What is your vision regarding the future of teaching English? In all aspects of education we're looking more at the actual "teaching" and initial learning moving to computer based systems. Kids learn a whole lot faster with computer games and animated songs.
Then the teacher's role moves more from the initial introduction of the language to more of a coach, giving feedback, picking up errors, praising and deciding what materials are best for the student to tackle.
Native speaking teachers also have good opportunities via Skype and the internet to reach many more students for one on one practice. What is your favorite Genki product? The Genki English Download Pack!
It's amazing that you don't have to shuffle CDs around anymore, everything's just there! Is there an "age-limit" for Genki English, or is it suitable for students of all ages? Like great ice cream it seems to work everywhere!
I designed it for primary, but teachers have been using it from every age. My 2 year old niece loves it and I used to try out all the new games on my old grannies class they were crazy! Ages 12 to 15 are always reported as the most difficult, but judging by the feedback on YouTube, kids that age are also into it, but on their own away from class. After the immense success Genki English has had, you've extended your activity into other important fields.
Genki Math is one of them. This is a very interesting project. Could you tell more about it? I really want to make all subjects Genki. A lot of English teachers say "English shouldn't be taught like math", but really math shouldn't be "taught like math". So most of the Genki English classroom games can be adapted for teaching math and I've written quite a few up at the GenkiMath site. I'm also working on a few songs for the few things that teachers usually ask kids to memorize.
Are there any future fields you are planning to make "Genki"? Genki Physics, perhaps? Although my main studies are now in Education, my first degree was in Science so the math is a stepping stone to that. In fact I nearly did my PhD in ways of teaching science in an easier way. Luckily NASA, TED a nonprofit organization devoted to "ideas worth spreading" and others have been making fantastic resources so we'll see how things go.
What surprises await us in the future? Any future projects or videos you are working on? Tons of things! I've always got loads of projects on the go and it's just a case of which ideas bump into each other to come up with something that goes "wow! So I guess more of that, funky stuff to save teachers time, just let me know what you want and there's probably a great idea just bubbling away, waiting for an excuse to break out!
And finally, if you were not helping teachers world-wide with Genki English, what would you be doing? Well, after a big beach holiday, either entrepreneurship education for developing countries so people don't have to migrate to big cities , or maybe something like battery development, not very sexy but anything to get clean air in the cities! And I'd probably spend my spare time Rea or writing dance music! Well, that sure was inspirational.
Thanks a lot for the interview, Richard! And I'll leave you with a sample of Richard's fun English activities: a video where he teaches the English pronouns. Repeat from 4 6. When the time is up, see which team has the most words! It's great to play some loud music when the kids are doing this game.
You could also decide to give 2 marks for longer or cooler words! Play some loud Genki English music. Whilst the music is playing the kids pass around the big ball.
Alternative ideas are to pass around two old mobile phones. When the music stops the two kids with the phones practice today's conversation. Vocab, Conversation etc. This is basically a scoring game and can be used in various different ways.
Put the kids in groups. Draw pictures of trees on the board, one tree for each group. Each tree has 9 "rungs" add more or less depending on the amount of time you wish to play , and some bananas at the top. This takes about 1 minute if you're quick! Each team then has an animal which will climb the tree e. Explain that the aim of the game is to eat the bananas at the top! During the game you play some music something fast and dancey.
When the music plays the kids pass a ball around no throwing!! You stop the music. You then ask the person holding the ball today's question. If the student gets it right then their team's animal climbs one rung up the tree! Repeat from step 4 until one team reaches the top - and the bananas! This is another "scoring system" like the Banana Tree Game. Play a game like the Ball and Music game i.
The person chosen answers a question and if they are correct they come to the front and has 5 seconds to build their tower as high as possible. Repeat from step 1. At the end of the time, the team with the tallest tower is the winner! The good part is that if one team's tower falls, then they have to start again with what's left. This means that weaker teams always have the chance of beating better teams! You can use any type of block from large plastic bricks to dominoes.
The 5 second time limit is very important as it keeps the game moving. The kids also have to think a bit, either placing one block on safely, or maybe taking a risk in trying to put on 2 blocks! Make two teams. Have each team line up along the wall on opposite sides of the gym. Put a board erasure bacon in the middle of the gym.
Depending on what you're reviewing, assign a phrase or word to each student. Call out one phrase e. The carrots from each team run to the middle of the gym and try to be the first one to steal the bacon. The student who steals the bacon first has to run back to his or team before being tagged by the other student. If the student who steals the bacon gets back to his or her team safely, then he or she wins. If the other student tags him or her before getting there, then the other student wins.
This game sounds simple on paper, but try it in practice and there's a whole level of tactical play involved! Try it and see This game comes from Joel Bacha. The beauty of this game is that the kids love to play it themselves in their free time. It's played with two people at a time. Place a sheet of newspaper on the floor.
One kid stands on the edge of the paper. The other kid stands on the other side. Their backs are facing each other. The teacher or another kid asks a question, "How old are you? The first kid to answer correctly takes one half step back. Repeat from 3 until When their feet touch, they stop.
The teacher says "Go! Just like the real game of Sumo, the first person to touch any part of the ground outside of the "ring" or newspaper loses! You can play the game with as few as 2 kids, or set up several games in one class. Obviously make sure the kids are evenly matched size wise! I'm not too keen on teaching ABCs until your kids can speak a lot of English. But this is a little time filler with lots of variations. Give each student a piece of paper.
On the left hand side they have to write down a word that starts with each letter of the alphabet. When they get to the end, they go through and do it again with different words!
Put the kids in teams. The first person from each team comes to the front and writes down a word beginning with A. This kid sits down and the next kid in the group comes up and writes down a word starting with the next letter in the alphabet 4. Repeat from 1 5. When the time is up, give each team one point for each word, or 2 points for cool or long words OR 1. Put the kids in a circle 2. The first person says a word beginning with the first letter of the alphabet. The next person says a word beginning with the next letter in the alphabet 4.
Repeat from 3 That's it, really simple! You can also have more fun with more advanced groups by playing this to themes such as "Disney words" or "Star Wars words" - at least Star Wars is one theme where the letter "X" is easy! All the students stand up. Ask a question. The student that wants to answer raises their hand. If they get the question right then all the kids in their row of desks ie. This time if they get it correct all the students in the column they are in all the kids in front and behind them sit down.
Repeat from 2 until only one kid is left standing If the kids are too keen and everyone wants to answer or in Junior High none of them wants to answer!
Give each player a pile of picture cards. They can be different cards, but the amount of cards should be the same for each person. The teacher says "go! The kids pick up the top card of their pile of cards. They shout out the word on the card. Or for a more challenging version they make up a sentence that features that word e. They put the card on the floor and walk onto it.
Repeat from step 3. First kid to reach the other side of the classroom wins! For this version you need to prepare lots of A4 cards from the Genki English website.
For the desktop version you print out mini cards and they have to race each other to the edge of the desk obviously without walking on the cards this time! Put everyone in groups of between 2 and 10 kids. The first person says either "1", "2" or "3" 3. The next person continues on and can say an additional one, two or three numbers.
Continue around the group until one person is forced to say "13". They are now out. Start again from step 2. For example This game is really addictive, and great for motivation! Preparation: Several pieces of string of different lengths.
Split the class into groups of 4 or 5 people. Tell them to rock, paper, scissors within the group to select who will be the first person, the second, third etc.
The "first person" from each group stands up and takes a piece of string from your hand. The person with the longest piece gets to play the game. That kid then comes to the front. The student then winds the string around their finger. But they can only wind the string when they are saying outloud any English words they know e. When they are not talking they can't wind the string. They only wind when they are speaking English. When they get to the end their team gets a point.
The kids return the string to the teacher. The second in line kid from each group stands up and each takes a piece of string. Continue from step 5. For elementary school kids it's fine for them to just say any words they know. But for higher levels you should assign a topic they have to talk about, e.
This game works great for getting sky people to talk and giving chatterboxes a definite stopping point! Split the class into groups of 5 or 6 people 2. Split the board into columns, one for each group six is about the maximum. From each group one kid comes and draws a picture on the board.
The picture must be of a word that they know in English e. When they've finished the next kid from the group comes and draws something.
Repeat round and round until the time is up. Give them a time limit of maybe 5 minutes but change it depending on their mood. Sit them back down. Go through each team's pictures asking them to shout out what each one is in English. Give them a point for each one they get correct. The team with the biggest score is the winner! This is a method of counting how many points teams have in a game.
It is similar to the Banana Tree Game. Draw a "ski track" on the board from right to left. Have several "markers" along the track eight markers will last about 20 minutes , and a start and finish gate. Have a cut out skier and a cut out snowboarder and place them using magnets on the start line. Assign the kids to either ski or snowboard teams. A good way is by starting with the kid at the near left corner of the room and saying "ski".
Then "snowboard" to the next kid, etc. Say "ski team stand up". Just to make sure everyone remembers what team they're on! Play some music whilst the kids pass a ball around.
Stop the music them ask the kid holding the ball question. If they are correct the skier or snowboarder moves one space along the track towards the finish.
This is a cool game to play in the winter its not much good in June! Alternative versions are to have a race track with race cards, two famous movie stars chasing the class teacher for valentine's or two baseball players hitting two baseballs. Split the kids into groups of about 5 or 6 kids. Move the desks into little islands. Give them today's topic e. The first team says an answer from that category e. If they can do it they get a point. Go to the next group and ask them for another word from the same topic.
If they repeat a word that's been already said, or can't think of one, they gain no points and you move onto the next team! Repeat from 4 7. When all the words in the category have been used then change to a different topic.
Sometimes saying " any English OK! Have the students make two lines. They turn so that the two lines are facing each other. Have them sit down, with their legs outstretched in front of them. They have now made a "ladder" and their feet are the "rungs" of the ladder. Assign each pair of students an English word e. You then read a story — I usually make one up on the spot. The students listen. If you say their word then they have to The fastest student gets one point for his or her team!
Continue and repeat from step 6. The kids each grab one of the teacher's fingers, which are outstretched as shown. The teacher assigns a special "keyword" e. The kids ask today's question. You answer with something other than the keyword. The kids ask again. But if the teacher answers with the keyword …. If on the way, the teacher "tags" a kid, they are out. If a kid lets go when the teacher hasn't said the keyword e. Repeat from 2 until only one kid is left.
Start again with 3, 4 or 5 more kids. This is a great game to use part way through a theme if the kids are getting a little agitated! Split the kids into two halves, and give each team a cool name. Three kids from each group are designated runners and stand at the back. Put the picture cards at the front of the class. Wonder round the class and say "hello" to a random child and pretend to point a microphone towards them. This child then asks you "Do you like?
You answer "No, I don't". Wonder around getting a few more kids to ask you. Eventually you say "Yes, I do! The front runner from each group has to rush forward and pick up the matching card. The further they have to run, the more fun!
Put some flashcards on the board. The kids choose one card and ask you a sentence that goes with it e. Look in the trees! You turn over that card. On the back of each card you have previously placed a post-it note with a number of points e.
The kid's team gets that number of points. Repeat from step 2. But if the back of the card has a chocolate monster it eats all that team's points! Try combining several previous games for an even longer game or changing the name to a popular movie villain such as Godzilla!
Target Grade: 1 -5 Target English: I can! Part One: 1. On the board draw a tree, building or something that can be climbed. Split the kids into two groups. Place a cut out of the character on one side of the building.
The other team is Baby Monkey cue cheers from the girls! Place a cut out Baby Monkey on the other side of the building.
Each team has to ask a question, if they get it right their character can either move one space up the building, or they can force their opponent one step down the building! First team to get to the top is the winner.
Easy so far, yeah? OK, here's where the English comes in Part Two: 1. Cover the rest of the board with flashcards. Ideally you'd have the food from CD3's "Do you like? In turns each team asks about their character using "Can Can Baby Monkey fly?
You turn over the "fly" flashcard. If there is a check mark on the back, the character can do it and they win that round! If there is a cross mark, they lose and the other team get a go. Repeat from step 3 until one team reaches the top!
Target Grade: 1 -5 Target English: Any conversation, e. Everyone gets in a circle. Everyone holds up their card. The rule is you can't move your heads or eyes. You've got to be still! Cue lots of laughing! You jump to face and point to where you think someone who has a German card is. Repeat from step 5. Of course, just like any of the other games in this book you can use it with any other Genki English theme!
Have some cuddly toys at the front. Have the verbs mini cards at the back. The kids have to pick up the mini card, say the sentence and make one of the toys do this action! Very simple but using the toys means the kids have lots of fun! Put several jobs picture cards, face down, at one side of the room. Put another set of jobs cards on the other side of the room, again face down. The front person from each team races to the first pile of cards.
They choose a card and say "I'm a Then they rush over to the other pile of cards pick another and say "I'm a Two points for saying both phrases, an extra point for being the fastest team to do it and an extra bonus point if both of the jobs match! Blindfold one student — or use a double eye patch for more pirate fun! The other students guide the blindfolded pirate to the treasure at the other side of the room.
But if they step on a shark it's game over! Repeat from step 1 with the next group! Kids get into teams. They then run back to the front of the class and shout out a sentence using those words. The quickest team gets 2 points. The other teams get 1 point if they can say the sentence correctly. I'd recommend using "On Monday I have English" as the target sentence.
You can of course use this game with any topics and it also works great in junior high school, e. At time card I'm going to verb card etc. This is another game to use with the "Doctor, Doctor" body parts song from CD4. I wrote it for the teachers in India as we have to keep the resources used in the classroom to a minimum, and this one needs no preparation at all.
One child comes to the front. The class ask "Are you OK? The child becomes a patient and says "No, my part of body from the song hurts. The first person to touch this body part on the patient wins. But, the patient has to try and run away from the fake doctors! The first person to touch the patient where it hurts becomes the next patient and repeat from step 2.
The kids love it, and it's also a great playground game. Just watch it doesn't become too rowdy though! Give each child a sheet of mini cards for the theme. The kids cut out their cards and hold them in their hand so their friends can't see.
Everyone shouts out today's question. The teacher shouts out any answer e. Without letting their friends see, and without making any noise, each child has to put this card away, under their desk or on the floor or somewhere out of the way.
Repeat from step 3 until there is only one card left. Then you shout out "What's left? Everyone holds up the final card they are holding and shouts it out. If everything has gone well hopefully everyone will have the correct final card and a big smile. If they don't, it's time to review the lesson and try again! Draw a soccer pitch on the board. Put a cut out 2D ball with a magnet on the back , in the middle.
In each goal put a famous football player from different teams. Split the kids into two teams. Now move the ball one place farther away from the goal of the team who answered the question the quickest. If the ball ends up in your opponent's goal, you win! Split the class down the middle into two groups. The left group form a single file line down the left hand side of the room. The right group form a single line file down the right hand side of the room.
The front person from each group come and stand facing each other in front of the teacher. One student says an English word any word is OK, for example "banana" 6. The other student says another English word. You keep going backwards and forwards like this until The other person, the winner, rejoins the back of their queue and will eventually get another go.
Similarly if they speak an non English word, or pause or hesitate then they get a bash on the head and have to sit down, and their opponent gets back in line!
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