40 things to do with a text – Webinar IATEFL (May 6 th)

3) Create a title/sub-heading

4) Summarise it (20-word challenge)

5) Identify the tone and bias in the text

6) Separate fact from opinion

7) Answer comprehension questions about the text (open/closed questions)

8) Asking sts to create comprehension questions

9) Create post-reading discussions questions based on a topic

10) Discuss those questions in groups

11) Create questions to the writer

12) Create questions to people in the article

13) Answer the questions “in-character” (interview like) Look for youtube videos on WIRED

13) Describe causes of problems or situations

14) Find solutions to problems mentioned

15) Predict what is going to happen next

16) Evaluate effect of news (on student´s business, country, people they know, etc)

17) Critique the standpoint of the writer

18) Role-play an event described in the text

19) Expand it

20) Research – Find another article on same topic

21) Compare-contrast with the same kind of text on the same topic

22) Compare-contrast with report on same topic in different medium (radio vs print)

23) Compare-contrast with report on same topic from their country (same news, different countries)

24) Prepare a presentation based on the text

25) Separate the paragraphs and ask sts to organize them

26) Write a response of what they read

27) Convert info into a table or diagram or write descriptive text for embedded images in texts

28) Write a report on implications of content

30) Reconstruct it

31) Extract useful lexis

32) Read aloud

33) Translate things the have read into their own language and translate it back

34) Treat the text as a dictogloss (read the text twice in natural speed, sts write key words, with a
partner recreate the text)

35) Identify textual features

36) Create a jigsaw activity (st A read a text, st B a similar text and answer the same questions and
compare)

37) Strip activities (strip of paper 1cm, lay it vertically, read the text and identify the hidden words)

38) Rewrite in a different style/text type (letter to telephone call, press statement into a gossip column)

39) Rewrite it with a more positive or negative bias

Teacher training unplugged

Bit.do/40Things