Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 6; November 03

Keep your right distance!

Level: lower intermediate to advanced

Take the students out into an open space, ( gym, courtyard, recreation area) and ask them to pair off randomly. For seven minutes they are to move around the space, keeping a one metre distance between them and their partner. Tell them that when the exercise is really well done there is neither leader nor follower, simply harmony.

The students do this seven minute, silent, concentration activity.

Take them back into the classroom and let them feedback on the experience in groups of six.

Note: you can use this exercise in the first hour a group is together or some time later. In both cases the physicality of the activity brings people together at levels below the conscious one.

Acknowledgement: we learnt this technique on a Pilgrims teacher training course from Arseen de Visch