Pak Man Au is a Canadian currently working in Japan as an Assistant Professor at Ehime University. His primary interests (in no particular order) are teaching intercultural awareness, business English, young learners, and geography. Email: mandonau@gmail.com

 

General comments

This simple warm-up activity helps students to practice answering questions in English and is a fun way to for students to practice reading English as quickly as they can. It asks students to match common English questions with their corresponding answers in a game show style environment. This activity will train students to improve their reading comprehension and ability to determine the correct responses to various questions in English. This activity gets students moving about and having them think on their feet. Implemented on a regular basis, students will become more adept at recognizing questions and their corresponding answers at the same time.

 

Preparation

Step 1: Create a spinning question wheel with common English questions and corresponding answer cards (two sets). (see Appendix). The spinning question wheel should ideally be made of a circular cardboard cut-out with various English questions on a paper “pie chart” pasted on the cardboard. Sizes can vary, but it would be recommended to be on the larger side, so that students can more easily read the questions. At the end of the process, add a spinning arrow in the center of the cardboard spinning wheel.

Step 2: Prepare the classroom so that two lines (two teams) of students can form.

 

Procedure

Step 1: Place the cardboard spinner on the blackboard using magnets. In addition, put each set of answer cards on each side of the spinner on the blackboard, also using magnets. The students will touch the correct answer card to the corresponding question on the blackboard.

Step 2: Explain that students will form two lines and that each pair will do “rock-scissors-paper" to determine who will spin the wheel. The winner will spin the wheel.

Step 3: Drill the questions and the answers from the spinner and answer cards so that the students are familiar beforehand. Have pairs of students practicing the questions and answers with each other.

Step 4: Conduct a demonstration for the class. Choose one of the students to perform the demonstration with the teacher. Let the student spin the wheel and when the arrow points to the correct question, have the student touch the correct corresponding answer card on the blackboard.

Step 5: Put students into two lines (two teams). Keep a short distance from the pair taking their turn and the rest of the class so they cannot see the answers on the answer cards on the blackboard.

Step 6: Each pair will stand in front of the spinner. After spinning the wheel, the students will wait until the wheel stops and the arrow is pointing to the question. As soon as this occurs, each student will identify the correct answer card on their side of the blackboard and touch the correct card. The winner will receive a point for their team.

Step 7: Once each pair is finished, the next pair will take their turn, and this continues until all students have finished (or until time for this warm-up activity is up).

Step 8: If time allows, choose students to ask each other the questions from the spinner and have other students answer using their own ideas, rather than the scripted answers from the answer cards, for a final review.

Conclusion

This activity improves students’ reading response times to answering questions in English. As a fun and competitive warm-up activity, students have to think on their feet and react quickly. Common English questions and their corresponding answers are learned more quickly if this activity is utilized over a period of time. This activity will get students becoming actively involved and is a great way to start off the class.

 

Appendix: Spin the Question

Sample Questions:

What is your favorite season?

How much does this bag cost?

Where is the bus station?

When are you going to the office?

Who are you going to the park with?

Why are you late?

Which jacket are you going to buy?

How wide is that table?

How high is Mount Everest?

Where did you put my necklace?

Who is that short person with the long, brown hair?

Why didn’t you call me last night?

What are you eating for lunch?

How old is your brother?

When did you buy that sweater?

How many times a week do you work at the gift shop?

Why is your boss so rude?

Sample Answers (The order corresponds to the above questions):

I like summer because I can go swimming.

It costs $39.99.

It’s next to the train station.

I’m going there the day after tomorrow.

I’m going there with my best friend.

I overslept and missed the bus.

Probably the black one with the white stripes.

It’s about 1 meter wide.

It’s 8,849 meters high.

I put it on the table over there.

That person is my mathematics teacher.

Because my phone battery died.

I’m eating a ham and cheese sandwich.

He’s 12 years old.

I bought it three weeks ago.

I work there about three times a week.

He is under a lot of pressure these days.

 

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