Lollipops for the classroom

I've just read Michelle Worgan's post on fossilization which I find really awsome in particular her practical ideas. I leave the LINK here because it's worth reading!

I'm quite fan of visual aids to get students react and act. Actually, I've used visual indicators to get the students focus on their mistakes and after reading this article I've redesigned them to fit Michelle's ideas on getting the students focus on their errors.

Who can use the lollipops?

Teachers to assess or point out the students' errors.

Students to assess peers.

Here you have how the lollipops look like:

Notice I've added a code on top of what each lollipop means.

Download them here if you wish, they are ready to print and cut up, and if you use them, I'd love to know how they work for you :)

Cooperate collaborate contribute who when how...

We teachers spend most of our time preparing lessons, designing activities, creating worksheets and handouts. Personally, I can spend a whole weekend preparing the perfect handout let's say on "the present simple". Then I come to class feeling I've done a great wonderful job, I deliver it to my students with a proud sense of contribution to their files.

But: How can I make sure they won't throw the handout to the bin???

Easy peasy!! When I cook a new dish (from time to time I like experimenting in the kitchen, I take a recipe book and voilà! I've cooked something brand new to my palate. My husband - poor him- is always my "guinea pig" but he's an excellent culinary critic. As I serve the plate, I wait a few minutes and ask him to rate my dish and tell me what things I could do to improve it (less salt, a pinch of pepper maybe, some garlic perhaps...)

So I thought it could be a great idea to ask my students "how to improve my handouts?" Bigger format, add some colour, include a chart... and Voilà! the perfect handout "ready to use" and more importantly, tested by my most demanding critics, comes out from the working oven and I can have the certainty it won't end up in the bin!