Some practical iTools ideas.

Guess the word!

Equipment: iTools on IWB or data projector

Aim: to review words in a reading text.

When: after completing the reading or at the start of the next lesson.

Preparation:

Enlarge a reading text by choosing the magnify tool. [g1]

Choose the thick black pen from the tool box

Use the pen to black out words in the text. (When the text goes back to normal size the pen marks stay.)

In the lesson:

Put students into groups and tell them they are going to guess some words in a text.

Enlarge the text and give them a few minutes working in their groups to try to guess or remember what the words are.

Elicit the words from the class rubbing them off as you go along. Award points for the groups for getting the correct words. You could also award points for synonyms.

If students are struggling reveal just part of the word to help them.

Variation: To make this a little easier write the missing works around the text.

Correct the Mistake

Equipment: iTools on IWB

Aim: to revisit gap-fill exercises or to get feedback on gap-fill exercises.

When: as a warmer at the start of the next lesson or straight after the activity.

Preparation:

Enlarge a gap-fill exercise using the magnify tool.

Choose the thin pen.

Write the answers in to the gaps; some correct some incorrect. . (When the text goes back to normal size the pen marks stay.)

In the lesson:

Tell the students they will see the answers but some are correct and some are incorrect.

Give them a few minutes working in pairs to try to spot the incorrect answers.

Elicit the answers and correct them using the pen tool.

Variation: Turn this into a game by putting students into teams and awarding points for correct answers.

What’s in the picture?

Equipment: iTools on IWB or Data Projector

Aim: to review vocabulary or to create interest in a reading / listening using pictures.

When: when using the pictures before a reading or listening or as a warmer in the next lesson.

Preparation:

Enlarge a picture by choosing the magnify tool.

Choose the thick white pen from the tool box

Use the pen to hide items in the picture (When the text goes back to normal size the pen marks stay.)

In the lesson:

Tell the students they are going to look at some pictures and try to identify what is missing.

Enlarge the picture and give them a few minutes working in pairs to try to guess or remember what the items are.

Elicit the words from the class rubbing them off as you go along.

If students are struggling reveal just part of the picture to help them.

Variation: Turn this into a game by putting students into teams and awarding points for correct answers.

Choral Drill Dialogue

Equipment: iTools on IWB or Data Projector

Aim: to practice pronunciation

When: Any everyday English Dialogue

Preparation: none

In the lesson:

Divide the class into two parts A and B (or how ever many roles there are in the dialogue). Tell them that they are going to read the dialogue in the book.

Assign a role to each half of the class and then play the listening with the sound down but the script open.

The students read along in unison with their roles. Following the Karaoke bars.

Do it twice or three times before swapping roles. Then put students into pairs, one A one B. Ask them to do the same but speaking to each other.

Guess the Picture

Equipment: iTools on IWB or Data Projector

Aim: create interest in a reading or listening

When: Before a reading or listening

Preparation: find an interesting picture or pictures, cover the picture with post-it notes by pressing the T button and dragging the notes where you want them.

In the lesson:

Divide the class into three or four groups, each group comes to the board in turn and clicks the x to remove a post-it. They then have to guess what’s in the picture. repeat until someone guesses correctly or all the post-its have been removed.

Variation: Just put one note in the middle of the picture. Ask students to discuss with their partners what they believe the note is covering.

Picture Memory Game

Equipment: iTools or iTutor on an IWB

Aim: create interest in a reading or listening

When: Before a reading or listening

Preparation: find an interesting picture.

In the lesson:

Divide the class into three or four groups, display the picture for a short time and then blank the board. Get students to write a list of all they can remember in the picture. To get feedback go around each group award a point for the words they give.

Variation: Do this in reverse, tell students briefly about the picture they are going to see. Ask the to talk to their partners and predict what things they think will be in the picture. Elicit some answers then show the pictures, students award themselves points for words they have on their lists.