Thursday 23 April 2009

Speed-dating

A colleague came up with this brilliant idea, and I have been quick to adopt it. Pupils are put into pairs, and sit at tables numbered 1-11. One is the questioner, and the other answers. Each questioner has a set of conversation questions for their forthcomign GCSE, as well as a feedback sheet with columns for name, number of questions asked, comments and score.
Today my Fifth Year and I had a go at 'Multicitas'. They did rounds of 90 seconds, and I rang the bell each time to move the answerer on to their next 'date'. Halfway through the lesson, the questioners and answerers changed roles.
In feedback at the end, using the attached feedback sheet, pupils were quick to realise that the less questions you were asked the better you were at expanding. They were really generous in their praise of each other, and were the most engaged I have ever seen them.
As much as I love using all kinds of Web 2.0 tools, it is nice to remember that good old-fashioned oral communication is sometimes best of all.

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