Workshop:the importance of the receptive stage

This workshop given by Jade Stevens, aimed at raising the participants' awareness of the importance of the receptive stage in language learning.
To do this, he taught us the names of 8 colours in Welsh and used a 6 activities to do this. Only the last 2 activities encouraged the students to actually produce the language. I must say that I was amazed at how effective this was - I still remember the names of most of the colours we saw!!

These were the 6 activities:
- Presenting the words. Associating the sound of the words with the 'objects' (in this case the colours). For this, Jade held up sheets of paper with the colours on them. He also created 'memory hooks' when possible (for example, the word for the colour blue is 'glass' in Welsh. He thus pointed to a window to create a very effective memory hook).
- He pointed to a colour and said the different names of the colours. He asked the ss to only stand up when they heard the correct word. Important: this was done as a whole group and this took the pressure off individual students.
- Group recognition: The 8 different coloured papers were placed in different parts of the classroom. When Jade read out the different names of colours, students had to point to the right paper.
- Individual recognition:In small groups, each student was given a coloured pen. When Jade read out the names of the colours, individual students had to hold up their pen.
- Controlled practice: students repeated the names of the colours.
- Musical pens: when the music stopped, students said the names of their colour (in turns).

Points to reflect upon: As teachers, we should not overload the students with too many words at the same time.
- We should introduce language through context.
- We should allow for students to only produce language when they feel ready.