Page 29 - ELG2207 Jul Issue 481

REVIEWS .

101 EFL ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Hall Houston
˙
˙
ITDI TESOL, 2022
ISBN: 9798419082793
itles concerning resources for
classroom practitioners are always
welcomed by readers of this section.
TWho (apart from me) wants to
learn more about those heavy tomes on
methodology or teacher research, anyway?
Actually, according to the feedback I
get, quite a lot of people, which is very
encouraging. Under review on this occasion,
however, is Hall Houston’s latest which,
according to one reviewer on the back cover
is “a cornucopia of engaging and easy-to-
implement activities”. On reflection, how
can such reviews appear before the book is
even published? Anyway, after looking up the
meaning of cornucopia, I began to delve into
this title. And in case you’re still wondering,
‘cornu copia’ is the Latin for ‘horn of plenty’.
Hmm, let’s see.
At first glance, this is a slender, attractively
laid-out title, one running to a modest
but easily portable 135 pages. The three PHOTO BY PIXABAY
sections therein follow the wave tide of
the academic year: Getting Off to a Good
Start; Maintaining Motivation and Interest,
fun
and Ending the Semester Gracefully. Each
of these finishes with a brief section on
teaching tips. In fact, considering the author’s Making it fun
clearly immense classroom experience, I was
surprised at the brevity of some of those tips,
but take a look yourself and let me know,
maybe. Much more helpful are his comments
on recommended books, plus web resources There are plenty of ways to keep interest from flagging
and bibliography which appear at the end. It’s
always interesting to read an author’s honest in the classroom, as Wayne Trotman discovers
views on other authors’ works.
Hall Houston’s introduction is a refreshing
and engaging read, in which he outlines out, “Hey, you! Yes, you, the one with the One that caught my eye was Video Rant on
who this book is for, along with its three glasses.” Students at all levels like to know page 58, in which students are videoed while
themes that underpin the activities. The a few interesting facts about their teacher completing sentences such as, “I am sick and
context of the university campus is clearly and what better way to do this than via a tired of ...” and thus ranting. As suggested,
important, but of more importance, of course, true-false quiz that is outlined on page 10. playing the video back at a later stage will
are the dynamics of the group along with its I’m not so sure I would adopt the snowball prove fun.
stages of development. The third theme is fight icebreaker task that’s recommended The final part, Ending the Semester
active learning, defined as those tasks that on page 18, and which involves rolling up Gracefully, involves further motivating
seek to get students much more engaged pieces of A4 paper with questions on them tasks concerning reviewing, reflection and
during classes. Looking back on my 20 years and then hurling them at their classmates on leaving final messages. I love the idea of a
of teaching university preparatory classes, the other side of the room. But, hey, apart quiz that pits the teacher versus the class.
I could have done with this book much from those who could well suffer eye injuries, For many teachers, fun is something that
earlier, it would seem. I bet the students would enjoy that one. The takes place after lessons have finished for the
final section in this part suggests numerous day. But using tasks carefully chosen from
I’m not so sure activities that will enable students to better this cornucopia, because that’s what it really
is, fun should soon be on the weekly menu
know their campus and the syllabus. Full
I would adopt the marks thus far for this title. throughout the academic year.
The introduction to the second part,
snowball fight Maintaining Motivation and Interest,
icebreaker task contains valuable advice from the author to Wayne Trotman is
actually talk to the students and ask their
opinions on material the teacher might a teacher educator
Part one, Getting off to a Good Start, integrate into mid-semester lessons when at Izmir Katip
begins with several motivating tasks to energy levels tend to be low and absenteeism Çelebi University,
choose from, including learning each others’ on the increase. Many of the activities in this Izmir, Turkey.
names, which is always a good idea. It’s much part involve music and movement, which
better, of course, than constantly calling are key factors in the lives of late teenagers.
editorial@elgazette.com 29