En elblogdetrinity.com recomendamos una variedad de ejercicios y buenas prácticas para la preparación de los exámenes de Trinity College London. En esta ocasión Richard Bradley (Teacher Trainer - Trinity College London Approved Service provider Spain and Portugal) compartirá una serie de post con recomendaciones y pautas muy interesantes para poner en práctica en clase.

TOPIC 1 - Hot seating (A2-C2 level) (Leer en español)

WHAT?  Hot seating (A2-C2 level).

HOW?  Students (or initially the teacher, to demonstrate) are interviewed by the rest of the class.  The students in the hot seat are in `role`, which they have prepared.  They are asked questions related to their role.

They could be characters from a book being studied in the class, characters from a film the class has watched, or famous people.

Example questions:

How old are you?  What`s your favourite colour?  What`s your daily routine?  What do you like doing in your free time?  Why did you…?  How did you feel when…?  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?  Do you wish you were/ had…?  How would you describe your relationship with …?    

WHY?  This is an inclusive activity with built-in differentiation because students can ask questions related to their own level of English.  It is a dynamic, authentic activity in which questioning skills are practiced and a deeper understanding of the characters/book/film/famous person is gained.

As students progress through the Trinity College London English language exams they are expected to take increasing responsibility for the maintenance of the interaction with the examiner.  For example, at GESE grade 5 (CEFR level B1.1) they have to ask the examiner at least one question about a subject area in the conversation phase, whereas at GESE grade 7 (CEFR level B2.2) they have to share responsibility for the maintenance of the interaction with the examiner in the conversation phase.  Therefore the ability to ask, and not only answer, questions, is a key element of the exams, and hot-seating is one motivating way to practice asking questions.

Hot-seating could be a stimulating and fun way to explore and develop a topic in general.  If the topic being covered in class, for example, is global environmental issues, which is a conversation phase subject area of GESE grade 9, maybe different animals or even plants can be interviewed.  This would generate lexis and a range of opinions, and probably lots of thinking out of the box.  And because it involves deeper thinking and creativity (as the students have to put themselves in the shoes of the characters) it should help in terms of memory too.