Partial Pictures
Minefields

Enlarge the partial pictures, via your school's photocopier, onto cardboard sheets. After the JTE has introduced and explained the grammar point of "What...?", stand at the front of the class and quickly 'flash' the cards to the students. This can be accomplished by a variety of techniques, such as: begin with the card facing you, and as you ask the question, "What is this?", slowly turn the card through 360 degrees; place a blank card over the target card revealing only a small part of the picture and ask the question. If no-one can answer, reveal a little more and ask again. Continue until the entire picture is revealed or someone answers; stand facing the board with the card facing away from you and turn through 360 degrees while asking the question; cover the target card with a blank, and flash the entire picture for about 1/4 of a second. Use a combination of all these with a few of your own thrown in. Variety is the spice of life, so don't leave it outside the classroom!

After the first three cards have been identified, pass the next picture card to the student who solved the last picture, and get them to ask the question. Hopefully, you'll end the activity with students not only asking and answering the target question, but enjoying themselves as well.

Left to right, top to bottom, the pictures on the worksheet are: Tennis racket, pen, guitar, rabbit, note book, pencil, piano, stamp, table, banana, book, ruler, trumpet, basketball (NOT pants), cup. Enlarge x5 onto paper before using cardboard.

Teaching Tip �@When you are explaining a new activity to a JTE and they say that, "Maybe the S/s won't understand" or "This might be too difficult for the S/s", they are often describing their own plight. Understanding directions in your second language is not always easy, nor clear. Try going over the activity again, using ultra simple English, and ask what parts could be altered for the S/s' better comprehension. Acting out the activity with the JTE taking part will help improve communication too. However, don't push too hard. Change or acceptance of new ideas can take time. Often an idea which has been dismissed as 'too difficult' will be accepted a few weeks (months) later, especially if you can report success with its use in Mr.(s) X's classes.

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