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New resource for teachers and tutors! Now you can watch a video of this activity and print a PDF of the instructions at http://mnliteracy.org/classroomvideos. If you are unable to click on this link from your email, view this tutor tip on the Minnesota Literacy Council website to access this link.

Purpose:  To reinforce vocabulary and grammar structures in an active and participatory context.

Preparation Time:  5-10 minutes                              

Summer Snapshot #2, 7 Years on Lake Street, is the second in a three-part series written by Minnesota Literacy Council volunteer Henry Hietala.

“Good learning starts with questions, not answers.” –Guy Claxton

Critical thinking is required in the workplace, in educational settings, and to address everyday challenges.  In ESL classes, teachers often ask only factual questions that rely on short-term memory, such as “What did Lee Pa do yesterday?” and “What is the capital of Minnesota?”  While memory is an important skill, teachers should ask questions and plan activities that dig deeper. Even in beginning level classrooms, it is essential that learners are asked questions that challenge them to think critically.

Purpose:  To practice recognizing and correctly using irregular past tense verbs

Preparation Time:  5 minutes    

Materials Needed:  A whiteboard, a list of 6-10 irregular past tense verbs. For example: go-went, have-has, buy-bought, make-made, take-took, see-saw, think-thought, drive-drove

Procedure: