ef series resour

This is for you.

These are two ice-breaker activities that help learners get to know each other and get the class off to a good start. These are from an activity set called, “Let’s get physical-Warm-up activities involving movement and language” by English Firsthand author Marc Helgesen. It is available at http://www.mgu.ac.jp/~ic/helgesen/physical/physical_-prehtml.htm
Preparation: Get a few soft objects that are easy to throw and catch. I prefer medium sized stuffed animals. They don’t bounce away like balls do. You’ll want 3-4 per group of 10-15 students).

Procedure:
1. On the board, write: This is for you, (name). Thank you, (name).
2. Students stand in circles of 10-15. Start by going around the circle. Everyone introduces themselves.
3. Give one stuffed animal to a student. She reintroduces herself (I’m MaiRan.). Then she says, This is for you, (name). and throws it to that student.
4. That student says, Thank you, MaiRan. I’m Emi. This is for you, (name). and throws it to another student.
* It is a good idea to have them make sure everyone has gotten the animal once before there are repetitions. There will be times they don’t know someone’s name. They just look at that student and gesture that they need help with the name. That person says her name.
5. Once everyone has received and thrown the stuffed animal once, the fun begins. Ask them to follow the trail they throw it to the same person. Introduce the second and third stuffed animal. Leave a few seconds delay between each one. They continue to say, This is for you, name). Thank you, (name). each time they throw it.
6. Then suggest a bit of silence. They continue to throw the animals but the only think about the names. They don’t say them. This silent period really helps them concentrate on the names.

Variation: At this point, make it a free for all. They see how many names the remember. They call out the names and try to get that person’s attention (Mai! This is for you!) When they do, the toss the animal to that person. The animals no longer follow a trail. Creative chaos!
At the end, give everyone a minute or two to look around the circle and see how many people’s names they know. Repeat this at the end of class, too.
All tangled up.

Preparation: You’ll need the same 3-4 stuff animals you used in This is for you.

Procedure:
1. Repeat This is you (above, but don’t do the variation) with only one animal. Ask everyone to remember who they got it from and who they threw it to.
2. After a few minutes, stop the activity. The circles put away the animals and just mingle with group members for a minute or so. They can say hello, check on names, etc. It is important that they move to different positions.
3. Then, ask everyone to freeze. They look around to spot the person they got the animal from and the person they threw it to. Moving as little as possible, they take the right hand of the person who threw it to them with their left hand. They take the left hand of the person they threw it to with their right hand. You should have a mess of bodies intertwined with their hands.
4. Let the fun begin. They have to sort out their circle and get back to a normal circle where they are standing holding hands. And they have to get there without letting go of hands. Some people (and pairs) will have to step over other or under other people’s hands and arms. People will be moving in and out. At times it will be frustrating (try substituting the word “challenging.”) but it will work.
5. At the end, give them time to look around the group to see whose name they remember. If there are people whose names they don’t know, they ask.


	English Firsthand Cafe: Supplementary Activities EF2 UNIT 1 This is for you. These are two ice-breaker activities that help learners get to know each other and get the class off to a good start. These are from an activity set called, “Let’s get physical-Warm-up activities involving movement and language” by English Firsthand author Marc Helgesen. It is available at http://www.mgu.ac.jp/~ic/helgesen/physical/physical_-prehtml.htm Preparation: Get a few soft objects that are easy to throw and catch. I prefer medium sized stuffed animals. They don’t bounce away like balls do. You’ll want 3-4 per group of 10-15 students). Procedure: 1. On the board, write: This is for you, (name). Thank you, (name). 2. Students stand in circles of 10-15. Start by going around the circle. Everyone introduces themselves. 3. Give one stuffed animal to a student. She reintroduces herself (I’m MaiRan.). Then she says, This is for you, (name). and throws it to that student. 4. That student says, Thank you, MaiRan. I’m Emi. This is for you, (name). and throws it to another student. * It is a good idea to have them make sure everyone has gotten the animal once before there are repetitions. There will be times they don’t know someone’s name. They just look at that student and gesture that they need help with the name. That person says her name. 5. Once everyone has received and thrown the stuffed animal once, the fun begins. Ask them to follow the trail they throw it to the same person. Introduce the second and third stuffed animal. Leave a few seconds delay between each one. They continue to say, This is for you, name). Thank you, (name). each time they throw it. 6. Then suggest a bit of silence. They continue to throw the animals but the only think about the names. They don’t say them. This silent period really helps them concentrate on the names. Variation: At this point, make it a free for all. They see how many names the remember. They call out the names and try to get that person’s attention (Mai! This is for you!) When they do, the toss the animal to that person. The animals no longer follow a trail. Creative chaos! At the end, give everyone a minute or two to look around the circle and see how many people’s names they know. Repeat this at the end of class, too. All tangled up. Preparation: You’ll need the same 3-4 stuff animals you used in This is for you. Procedure: 1. Repeat This is you (above, but don’t do the variation) with only one animal. Ask everyone to remember who they got it from and who they threw it to. 2. After a few minutes, stop the activity. The circles put away the animals and just mingle with group members for a minute or so. They can say hello, check on names, etc. It is important that they move to different positions. 3. Then, ask everyone to freeze. They look around to spot the person they got the animal from and the person they threw it to. Moving as little as possible, they take the right hand of the person who threw it to them with their left hand. They take the left hand of the person they threw it to with their right hand. You should have a mess of bodies intertwined with their hands. 4. Let the fun begin. They have to sort out their circle and get back to a normal circle where they are standing holding hands. And they have to get there without letting go of hands. Some people (and pairs) will have to step over other or under other people’s hands and arms. People will be moving in and out. At times it will be frustrating (try substituting the word “challenging.”) but it will work. 5. At the end, give them time to look around the group to see whose name they remember. If there are people whose names they don’t know, they ask.