This activity can be done by the entire class or in small groups. Read, Write, Read incorporates listening, reading comprehension, writing and language usage, and speaking skills. Choose a storybook that is about 10 pages in length with about 200 to 250 words per page. Have students take turns reading out loud, one page at a time. After each page, give students five minutes to write down, in as much detail as possible, what the page was about. Students should not be allowed to ask other students questions about the page they just heard. Make sure students keep pages in order as the story progresses by numbering them. Once the last pages have been written, ask the students to take turns reading aloud from their pages. This can be done in two ways: 1) a student can either read all the pages aloud he has written, or 2) students can alternate reading a single page observation from the book. A student reads what he observed from page one, the next reads what he observed from page two, and so on.
Write a list of 16 things you know at least one student has experienced, or something you know to be true of at least one person in the class, such as "likes popcorn," "has a pet snake," "had a broken arm," or "hates peas." Give each child a blank 8 ½-by-11 inch sheet of paper. Have them fold the paper in half four times so that when it is opened the paper is divided into 16 squares. Have the students write one item from the list at the bottom of each square. The object of this exercise is to be the first person to fill all of the squares with one name per square. This is done by the students asking and answering questions of each other. Treasure Hunt incorporates speaking, listening, fact finding and cooperation, as all students participate at the same time. Treasure hunt encourages active listening.
The five W's and H incorporates current events, listening skill and comprehension. Separate the class into small groups. Read the class an interesting article from the newspaper and then ask them questions based on the five W's and H -- who, what, when, where, why and how. Which group recalled the most details? Which group identified most closely the main theme of the article? Prizes or ribbons might be awarded.
Follow up the five W's and H by having students bring in an article from home that interests them. Separate the class into groups. Have the students take turns reading their article to the group and then ask their own five W's and H questions. Using a scale with a range of 1 to 10, have each student grade the group on how well they answered their questions. The group with the most points at the end of the exercise wins a special treat.
Introduction is a strong listening and speaking skills building activity. It incorporates planning, listening, comprehension and speaking. Separate the class into partners. Have each student write a list of interview questions, such as "Where were you born?" or "What is your favorite food?" Have the students take turns interviewing each other and then introduce their partner to the class. Students may take notes during the interview and then have a short time to look them over, but must not use them while making the introduction. Give an example of what a good introduction might sound like to give them an idea of what you expect to hear.