“Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.”

I like the sound the wind makes when it shakes the tree leaves.

I like it when I see fog over a lake.

I like to go to the cinema, because you can literally feel every sound in a movie, like the cling of the teacups or a quiet breath or the opening-closing of the lips when an actor speaks.

I like to take a walk on a gravel path because I love the sound my feet make on gravel.

I like to observe people's hands.

I like to sit alone on my couch and watch a movie by myself.

I like the smell of pasta when it is being cooked.

I like to watch my favourite movies over and over again.

I like to go through old photos from time to time.

I like a hot cup of tea.

I like to imagine alternative responses during a discussion.

I like the smell of book pages.

I like libraries. They are magical places.

I like the sound my pen makes when I tap it on an open thick book.

I like to read. A lot.

I like the smell of drugstores.

I like cooking. It's like a simple, daily alchemy.

I like depressing poems.

I like to give different names to people. I think that there is a name for everyone that suits him/her better than the one s/he has.

"Curiouser and curiouser..."

Lilian White 

The Teacher Book of Secrets: Classroom Fun Projects

Classroom Fun Projects & Assignment Ideas

I currently teach classes of English in a private language school and there is nothing I love more than assigning to my students entertaining projects. These little projects can be anything, from writing an essay, to writing a story or drawing a picture. I  think that motivation and fun is a huge means in the process of learning a foreign language and I see that my students confirm this belief of mine everyday.

1.Draw/Describe your dream lesson/class

Every child has a dream lesson that isn't taught anywhere in the world. From dinosaurs to spaceships and princesses, the subject can be anything a child can imagine.
Just tell your students to draw the cover of their dream class book or write a short essay describing the lesson they always wanted to do at school, and you'll be amazed by the stundents' imagination and creativity!

2.Everything in lists

Print and hand out a piece of paper that asks your students to fill out a list. The list could be about anything. Depending on your class's level, you can find an easy or a more difficult subject. For example, 10 of my happiest moments or 10 future goals. Literally anything. It does not matter as long as you engage your pupils to use the language properly and creatively.

I find that this kind of "projects" are more fun and motivating and are as much effective in engaging a child to use the language as conventional essays are.

3.Creative writing

Everyone can write a story. Narrow down your topic to Christmas or Halloween let's say and ask from your class to write a short story or a fairytale on this topic.

4.Theme project

Decide on a theme you like (the students and you) and then divide the 'labour'. Let's assume we have the theme Ireland. A student will have to write down and bring a small background history of Ireland, another child will have to find information about traditional Irish cuisine, another one will have to write about Irish music or dances or famous people or writers or anything you can think of! When everybody has the information ready, do a class presentation. This way, children learn and practise many skills, such as research, vocabulary, expression, writing, etc.

There are many more classroom project ideas one can think of with a little imagination. Maybe we talk again about this on a later post.

Until then best wishes,

Lilian White