Sitting at the desk for 45 minutes can be really tedious for students. My teacher in secondary school had this saying: "Move your 'bottom' and your mind will follow". Last Thrusday I decided to try running dictation with my 5th-graders. Most of them were very enthusiastic about this exercise. 

I have to admit that I was enthusiastic, too. Running dictation combines: reading, speaking, listening and writing. It also develops vocabulary and grammar skills.

How did I do it?

1. I divided my students into two groups. I asked them to stand in two lines.
2. The first person in each group was the runner and the second person was the writer.
3.  I put two copies of a short text on the wall opposite two desks.
4. The runners in each group had to run to the wall, read the first sentence of the text, run back to the writers and quietly dictate what they remembered. Then they went to the end of the line.
5. When the writer wrote down the sentence, they became the runner and the next person in the line became the writer. 
6. When both teams were ready with the text, I swap their worksheets. They had to check them for mistakes.

We had so much fun with this activity. Next time we will try to do it in smaller groups or we will do it in the hall, so they will have to run.

Here are very simplified models of sentence structures with the present simple forms of the verbs "to be" and "to have got".

I teach mostly young learners. My students need a lot of visual aids while learning English. I usually explain different grammar structures using simple and familiar concepts, such as building blocks or toy trains. It works even with my 5th- or 6th-graders.

Here's a very simplified model of sentence structures with the past simple forms of the verb "to be".

Do you remember my Prezi about the verb "to be"? It wasn't finished in September, but recently I've added the past and the future. Now you can enjoy the full version.

For most of my students English grammar is boring and tricky. They think it's difficult to understand, even the basic concept of "to be" and "to have". When I was their age, I could agree with that.

Can we teachers make it simple? Can we make it understandable?

Try out my Prezi about the verb "to be". I started with the present.