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Imagination -- makes you think
Our students can do great things with their imaginations. Here are a couple activities that make use of mental imagery.
Guided journeys
The first is a reading task. Guided journeys (some people call the "guided visualizations" but they are more than just visual) have the students close their eyes and imagine a story while the teacher reads a script that leads them on the journey. Then they practice and lead partners on a different journey.
Imagination/ Visualization
Athletes and other professionals use "visualization" techniques to create mental states they find useful. Here is a "visualization/mental imagery" exercise for ELT students. First the teacher guides everyone through a pointing exercise when students end up pointing to a place far beyond what they were initially able to do physically. Then students work in pairs to learn a different exercise (firehose or corkscrew). Then they direct another through the exercise. If "corkscrew" is not appropriate for your students because of religion/culture or age, you can substitute the "pine tree" activity. Enjoy.
Teaching suggestions: Watch the "intro/that's the point video. Practice doing it. Do it live for your students as they try it (instead of using this video with them). Then break the class into two teams, A and B.
All of the A's get the "Firehose" handout. All of the B's get the "Pine tree." handout.
Divide the groups into pairs of partners with the SAME task (A with A, B with B). Have them read the handout and practice with each other.
As they practice, have have watch the video for THEIR TASK only. They can use it as a model.
If you use the full sized version (click the square in the bottom, right corner, you can turn on the subtitles (CC) . This makes it easier to understand AND makes it more of a reading activity.
Then regroup into A&B pairs. A leads B through the Firehose task. Then B leads A through the Pine tree task. If students are in class together, have them test their partner's strength as in the video. If they are doing it online, each person tests their own strength.
Note that "Pine tree" and "Corkscrew" are basically the same task, just using a different image.
I learned most of these from Richard Bolstad.
#1 Introduction and "That's the point" #2 Fire hose
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#3 Pine tree #4 Corkscrew
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