This classroom strategy gives EAL learners practice in giving instructions, describing things that they have been learning about in your lessons or describing the position of objects.
It is an barrier activity and is particularly useful when reviewing key content from your lessons or topics.
Sit learners in pairs – Learner A can see the thing they have to describe, Learner B is facing away and has to draw.
The learner facing the image describes the thing to the other learner who has to draw from what their partner says.
I have used this strategy in a number of ways:
- To review concepts learnt in Science and Maths lessons.
- To practice the language of description for writing in English / literacy lessons.
- To review something that we have just read about / been reading about.
- To review concepts / key vocabulary in Geography lessons.
EAL in the Daylight 