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Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 1; January 03
The Queen/King of England
Ages 6 - 8
Time 20 minutes
Materials a king/queen costume including a crown (made of gold-coloured cardboard e.g.), a simple red 'robe', a sceptre (might be a stick) and a 'throne' (a chair), various props such as a bowl and a jar labelled 'Pepper'.
Focus Listening to, carrying out and giving orders in a 'fairytale' setting
This activity exploits the fact that children love to dress up. It can be repeated over a number of lessons. On each occasion what evolves are a number of extemporized mini-plays with one person in the role of commanding monarch and others in the role of page. It is super for seizing and holding pupils' attention while they move from listening (at first to you) to speaking themselves (since most will be eager to play the role of monarch once they know what this involves).
Preparation
Find or make the props mentioned under 'Materials' and bring them to class.
Procedure
1 Place the 'throne' in front of the classroom and arrange the symbols of regal power (the crown, etc.) so they are handy nearby.
2 Begin to put on the costume and announce that you are the queen/king of England. With regal dignity, take your place on your throne.
3 Start giving orders such as: "Page, bring me some soup". (The page gives you an empty bowl.) "Page, please open the window. It's too hot in here." (The page opens the window.) "Page, bring me a spoon so I can stir my soup." "Page, come here and polish my crown." And so on. (The page carries out all the commands.) Indicate proper responses such as, "Yes, your Highness."
Stop when you feel attention might flag.
4 Invite a pupil to take your place and don the costume.
Variations
1 Stand up and move around.
2 Have three or four 'pages' standing in a row. Give an order to one who repeats it to the page behind and so on. The last page is the one who actually carries out the order.
3 Introduce other language by asking pages, "Have you done as I wished?"
4 Introduce the character of a monarch who is very timid and only gives very polite requests.
5 Tell everyone that there will be a naughty page who puts pepper in the monarch's soup. Ask a pupil to be this page and to stand last in the row of pages. Give her/him a jar (empty) boldly labelled 'pepper' from which to take some when the time comes.