english4theworld teachers' centre image bank

SEASIDE IMAGE BANK

I WENT TO THE SEASIDE AND…

Ask everyone in the room (including yourself) to choose one of the seaside pictures. Remove any unwanted pictures, then ask the class to sit in a circle. To begin the activity, show your own picture (e.g. a deckchair) to the class and say aloud the following:

I went to the seaside and sat in a deckchair.

Explain that the learner on your right should now repeat your sentence, then add a phrase related to their own picture (e.g. an ice-cream). As they say this, they should show their picture. This learner, for example, might say:

I went to the seaside and sat in a deckchair, and then I ate an ice-cream.

Continue this procedure round the class (with play to the right) with each learner taking their turn at repeating the complete preceding sentence (with lots of help and prompts from the class if required) and adding a new phrase related to their own picture.

SEASIDE FEELINGS

Ask each learner to take a sheet of paper, turn it lengthways, and divide it into five equal columns. Dictate (or write on the board) the following headings for the five columns:

• I see
• I feel
• I smell
• I hear
• I taste

Show the first seaside picture, and explain that each learner should write the name of this item under the appropriate heading, according to how they most strongly perceive it. You should reassure your learners that there is no one correct answer!

When you have 'dictated' all the pictures you have selected, arrange learners in pairs of groups of three, and ask them to compare and discuss their 'answers'. If you wish, hold an open discussion with the whole class on their answers. It may give some indication as to the dominant sense in individual learners.

How have YOU used these pictures with your classes?
If you would like to suggest other ways to use them with learners, send us your ideas and we will publish them here.