Naming Game with gestures

        

         Hey everyone!

I have got a scholarship for a Brazilian English Teachers Program at the University of Arkansas in USA for 6 weeks. Here it goes some reflections about my experience here.

On the first day of the course, we played a naming game that I have never played before that was really interesting to get to know other people for the first time. At first I thought it was very childish and difficult, in a big circle, we were supposed  to create a gesture that would represent the sounds in the English language of my name or parts of my name to the other and repeat the names and gestures of the other people. I had many difficulties to think in a short time which sounds would represent mine, but I came up with something at least to represent Pat and not be totally embarrassed in front of everybody. lol

In the end, it wasn't difficult at all, but really fun. It was very nice to see people from different parts of the world, we are doing the course with some Iraqis, trying to pronounce Brazilian names, like Andre, Tulio and Lorena, and we Brazilians trying to pronounce their names in a very visual way. Much easier to remember and connect with a person in a unique.

The name game was really nice for me, because as an active person I love to move around. I always try to remember the name of my students, but with the game everything was so visual. I will definitely try to use with my students, but maybe I will have to adapt a little for basic students, because they do not have so much knowledge about the English sounds, but I think it will be fun when they see everybody moving. I hope it will work. 

I will give you feedback when I go back to Brazil. 

See ya!