The Internet TESL Journal

An Adaptable Four-skill ESL Information-gap Activity

Adam Murray
murray74 (at) nifty.com
Tokyo Denki University (Tokyo, Japan)

Introduction

This is a four-skill activity that gives students the opportunity to review grammar structures and vocabulary with information that is of personal interest. 

Preparation

  1. Collect personal information from teachers that the students know (Appendix 1)
  2. Select 5 pieces of information about each teacher.
  3. Write the selected information on the teacher information sheet (Appendix 2) using complete sentences.
  4. Paste the teacher information sheet to a piece of colored paper.
  5. Repeat Steps 2 – 4 for each teacher.
  6. Print a copy of the student worksheet for each student (Appendix 3).

Procedure

  1. Divide the students into small groups.
  2. Distribute the worksheets.
  3. Put the teacher information sheets face down at the front of the classroom.
  4. A member from each group is given one minute to memorize the information from one teacher information sheet.
  5. The members return to their groups and dictate the information to the other members of their groups.
  6. Steps 4 – 5 are repeated until each member has had two turns.
  7. As a class, the sentences about each teacher are checked.
  8. The groups are given a few minutes to decide the identities of the teachers and write them on their worksheets.
  9. As a class, check the identities of the teachers.

Comments

Although this is a simple information-gap activity, my students really enjoyed learning “secret” information about their teachers.  This activity can be done with information for only 3 or 4 teachers, but works smoothest when there is the same number of information sheets as groups. Also, the information collected can be adapted as necessary.

Appendix 1 – Sample Teacher Survey

Name
                                                                                                 
Hometown
Pet
Favorite Food
Favorite Sport
Disliked Food
Disliked Sport
Disliked Animal
Countries Visited
Dream


Appendix 2 – Sample Teacher Information Card

Teacher #1 (Green)
1.
                                                                                                                                       
2.
3.
4.
5.


Appendix 3 – Student Worksheet

Teacher #1 (Green)
1.
                                                                                                                                       
2.
3.
4.
5.

Teacher #2 (Blue)
1.
                                                                                                                                       
2.
3.
4.
5.

Teacher #3 (Purple)
1.
                                                                                                                                       
2.
3.
4.
5.

Teacher #4 (Brown)
1.
                                                                                                                                       
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November 2006
http://iteslj.org/
http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Murray-InformationGap.html