Edudiary2.0

September or Shawal is the first month of the new academic . This is a great time to consider ways to liven up the classroom for your students’ sake as well as your own. What kinds of changes can create positive energy and foster a sense of renewed commitment to language study?



A new wall display.
I know that most teachers in KSA don't have their own classes but that can not stop you from making the most of what you have . Think for 10 minutes . Are your walls bare? Or have you had the same displays up long enough that you yourself no longer take notice of them? Time for an update. How about setting goals? I can’t stress enough the value of doing this.If the students are aware of their common goals, they can support each other. Also, one’s student’s goal may inspire another to achieve the same thing. If such goals are posted, you can more easily bear them in mind as the teacher. Another suggestion is spreading positive messages through"Wall of Proverbs"

Okay, if you’re short on space or in auditorium with immovable desks, this isn’t possible. However, if you do have the option of designing your own seating arrangement, you might consider trying out clusters as opposed to rows or using two semicircles rather than one large horseshoe formation. If your room is set up with whiteboards on more than one wall, you can keep the same arrangement but make a 45° or 180° turn. The idea is to create a sense of newness yet still have a practical workspace. Think about what will promotes interaction among the students yet allows them to focus on you during a presentation.


If you don’t have a designated space for student resources, it’s time to create one. You can use a basket or a bucket to put in your resources(The price ranges from 8 to 10 SR). The basics include dictionaries, both a standard copy and a learner’s edition. A few paperback novels (even with old publication dates), news papers , magazines , games , puzzles ,etc can still offer language practice to students in their free time.


Sounds silly, yet simple things like plants and a subtle air freshener can create a welcoming environment. (Just be wary of strong fragrances. Some students may have allergies.) Find your happy medium between an institutional setting and “home sweet home”. Scrapbook or photos on your wall can add character and serve as conversation starters .They can also be functional. Do you play language games which require students to draw slips of paper? Bring in an old decorative tea canister or cookie jar for this use.

Try something new each month. In shawal, every Tuesdays can be joke day. You start your Tuesday lesson by telling a joke (and see if the students get it). Encourage them to retell it to another person that day. In Thul Quida , Wednesdays can be the day you share the riddle of the week. On Saturdays, you see if anyone solved it. As for the other months? Try tongue twisters, anagrams, and more. The idea is to encourage playfulness with and in the target language, all of which is conducive to communication.