Match Mine (or Picture Grid)
This is a great teamwork listening and speaking activity to practice vocabulary learners are familiar with. Teachers can also use Match Mine to focus on specific reading skills to address learners’ needs. Learners will also get practice with numbers, direction words and—importantly-- communication strategies.
1) Each learner receives the same set of photos and a blank grid with 9-16 boxes. The teacher will have already taught the English words for the photos, so the learners will be familiar with them.
2) First model how to do the activity with a volunteer and teach the specific language needed for the task, e.g., “grid, box, boxes, match, check, same, different, Put the plumber on number 6.” Depending on the level of the class, you may need to review the numbers, too.
3) Emphasize the importance of communication strategies. Encourage the students to check their comprehension and ask for clarification when needed. It is critical to teach this language explicitly and give students a chance to practice, for example: “Please repeat. Did you say number 4? What did you say?”
4) Next, the teacher leads the activity with the whole class by giving prompts for each photo. Learners respond by placing the correct photos in each box based on the teacher’s prompts. Lower level students can sit close to the teacher so he or she can provide extra support.
5) Students compare their grid to the teacher’s. Does it match? To get more practice speaking, the checking is best done interactively by asking learners to take turns reporting on each box either with a partner or with the whole class. To assess individuals’ listening skills, he teacher can walk around the room to observe who understands the vocabulary and who needs additional support.
6) Learners can now work in small groups of 3 or 4 to do the same activity with one student giving the prompts while the other group members listen and respond to the prompts. To assess the student leaders’ speaking ability and the other students’ communication strategies, the teacher can walk around the room listening and providing feedback as needed. Again, to engage the learners in more speaking practice have them take turns to check their work instead of just looking at the student leader’s grid. Each student in the group can take a turn being the leader if this seems appropriate for the levels.
Adaptation for Higher Levels
For learners at higher levels, the teacher can lead the activity incorporating prepositions of place and other direction words, e.g., “Place the plumber next to the singer. Put the vet under the truck driver. Put the chefs in the upper right corner. Place the police officer to the left of the farmer.” The learners can then work in groups to practice these prompts. Depending on the level, it will be helpful to write the possible prompts on the board or give the students a handout with the prompt choices.
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Teaching Adult ELL Emergent Readers, Susan Finn Miller