Racing to English |
What's your first name/surname? |
Beginners need to learn how to respond to questions about themselves. This activity focuses on `What's your first name?' and `What's your surname?'
NOTE: Not all cultures have the same naming systems.
In many cultures, for example in Chinese and Vietnamese cultures, the surname is given first. So for instance, when speaking to other people with a Vietnamese background, Trung (my foster son) would say that his name was Nguyen Van Trung. When speaking to a person with a British background, he would say his name was Trung Nguyen (missing out the Van altogether). Other cultures only use one name for their children or use two names but do not have the tradition of naming their children after their father; so all family members may have different `surnames'.
ACTIVITY 1 - CHAIN DRILLS
Sit in a circle; say to the first person, `My first name is XXX, what's your first name?'
S/he replies, `It's XXX', then asks the next person, `What's your first name?'
S/he responds and asks the third and so on.
This is a useful activity for two or three minutes at the beginning of every lesson. When the group can respond with ease to the first name question, do the same activity with the surname. Then revise the questions (class/school) taught earlier.
It is very helpful (and fun) to make this a multilingual activity; so as well as expecting the group to learn these questions in English, the group also learns to ask the questions in the languages represented by the group.
ACTIVITY 2 - MINI DRAMA - PARTY
If you are working with an amenable group, simulate the beginning of a party. Learners move freely around the room, shaking hands and saying, `Hello, I'm XXX. What's your name?' NOTE: For some people it is not appropriate to include the hand shaking if this means shaking the hands of members of the opposite sex.
ACTIVITY 3 - MINI DRAMA - POLICE OFFICER
One learner takes the role of a police officer and asks the others for their personal information. Use of a plastic police helmet (if you have one) sets the scene. The forms on the following page can be used for this exercise.
ACTIVITY 4 - FORM FILLING
Older learners need to be able to fill in forms with their personal details. Completing the forms on the following page is helpful.
Either cut the page into the three forms and ask learners to fill them in individually
Or give each learner a page with three forms and let them ask three other learners to give them their first name/surname/school/class. (If you use this activity, remember child and data protection issues - it is appropriate to collect these forms in after the exercise.)
It may be helpful for learners (especially younger learners) to take these forms with them, just in case they ever get lost, otherwise destroy them at the end of the lesson as they contain personal information.
FIRST NAME |
SURNAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
FIRST NAME |
SURNAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
FIRST NAME |
SURNAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
NOTE: COLLECT THESE FORMS IN AT THE END OF THE ACTIVITY AND DESTROY THEM AS THEY CONTAIN PERSONAL INFO.
Racing to English
© Gordon Ward 2010. Photocopiable only for use in the purchasing institution. Step 2: Who are you? - Name/surname?