It has always been a challenge to teach the 1pm - 2.30pm time slot because it's the time of the afternoon when most of the students are feeling drowsy and tired from the afternoon heat, and they are simply looking forward to dismissal. I can understand how they feel. Much as I would like to make the lesson light, sometimes (or rather most of the time), out of no choice, lessons still have to be heavy-going (lots of drill and practice) to prepare students for their national exams.

Today, I thought I should try to be a little more adventurous and do something new with the class. To kill two birds with one stone, I tried to teach techniques for picture discussion with drama in order to liven up the lesson and perhaps, to rise up to the MOE's call to 'Teach Less Learn More' (keke!).

I got them into groups and they posed one another questions about the picture and I integrated drama into the lesson by getting the students to put up a skit based on the picture. The whole rationale was to illicit some personal responses from them on what they thought the characters in the picture might be thinking or feeling through the use of 'Tap and Speak', and to suggest possibilities on what would happen after the picture was taken in the form of a skit. It was a picture depicting a photographer taking picture of some kids with Ah Meng in the zoo. The students played the role of either the kids or Ah Meng. As for me, I played the role of the photographer.

Well, I have a few drama queens and kings in my class, who are pretty fun-loving. Some of them were really spontaneous and we had a good laugh over some of their creative responses and skits. Here are some of the funny shots that were taken.