Languages

Ages 12-18

Organise your class into three or four teams. Write 12 verbs on the board using a particular tense, for example, in Spanish: creo, como (I believe, I eat) - but don’t write up the meanings. Pupils will remember them better if they have to use the verbs without having the translation easily accessible.

Each team takes it in turn to draw a simple picture showing the meaning of one of the verbs, such as a stick figure holding a large hamburger (I eat). Each team then writes a sentence using one of the verbs. The teacher corrects and awards marks for the quality and entertainment value of the sentences.

Get advanced classes to write two tenses in the same sentence, for example: Creo que va ir mas tarde (I believe he will go much later)

Rosemary Westwell is a Cambridgeshire teacher.