How to Implement the Conversation Competition Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom
Pairs of learners compete to see which learner can use the most words from the vocabulary list during a timed conversation.
Learning Outcome
- Review word meanings
Implementation
Assign each learner a partner. When the instructor says go, the learners stand up and have a specific amount of time to talk with their partners on any appropriate subject; however, they must utilize at least 10 of the target vocabulary in their conversation and check them off as they use them. When they’ve used all 10, they sit down.
The instructor must circulate the classroom during the game to engage learners in conversation and keep them on task. The first learners to finish wins a prize, but only if they share their discussion with the class and use the words correctly.
Considerations
After the game, you may ask multiple learner groups who had robust, vocabulary-rich discussions to share their conversation with the class.
If learners have been sitting for a long time prior to the start of the game, you can encourage the partner groups to walk around the room together while they talk.
Make sure that learners are not utilizing words to discuss inappropriate matters or insult each other.
Some learners may benefit from a shorter list of words or assigning specific topics to discuss.
