Exploiting subliminal perception - 3 of 3

Specific Examples

a. To teach the Present Simple:

Stand, or sit, all students in a circle, or circles. of nine to fifteen people (depending on the size of the class). The first student, to whom the teacher has given a playing ball, states what he likes. For example, he announces, "I like cheese boxes". He then throws the ball to another student in the circle, and this second student states: "John likes cheese boxes, and I like children The third student, on receiving the ball, will say: "John likes cheese boxes, Mary likes children, and I like chocolate ice cream." This accumulation game, which starts becoming lots of fun at about the seventh or eighth person, has the merit of completely sidetracking students from the real object of the exercise. Usually they are so surprised at being able to remember the order in which their classmates received the ball, and the object they must associate with each classmate, that they do not give the Present Simple a second thought. They just use it - correctly - without thinking.

b. To teach There is  and There are :

Pass around a tray. Have each student put a personal object on the tray. Some will contribute pens and keys, while others will give more original things such as whistles, nail files, etc. Give students 30 seconds to study the contents of the tray, and then cover it up. In pairs, have them list off to each other, orally, the hidden objects. Once again, they will be so intent on recalling the objects that their correct use of "There's a stamp" and "There are three coins" will only catch their attention peripherally.

c. To have students re-read a text:

Give them some pleasant, but extraneous, task to do, such as finding their favourite sentence on every page. That way, with their conscious attention occupied elsewhere, the actual subject matter will only be perceived on a peripheral  subsensorial level.