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denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

With so many recent threads about body parts (and threads responding to threads about body parts), something seems to have kinda slipped through the cracks...

In an attempt to get some sort of teaching-related discussion going ("boo, hiss! we want to keep talking about boobies!"), I will issue a plea for help:

Any creative ideas for ice-breakers/introductions in classes in which only one or two of the students are new, and the other 10 or so are returnees? I'm worried that the typical "find someone who," "spot the lie," and other getting-to-know you things will be completely lost on the ones who already know each other. And I'm also worried about singling out the newbies.

Thanks!
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Sara Avalon · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 254 Location: On the Prowl

Here's a few suggestions:

1 - Who am I? - have students tape a name of someone famous on their backs and have other students answer yes or no questions about who it might be.

2 - Question Cube - This is just a general one, but if you have a cube and you write "who, what, where, why, when, how" and give it to the students, they can use it to ask one another general questions. A subject can be "likes and dislikes".

3 - The good ol' Broken Telephone is a fun way to introduce material as well (they don't have to understand it, just get them familiar with it) and helps new students be part of a group activity.

Hope these help!

Capergirl · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:51 pm Post subject:

One of my favourites is "marooned". Divide the class into two or three groups, then ask each group to come up with a list of five items they would take with them to a deserted island. When all the groups have made their lists, each group presents their list to the class and defends their choices. This could also work with pairs if you think the newer members might be too shy to actively participate.

Another one I like is "don't say yes or no". The students each write as many questions as they can think of that require a yes/no answer. Then they take turns answering other students' questions without saying "yes" or "no" (I've also had to add "maybe" and "I don't know" to the forbidden list in the past). When the student answers with "yes" or "no", he or she is "out" and has to sit back down. One of my students was amazing at this activity and it got to the point where no one could stump him. So I threw in a really quick yes/no question and he looked at me and said, "Yes". The class cheered. Laughing

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

How about turning the tables? Experienced students are pat at "My name is....", "I'm a .....".
Start by welcoming the new students and learning their names (only). Then switch to "These students know me and each other very well, l'll let them introduce me and each other."
Suddenly they have to say "She...." "He...." and they have to show that they've got to know the others over the previous weeks/months. That then provides a level playing field for the new-comers to do the (easier) "My name is..." etc.

saudade · Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 48 Location: Campinas, Brazil

denise, I applaud the return to teaching so much that I'm going to respond even though I only have sucky ideas. All the obvious stuff I know would not help the new students (and you probably know it already).

If you can get them to do it, one approach might be to try to do something with physical movement of some kind (like an acting style warm up exercise), that gets them out of their seats or is new and different for everyone (some would say equally embarrassing). Karoake duets. Pairing up and creaing an interpretive dance on their names...I dunno, something that means getting out of their chairs and moving.

Another would be to give them all a "secret" and then do "find someone who" but only with the "secrets" you gave them. The secrets can be silly, if you want. "find someone who eats sushi in the sauna". The old students have no advantage, and if the questions are silly maybe it's not so intimidating for the new students.

Good luck! I'm curious to see what other people say. Wish I had more concrete ideas.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Thanks for the ideas! I'm juggling a few possibilities in my head right now, although with all this nice, new, soft, fluffy snow falling, and with my friend just having called me telling me to put off all the syllabi/lesson planning and go hit the slopes, it's damn hard to concentrate on teaching right now. NOOOOO!!!!! Must... crank out... syllabi...

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Slim Pickens · Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 299

been_there · Joined: 28 Oct 2003 Posts: 284 Location: 127.0.0.1

Denise,

I'm curious: what did you end up doing?

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Haven't done anything yet--classes start up again tomorrow.

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been_there · Joined: 28 Oct 2003 Posts: 284 Location: 127.0.0.1

I know it might be too late, but:

One thing I'VE done is to take the students and give them name tags with EACH OTHERS name on it. So Joe has to introduce himself as Tom (and answer all questions as if he WERE Tom) and Mary as Anna, etc. Kind of fun, they make stuff up, and the people with the new students' names on would have to keep shuttling back and forth to ask the new students the answers to questions other people ask THEM so, at the end, at least ONE person would know a lot about each of the new students....