Prompt 2: Eliciting Information

1 To climb 6 To adjoin

2 To make a decision 7 jittery

3 To apologize 8 A leopard

4 A pineapple 9 To crush

5 A tape dispenser 10 A sign

1. Techniques: Mime, visual aids & others

I would show a picture of climbing such as Fig 1 and ask, “What is the boy doing?” As I wait
for the anwer, I might also mime the action. If they still struggle, I will show a picture of a
fruit on a big tree and ask, “How can I get the fruit [without tools or extra items]?”

2. Mime/roleplay & definition

I will say, “John, I want you to make a decision. Would you rather eat ice cream or
chicken?” After the student has answered, I will ask another student, “Tina, I just asked
John to make a….. ?”
If she doesn’t get it, I will repeat the action with John, then write down on the whiteboard:
“John _____ to eat chicken.” And ask, “What action did John just do?”
I might also provide definition and ask, “John has just made a choice on what to eat. In
other words, John did what?”

3. Roleplay & definition

For this, I will reference a previously taught (or commonly known) word: sorry. Start off by
asking the class, “what do you say when you do something wrong to someone?” I will then
explain, “When someone says ‘sorry’, we say they are ‘apologizing’.” Finally, I will ask a
student to roleplay, “Can you pretend to apologize to me for coming to class late?”

4. Visual Aids & prompts

I would show them a picture of a pineapple, and ask, “What fruit is this?”
I may also ask, “What fruits do you prefer over a pineapple?”

5. Realia
I would show a tape dispenser. Then, help break-down the phrase for them. As I remove
the tape from the dispenser, I will declare “this is a tape.” Then I will lift the dispenser and
state, “This is a tape dispenser because it dispenses or provides tape.” Then, I’ll ask for a
student to demonstrate how the tape dispenser is used. Afterwards, I will ask another
student, “How is the tape dispenser useful?”

6. Synonym/antonym, visual aids & instruction

I will ask, “What is the antonym of adjoin?” (expected answer: separated or far apart).
Another way is to show them a picture of two distinct buildings (see Fig 2.) and ask a
student to use ‘adjoin’ to describe the position of one building relative to the other.
7. Mime & antonym/synonym
I will enact someone who is nervous (e.g. bouncing or shaking one leg, imitating and
clarifying that I have sweaty palms, heavier breathing, looking down, eyes darting
everywhere). I’ll tell them that I just imitated someone who’s jittery and ask for someone to
provide a synonym (expected answer: anxious, nervous or scared). I’ll also ask for the
antonym to jittery.

8. Visual aids & others

Show a picture of a leopard and ask them to name the animal. For more challenge, I might
ask them to name all animals belonging to the ‘big cat’ family they may know (e.g. lions,
jaguar, tiger, etc)

9. Realia & mime

I would bring an empty coca cola can. I will announce to the class, “I want to crush this
can.” If teaching a class of adults or older kids, I will proceed to attempt to crush it, but not
fully or unsuccessfully. Then ask for a volunteer “to help me crush this can.”

10. Visual aids & prompts

I will show images of various signs. Such as local street/road signs, toilet signs, etc. Ask
questions such as “which sign indicates a toilet?” I can also give them prompts that relate to
local superstition, “In some countries, seeing a black cat is a sign of bad luck. Does your
culture have similar superstition or beliefs? If yes, please share them with me.”

Fig 1. Boy climbing the beanstalk Fig 2. A brown brick building adjoins a pale
green one.