Go Creative and Interactive with TRIPTICO!

It is believed that a modern classroom is one where technological tools such as computers, projectors and mobile phones are used. However, many teachers blindly use these tools because they are available, and perhaps some teachers want to show off their exclusive talents as good users of technology in the 21st century. 

It is crucially important for teachers to know the rationale behind each activity used in the classroom and its educational value. In this post, I will shed the light on Triptico, more specifically the Find Ten activity, and I will explore the educational value that it adds to the language lesson.

Why use Find Ten in a language lesson?

Find Ten is a simple game where students are asked to find ten answers to a question related to the topic of the lesson. For instance, in a vocabulary lesson, this game can be used as a final activity which reminds the students of the vocabulary items which they have learned. Learners can be asked to find ten vocabulary items related to the class topic being studied such as body organs, weather vocabulary, furniture vocabulary, etc. What is particularly beneficial about the game is that the teacher can add a picture and/or a text which elaborates the answer and visualises language learning (look at the example above taken from one of the designed activities).

I have created a game called "Ten words which can replace "and"" (Click here to view the activity). This activity is designed for a lesson where students learn about connectors which can replace "and" in order to develop their writing skills. This kind of activity can be used at the end of a writing lesson to review the lesson and to remind the students of the new vocabulary they have learned. On top of that, It can be used at the beginning of another lesson to activate students' knowledge and to establish context for the new topic of the writing class. 

In addition to its effectiveness in reviewing a lesson and establishing context, Find Ten promotes interaction between students, for it uses visual effects as well as sound effects which exclusively attract the learners' attention and increase their involvement with the lesson. Moreover, when students are asked to accomplish a task, the whole class (or group if divided into groups) work together to select the correct answer, and during this process many discussions and negotiations eventually take place in the target language to allow learners to transmit knowledge to one another.

Suitability for the Palestinian Context

Most schools in Palestine these days are equipped with the necessary ICT tools and services such as internet connection, computers, and projectors. Hence, teachers of different subjects enjoy the chance of using these tools in their classrooms. Most games on Triptico, especially Find Ten, do not demand pricy and highly developed technological tools; the basic tools can be sufficient. Therefore, I believe that Triptico activities go well with the current technological levels in Palestinian schools.

Any points to consider?

Nevertheless, teachers need to be careful when using games which involve the entire class, for all the students are likely to shout out the answer at the same time, which means that the teacher might not be able to hear a student who may disagree with the majority of the students. Therefore, a teacher should make sure that the whole class agrees on one answer in the first place, and if more than one answer is given, it will be a great opportunity to negotiate the meaning and to hear more than one opinion before revealing the answer and justifying it.

All in all, the use of technological tools in language classrooms can facilitate language learning when used appropriately due to the high degree of engagement they offer. However, teachers need to have clear goals which they aim to achieve through the activity.