NEWSPAPERS are a useful tool in the ELT classroom for improving students’ reading skills and enhancing their knowledge of current affairs. If used in an inspiring way, newspapers can help students develop not only reading skills but also writing, grammar, vocabulary and speaking skills. Here are some activities to guide you.
* Guess the headline
Step 1: Cut out a number of headlines and from each one remove an interesting word (e.g. Missing Painting Found In _______).
Step 2: Stick the incomplete headlines on a piece of paper, photocopy and distribute to teams of four students.
Step 3: Ask each team to come up with two possible answers for each headline: the most likely word and the funniest word.
Step 4: Collect all the answers and give each team a point for any correct answer, and for the funniest answers.
Step 5: Get everyone involved by holding a vote for the funniest answer for each headline.
* Guess the article
Step 1: Select an interesting newspaper article, preferably one which involves an exciting / unusual story.
Step 2: Choose eight key words from the article and write them on the blackboard.
Step 3: Ask students to work in teams of four to come up with a story including these words.
Step 4: When they have finished, read out the original article.
Step 5: Get students to read aloud their own versions — this can create a lot of laughs!
* Gossip
Step1: Choose tabloid newspapers involving a bit of scandal about famous people.
Step 2: Teach students useful phrases for chatting or gossiping, e.g. “Have you heard about...?”“Did you know that...?” “Guess what?”
Step 3: Ask students to choose an article of their choice, underline or jot down important parts of the article and report it to a friend.
Step 4: Ask students to go round the class, chatting with different people about their news article. You could also teach students some useful phrases for responding, e.g. “Really? I don’t believe it!” “Are you joking?” “How / when did it happen?”
