Tag Archives: power point

Present.me – fabulous!

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Present.me is a real cool, “new” way to share your teaching online. It is simple and effective. I’ve been testing it out and it works like a charm! A really exciting tool.

What is it?

It is just a simple power point set beside a video recorded through your webcam. That’s it! Record up to 90 min free and save up to 10 lectures/lessons free. (and I’d just keep deleting as needed unless you really want to get into this). You don’t even need a cam, just use audio if you wish (though you’d be under utilizing it). The only one wrinkle I see is in not allowing private settings for free members. I think this shouldn’t be part of a pricing model.

The functionality is superb. Takes a little time for the power point to convert but you can use a clicker to advance the slides – this means you can get away from the monitor/computer and step back when recording the video.

I’ll be giving a a lecture at this weekend’s Kotesol National conference by skype. But I’ll be sure to record on Present.me for all who can’t attend. Still in beta – I can’t wait until it is “out there”. All sorts of great uses enabling teachers to reach a much wider audience and those students who can’t/couldn’t attend classes. Try it, you’ll like it. Just don’t be camera shy!

The #1 …. ( review game)

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Number One** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1.
BAAM

I created this power point game a few years ago and since then, it has become a classic. Most visited resource on EFL Classroom 2.0 with combined downloads of 30,000! That’s a lot of BAAM games floating out there.

It is the perfect way for teachers to review their course content. Just put in your own questions / prompts into one of 3 templates (mini(10), medium (15) large (25)) and you’ll have a great time with students. Even better – get the students to prepare a BAAM game to play in class.

baam I came up with the idea after being told many times by teachers that  the standard Jeopardy game was okay but the lower level students just lost interest and “tuned out”. I wondered to myself how I could create a simple game that would have an element of unexpected chance so to keep the attention of lower level (quite bewildered by a second language) students. BAAM was born. Even up to the last question, you don’t know which team has won.

One tip – get one student on each team to be their team’s scorekeeper or appoint someone to do it on the board. You are too busy doing other things as the teacher.

You can also play the low tech, non power point version of BAAM. Get all the materials, instructions – HERE.

Get instructions and all the BAAM games. Get all the games in our Power point Resources (thousands of already made games) on EFL Classroom 2.0 . Also – a close second is Fling the Teacher!

The #1 …. (conversation game)

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Number One** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1.

Pass the Paper

There are many conversational games but I have found none so popular and powerful as “Pass the Paper”.

We have many pre made Pass the Paper games on EFL Classroom 2.0 but you can also do it low tech, without a powerpoint. However, I like the ppts because you can just set a slide transition interval and it takes care of itself and you are free to wander the classroom – helping, monitoring.


What is it? Basically, the students are in a group with one crumpled piece of paper among them. The music plays and they “Pass the Paper” . When the music stops, the one with the paper must do something preset by the teacher. It can be many things.


1. Answer the question on the ppt.


2. Do something the group asks.

3. Answer a question the group asks (with target language the teacher has on the board. ie. Have you ever ……?)

4. Finish a sentence or expression on the powerpoint.
5. Truth or Dare (for higher levels).

I’ve used this game to good effect at workshops as an icebreaker. See below and example of the many available in our resources.


Try “Pass the Paper”, it really lowers the affective filter of students and gets them relaxed and learning English without even knowing it!

Finish It Off! – PTP game (full screen)

The #1 …. (ppt vocabulary game)

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Number One** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1.

TOP 5

TOP 5 is a power point game I made years ago and which I’ve received countless letters/emails in thanks. Really glad I made it and it is super engaging for students in the class. See below, a video a teacher made, showing the game in action! You can see how the students get more and more into the game as it goes along.

Basically, it is like the old Family Feud game. Students can either have a worksheet (preferred) to record their answers and score, or not. They are given a category and brainstorm their Top 5 answers while the “thinking song” plays. They have to be quick! Then, the answers are revealed and each individual scores. A group leader gets the score for the whole team and it is recorded. Continue playing as many rounds as desired.

A simple but fantastic vocabulary game! Get all the recently redesigned games in our Powerpoint game section on EFL Classroom 2.0! Instructions and worksheet included. Here’s a sample game. TOP 5 ELEMENTARY 2        THE TOP 5 worksheet

P.S. It is easy to play this low tech. Just print the slides (File – Print – Print Preview – x slides / page) and get the answers from the notes area in the powerpoint (right click each slide, select “notes”).

Tell us how you play Top 5 in your classroom!