Touch something. 

Then it is back to their seats for more drilling.

There are many things you can get the students to do between drills. Look around at what toys you have in the classroom and pretty soon you will be inventing all sorts of weird and wonderful games.