I teach high school. This lesson has worked for me for low- to high-level students.
It takes about 40 minutes, so you'll need to supplement. With some classes, I can just talk to them at the start and end of class. Other classes, I need to give students a puzzle or riddle or something. With my super-low-level class, I just showed them a video at the end of class.
Split the students into groups of four. Explain that one student will be the artist. Ask students to choose the artist now, then give each artist a B4 sheet of paper.
I make my students move their desks, so that, in their groups, they are facing each other.
I say, "I have a picture." Do not show the students the picture. Choose an interesting picture/photograph.
Explain/demonstrate: one student from each group will come out into the hallway. I explain to these folks one part of the picture: for instance, there is a street. On the street is a bear. In front of the bear is a fish. The bear wants the fish. These students listen and then go back into the classroom and relay the information in English to the artist, who draws. During the relay, wander around and help students, by which I mean, listen to them explain in their own way, then repeat how to relay the information more fluently. "Street. Street on, there is bear." Yeah, there is a bear on the street.
Another student from each group comes outside to get the next part of the picture. They listen, remember, go back and relay. A third student comes out and then relays. Then the artist comes out and relays to a new artist. You can do as many relays as you want. More than four, though, and the drawings start to get messy.
Relays become more difficult as they progress. The bear on the street might be the first. Then it's: behind the bear is a family of four. The father has his arms crossed and wears sunglasses. The mother... and on.
Basically, you're asking the students to memorize parts of a story. They're not memorizing the language so much. They're remembering the elements, then practicing expressing those elements.
I think it's great practice. Do harder relays and more details for more advanced students.
After students finish the drawings, show them what each group has done. Make your comments. Choose the best drawing.
So ends part one. Right now, it's been maybe 30 minutes. To fill the rest of class, I make the winning group (best drawing) come to the board. Each person gets chalk and a small space on the board. It's a blind drawing. They close their eyes and prepare to draw.
I start. "You should draw a beautiful lady." They draw. Then I choose a student in the audience to add. They should say what and where: "Next to the beautiful lady, you should draw a pencil." Someone said pencil in one class. Some students will be more interesting/nutty with their items. Draw a hot-dog on a dragon, I think I had yesterday.
This is part two and takes maybe ten minutes before the board's a mess.
I've done this with high-level students and really low-level. Both enjoyed and stayed engaged. It's hard for them sometimes. My students know so many words, but asking them to produce ideas and form sentences is really difficult for them. Like, my lowest-level class. Boy knew what "differentiation" meant, then couldn't effectively communicate to someone else that he likes movies.
Anyway, I had success. Hope someone can take away something.
