TPR Warm Up Game!
This is a game that is great do at the beginning of nearly every lesson.
Its gets the kids lively and active and helps their listening skills, and
if they can learn to stand up and sit down quickly you won't be wasting
time later on in the lesson! From then on you add in new words each week,
and is really effective. It's basically TPR, total physical response, although with limited class time it's usually
better to get the kids repeating the words as soon as you can.
At the beginning you simply shout out commands at the kids. First of all
simple things like "Stand Up" or "Sit Down" are OK,
along with "Good Morning" (great to practice the Good Morning Song! ). Also, try tricking them by saying "STAND UP" when they are
already standing up!
As you meet the kids more you can add words such as JUMP,
SPIN (a big favourite), EAT, DRINK, CHEER, CLAP,
 |
 |
| GOOD NIGHT (they go to sleep) | GOOD MORNING ! |
Later BOY, GIRL can be added (much laughter when boys
stand up when you say "GIRLS STAND UP"). Also
BIG, SMALL e.g. BIG JUMP, LITTLE JUMP and QUIET, LOUD
e.g. QUIET CLAP, LOUD CHEER.
Even 1st Years can get quite advanced with things such as "GIRLS, 5
BIG SPIN JUMPS"
Or try using "PLAY" e.g. "Play Piano, Play
Tennis" or things like "Watch TV"
For "Clap" or "Cheer" get them to vary the volume as
you raise or lower your arm - it's a great "volume control" for
the moments when you do want them to be quiet!!!
If you want some more words, try "cry" or even "zip it!"
Once you get past these basics, try some other topics from the songs, and then start using series of phrases that the kids can use. You don't
just have to stick to commands!
Then try the past or future tenses, i.e. basically do the same thing but
point to a calendar on the wall first.
Then you can start moving on to stories. A good way to do this is to get
your kids to think of stories in groups in their native language, translate
them and use them in the next class! For the stories, things like Spiderman,
Harry Potter or famous characters are best!
| Basics | Funky Stuff |
Routines | Past Tense | Famous Stories | ||||
| Stand up Sit down Spin Jump Bow Watch TV Play... etc. |
Surf in Hawaii Do sumo wrestling Eat hot kimchi Walk on a hot beach Go on a waterslide I like sweet apple pies She's eating sour lemons (( get the kids to think of their own!) |
Open your eyes Wake up! Stretch your arms Yawn Get out of bed Have a shower Have breakfast |
I left the house I got on my bike I looked at my watch I was late! I rushed to school I crashed my bike! |
Hello, My name's Harry Potter I'm a wizard I have a magic wand I can cast magic spells This is my friend Hermione My favourite sport is Quidditch Today I.... |
In Video
Here's the first 10 minutes of my standard demo class. Hopefully
you'll get some ideas and see how good even beginner students can be
with a little motivation and music thrown in there.
It's of a small school where I taught all the grades together. They have had a few lessons before, but the Rock, Paper, Scissors song was their first time.
It starts off part way through my warm up,
Then Genki English Rule 1: Think you can and you can!
Then intro of Rock, Paper, Scissors i.e. each word twice and then once
through the mini-lesson.
As you can see the kids pretty much got it just from this.
Then Genki English Rule 2: Losing just means "try again!"
Then another couple of goes through the song very fast.
Then the song itself.
Altogether
it's 10 minutes. You'll see how much Japanese I use and how much
emphasis is put on motivation talk. These were really good kids, but
their speed was about the same as most good classes.
Or if you're looking for more ideas, try these from teachers in Okayama!
Climb Mt Fuji
Throw a big ball
Cheer the Hanshin Tigers!
Do synchronised swimming
Dance with Tom Cruise
Paint a big picture
Row a canoe
Ride on a motorbike
Be a monkey
Fall in love
Be a Genki English teacher
Eat many ume boshi
Walk like a model
Sing "ue muiteiru aruko"
Be a samurai
Eat hot miso soup
Be a big lion
Spin like a spinning top
Run like a penguin
Brush your hair
Swim in the sea
Cry loudly
Eat a big hot dog with lots of mustard
Open the biggest book in the World
Walk underwater
Let's linedance
Dive into the water
Rock climb in the Grand Canyon
Touch you knees and smile
Walk like an elephant
Eat hot noodles
Stand on a balance ball
Shampoo your hair
Walk or run like an upset alligator
Train your muscles
Play the trombone
Towel on the head, take a hot spring bath
Swing quickly
Play the guitar and shout
Walk on a rope
Do the Bonodori Dance
Readers' Comments
A friend told me about a game called "iro oni", which is like a combination of
tag and the TPR warm-up.
Like in oni gokko (japanese tag), you have the oni ("it" - it's also the Japanese word for a "devil" - Richard), and they call out a color. Then everyone has to run and touch
that color. Anyone not touching the color can be tagged. This
could help liven up TPR if its getting old or used as color review (or with the colour song - Richard). You can also have the students touch desks and anything else you
might do in a TPR. - Thomas
Readers' Comments
Just thought i might add another to your TPR list. One day i was
on the playground and one of my kids asked me to do a "Mario jump".
I thought it was a brilliant idea and so i added it to the start of the
class warm up and they love it. Just ask one of your kids to do it
for you. They'll know what you are talking about. - Derek
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