A Simple Twist to Gamify “Write and Discuss”
We LOVE using Write and Discuss in our classes! It’s such a powerful language acquisition tool and a great zero-prep way to get started using comprehensible input in Spanish and French classes.
An example of using Write and Discuss to reinforce 1st person conjugation in context.
What exactly is Write and Discuss?
It’s a simple yet powerful activity where, in the last 5-7 minutes of class, you write about a topic from that day’s lesson. Asking for student input, you write 3-5 sentences in the target language that incorporate the key vocab and structures you are learning either on the whiteboard or on a doc projected to the class. Then, you read the sentences chorally in the target language and then in English, highlighting differences in syntax and linguistic features to reinforce grammar concepts. You can start it on the first day of school!
A Write and Discuss from the day when my sister’s birthday became the topic of my input.
Do students copy it down every day?
Ideally yes. If time allows, they copy it down, leaving space between lines. This serves as a great bellringer or study tool if you have them translate it into English the next day.
Do they complain?
Sometimes yes…because they are kids!
But fear not. Enter…the TWIST. Write and Discuss Bingo!
To keep things feeling fresh and engaging, I often gamify Write and Discuss. Instead of copying the sentences down into their notebooks, we write them in random boxes on blank Bingo boards (with 12 -16 boxes max). This works especially well if it’s a longer writing, such as summarizing a movie talk.
After the movie talk of Señor Wooly’s “Pan” video still shots, I gamified the Write and Discuss.
Either at the end of class or during short breaks, we stop and write on the bingo boards. By the end, each student has a unique grid filled out. (Did you notice you got them to write 3x as much and they barely noticed? Jajaja)
The following day, use these Bingo boards to review the content. Call out the sentences either in Spanish or English, prompting students to reread and reinforce their understanding.
Try out this gamified Write and Discuss Bingo for a fun twist. Sign up for the blog newsletter below and download free bingo templates to use tomorrow!
Wishing you all the best,
Catherine
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