Cut Up Text

Preparation:

This is simply a technique for giving the text to the SS, which is more interesting and challenging than merely giving them a photocopied page and asking them to read it. T prints a copy of the lesson text for each group or pair, then cuts each one into 8-10 pieces.

Method:

1. T pre-teaches the most difficult vocabulary words from the text (if necessary).

2. SS race to see which group can be the first to put the text back into the correct order.

3. One SS from each group reads part of the completed text aloud.

4. T asks different SS to say how they were able to put the text together, e.g. the first piece of text looked like the beginning because of a phrase like “It was a cold winter’s day and…” Or, two pieces had to fit together because one ended and the other started with part of a noun or verb phrase, and so on.

Tip:

  • T should cut both the top edge of each piece of text and the bottom, so that SS cannot simply fit the page back together by the shapes of the pieces! SS should have to read the different pieces of text to be able to fit them together.