6.1 Handwriting and handwriting newspaper
Copying, writing is the first step of learning English, and the handwriting newspaper will cultivate their gift of design. We held this kind of competition in Grade One. Their designed genius satisfied us very much.
6.2 Speech competition.
Spoken English is important in communication. So we should improve the students’ spoken English. Speech competition is a good way. In the course of the competition, the students will try their best to show themselves. So they can improve their spoken English easier than in the class.
Furthermore, since it is a competition, there must be many rivals, so the students will work harder and learn more.
6.3 Short play performance
Every child is a born actor. Their natural performance, innocent language and rich imagination are all precious treasure. Thorough competition, they cannot only use the language they learned, but also improve it. And it can enhance their interest.
I still remember when we held the performance match last term. The students performed many short plays: The Hare and The Tortoise, Frog Prince, Romeo and Juliet, WuSong and The Tiger and so on.
Some of these are according to the plays or stories in the books, like The Hare and The Tortoise; some of them are adapted by themselves, like Frog Prince. Others are created by themselves, like WuSong and The Tiger.
We all know the story in “Shuihu”. It says WuSong beat the tiger in drunken. But our students tell the revenge of the tiger. WuSong was in drink again and lost in a forest. Then he met the tiger, which was beaten by him. Of course he was not afraid of it. But the tiger has a gun in its hand. It killed WuSong with the gun at last. The theme of the story is “Scientific is power.” By this play, they are surprised all of the teachers for their originality.
And also other plays are very good, too. Fox example, Romeo and Juliet. It tells a love story between a cleaner and a pretty girl. At the very beginning, the girl didn’t know the boy was a cleaner. So she agreed to have dinner with him. When they were waiting for the dinner, they talked. At last, the girl knew that the boy was a cleaner, so she left him soon. The story satirized many people only love the money. And in the story they also add something about ordering the food and asking jobs, what they have just learned.
By those kinds of competitions, we train their courage, foster their interest, and improve their ability.
There are many other ways to create a good English language circumstance. Like “disposal of the classroom and school”
If you want to let the students know the using of English language and enlarge their vocabulary. Some English banners, sayings, or mottos will work. You can stick them on the wall of the classroom or somewhere else in the school. You can also write them on the blackboard and change it everyday or every week in order to let the students see English words and feel the existence of English whenever they raise their head.