Passion for English

by Ray Naibaho

    Teachers of English as foreign language need to create a pleasant atmosphere in the class room and awaken the students' interests. I suggest the use of the drawings. The following activity makes all the students very active, even those who are usually shy and feel uncomfortable if they make mistakes, because it gets them involved in thinking about the good things in English
    

First, get the class in the right mood when you begin the lesson by telling them you are very glad to see them healthy, strong  and happy. Then you can tell them that English may be difficult at times, but in class you are not going to talk about problems. Tell them what English means for you. You could also use the quotation such as "English is love, enjoy it." 

After a brief discussion have the students read the following poem " English" by Cappucino. You ask your students to read the poem by heart.
   

   English is a challenge, meet it.
    English is a duty, complete it.
    English is a game, play it.
    English is a promise, fulfill it.
    English is a song, sing it.
    English is a struggle, accept it.
    English is a dream, realize it.
    English is an adventure, dare it.
    English is costly, care for it.
          English is life, fight for it.

Make sure all the students understand the meaning of the poem then ask the students to chant the poem in group or in pairs. you can tap the table to control the beat. Then ask the students to choose their favorite line from the poem and create a drawing to illustrate  the line. They will need material such as paper, colored marker, and pencil. They can also cut photos from magazine s and glue them into their illustration.
We want the students to be able to communicate with each other and people outside the classroom, in socially acceptable ways. Using this poem and creating drawing about it can help them share their passion in English.