Likely or unlikely?

Here is a simple activity to get students to read, interpret meaning, read aloud and produce language. I call the activity 'Likely or unlikely' and it works as follows.

Display some sentences on the board, like the ones in French below. Some of the sentences make sense, some don't because they are not plausible.

All the sentences given further down include various first person uses of the present tense with some repetition of common verbs. Try the following sequence:

1. Students read individually and note whether they think each statement is plausible or not. In pairs, students can compare their answers.
2. The teacher reads aloud each sentence and has the class repeat chorally and individually ('cold-called'). Any unknown words can be quickly translated.
3. The teacher elicits the answer (likely or unlikely) from the class with hands up.
4. Where it is agreed an answer is unlikely, the class is asked to write a plausible alternative on a mini-whiteboard or on paper. Individual students suggest some of these alternatives and the rest of the class can judge with hands up if they are indeed plausible.
5. (Alternative - maybe better - students can be asked to suggest an alternative which may be plausible or implausible, then the class adjudicates.)
6. Individuals write down plausible or implausible statements. (Many will choose implausible ones as they are more fun.)
7. In pairs, each partner listens to their partner's suggestions and decides if they are plausible or not.

The activity has a number of advantages going for it:

• Students get to read and hear a lot of comprehensible language (provided the examples chosen are within their range - only the teacher will know this.) Virtually the whole task is in the target language.
• Students get to read aloud from the board, reinforcing their phonics skills.
• Students get to make decisions based on comprehension and plausibility.
• Students produce their own statements orally and on paper. This will need retrieval of language from memory or recycling of material on the board.
• Many classes will have fun coming up with their own silly examples; some creativity is needed.

 Here are the French examples at Level A1 (let's say about two years of learning).

1.    J’achète du pain à la boulangerie.
2.    Je joue au football à la piscine.
3.    Je regarde un film dans les toilettes.
4.    J’achète une baguette à la boucherie.
5.    Je joue au cricket en France.
6.    Je vais à la piscine pour jouer au tennis.
7.    Je vais au parc pour jouer au football avec mes amis.
8.    Je parle français en Belgique.
9.    Je mange des céréales au petit déjeuner.
10   J’achète une glace au chocolat à la pharmacie.
11   Je vais en Australie en voiture.
12   Je regarde la télé dans la salle de bains.
13   Je mange un dinosaure au restaurant.
14   Je parle anglais à la maison.
15  Je fais mes devoirs dans la chambre.
16  J’achète un gâteau à la pâtisserie.
17  Je joue de la guitare au cinéma.
18  Je mange du coca cola.
19  Je suis végétarien. Je mange du poulet.
20  Je vais au cinéma pour acheter un livre.
21  Je regarde une série sur Netflix.
22 Je parle français au Canada.
23 Je mange des insectes à la cantine.
24 Je déteste le chocolat.
25 En général je parle français avec mes parents.