Easy-To-Use Engaging Extension Activities For Your TEFL And ESOL Classroom
6th April 2023There are countless reasons to love teaching English as a foreign or second language in Thailand after pursuing TEFL Course Thailand like, you get to explore not only explore this exotic place, and know different cultures but one of the best opportunities is to help your students learn about and connect with other cultures.
Engaging in extension activities outside of the classroom can be a great way to do this, and there are many different types of activities that you can choose from. Keep reading further to know everything about fun and engaging extension activities that you can use in your TEFL/ESOL classroom.
What Are Extension Activities?
Extension activities are tasks or projects that students can do to further their understanding of the material they are studying in class. These activities can be done either inside or outside of the classroom and can be used to supplement what is being taught in class.
Extension activities can be used to help students who are struggling with the material, or who need extra practice. They can also be used to challenge students who are doing well in class and want to extend their learning.
Extension activities should be closely aligned with the goals and objectives of the course and should be carefully planned and structured. They should also be scaffolded so that students can build on their previous knowledge and experience.
When choosing extension activities, it is important to consider the interests and needs of your students. It is also important to provide clear instructions and support so that students can successfully complete the activity. In addition, also make sure that the activities are appropriate for the level of English your Students are learning.
Now let’s get to know some fun and engaging 6 Extension Activities for TEFL/ESOL Students that you can imply in the class:
Assuming the reader is a teacher of English as a foreign or second language, the extension activities described in this section are meant to supplement and extend the students' regular class work.
These fun and engaging extension activities require little to no preparation on the part of the teacher.
1. Reading Challenge
There are countless ways to get students engaged in the material you are teaching them. However, one of the most important things to remember is that not all students learn in the same way or at the same pace. It is important to find engaging activities that will challenge your students and help them grow in their understanding of the material.
One way to engage your students is to create a reading challenge for them. This can be done by taking a passage from the textbook or another source and assigning it to each student. They then have a set amount of time to read the passage and answer questions about it. The questions can be anything from general comprehension questions to more specific analysis questions.
This activity not only allows you to gauge each student’s understanding of the material but also challenges him or her to read quickly and thoroughly. If you have struggling readers, you can pair them up with someone who reads at a similar pace so that they can help each other out. This is a great way to get everyone involved and engaged in the lesson.
2. Word Games
Word games are a great way to engage your TEFL/ESOL classroom students. They help to build vocabulary and reinforce grammar concepts. They can also be a lot of fun! Here are some of our favourite word games for TEFL/ESOL students:
- Word Ladder:
This is a great game for practicing spelling and vocabulary. To play, you'll need a list of words (5-10 would be ideal). The first person starts by choosing a word from the list and making a new word by changing one letter.
For example, if the starting word is “cat”, the next student could change the alphabet “c” to “e” to make a new word “eat”. Then next student might change one letter of “cat” to make a new word and so on the sequence will go on. The first student who gets stuck will lose.
- Grammar Scavenger Hunt:
It’s one the best way to have fun and at the same time to review the concept of the grammar of your students. You can write down a list of grammar terms(ex-nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.) and hide them around your TESOL/TEFL classroom. Then told your students to find all of the terms and write them down on paper. The first who is done with it wins!
- Word Jumble:
For the practice of vocabulary and spelling this is the perfect game. To play, you'll need a list of words (again, 5-10 would be ideal).
3. Role Play & Drama
Role-play and drama can be excellent extension activities for TEFL/ESOL classroom students, as they provide opportunities for students to practice their language skills in a fun and creative way.
There are many different ways to incorporate role-play and drama into your lessons, so it is important to choose activities that will fit the level and interests of your students. For example, you can use simple games or exercises to help beginners practice basic conversation skills, while more advanced students can put on short skits or plays.
In addition to being enjoyable, role-play and drama can also help students develop important life skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. So don't be afraid to let your students loose in the classroom - you may be surprised at what they come up with!
4. Picture Storytelling
One of the great ways to engage TEFL/TESOL classrooms is through Picture storytelling. It’s a fun and very engaging activity for the TEFL/TESOL students to practice their English skills. Students can improve their listening, writing, speaking skills, and also English grammar at the same time by telling stories using pictures.
Picture story-telling can be done with any type of picture but for their easiness provide them multiple pictures with many details as possible. Once they select a picture, tell them to elaborate in detail that what is happening in the picture.
Once students are done describing the scene, it’s time to encourage them to tell a story. You can also divide different parts of the story to different students and while they are describing the story, make sure you check their grammar and vocabulary as well.
5. Memorizing Games
Memorizing Games is one of the best ways for your TEFL/ESOL classroom students to improve their English language skills. The specialty of this game is that you can play this game with a group of students or even with just one student. To play the game first provides every student with a piece of paper and a pencil.
Now start by saying a word or a phrase and give the student instruction to remember it, continue doing it until the total word or phrase is 10. Now it’s time for students to write all 10 words or phrases on the paper, at the end whoever remembers the most words and phrases will win the game!
6. Crosswords & Puzzles
Assuming your students have some level of English proficiency, there is a wide range of extension activities you can do with them to keep them engaged during class. One such activity is doing crosswords and puzzles together.
This can be done with a physical puzzle like a jigsaw or Sudoku, or with an online crossword or word search. It's a great way to review vocabulary and grammar concepts in a fun and interactive way. In addition, it's a good opportunity for students to practice their teamwork skills.
Apply these Fun and engaging extension activities in your TEFL/ESOL classroom
Pursuing TEFL Course Thailand opens the door to plenty of opportunities, like, you have the opportunity to explore Thailand’s different areas, cultures and enjoy an exotic lifestyle at the same time. However, on the work front, you get to teach English to different cultures of students, and to make it more fun and engaging we have compiled some fun and engaging extension activities above that you can use in your TEFL/ESOL classroom.
Written By : Abhishek