CONTENT:

The activation phase - 1 of 4

When the students return to class the following day, they have re-read the dialogues at home twice: once the night before, just prior to falling asleep, and once that morning on waking up. These times have been found to be the times of day when receptivity is greatest.

Apart from the last half hour of class time - which I reserve for my passive concert - the entire day is devoted to the activation of the text presented the previous day. This activation takes the form of a quick succession of activities and games that are fast-moving, fun, varied, stimulating, and gratifying, where the emphasis is on communication rather than language. They are interspersed with songs and jokes that add to those constant changes in pace that miraculously make time seem to fly.