19.3.10

Interviewing ACB basketball players

We have just done the most motiviting activity I have ever been involved in. We have interviewed three ACB basketball players who play for Ayuda en Acción Fuenlabrada: Gerald Fitch, who is the leader of the ACB top scorers classification, Chris Thomas and Nicoloz Tskitishvili, who has played in the NBA and Chris Thomas. This has been done thanks to the cooperation of Ayuda en Acción Fuenlabrada basketball club. They allowed us not only to interviewed them, but also use Fernando Martín Sports Center, mainly the court and the press room. We are really grateful for that.

This activity has provided real oral practice, both speaking and listening. It was necessary to practice and review all the sounds we have seen so far this year and to practice falling intonation in questions. Although most part of the interviews was controlled practice (the questions we had practiced in class), there was also open conversation (introductions, giving personal/group information, asking for pictures, autographs...).

Confidence has played an important part: students do not only have to speak in English but they have to do it with a famous basketball player whom they have seen on TV, newspapers or magazines. So, in order to be successful in the interview they must have confidence on themselves.

Motivation has been another important aspect as a result of having done this activity. There is an after and a before this activity. I know it has been incredible for most of you to have been understood in English and being able to have a short conversation in English.

In future posts, we are going to do some listening practice using the audio recordings of these interviews. But before that, and although we have done an evaluation sheet on the activity in class, I would like you to write a comment on this activity explaining what you have learnt and how you felt and referring to confidence and motivation.

Thank you.

Pictures taken by Alberto Hidalgo

5 comments:

  1. Congratulations!! Hope to listen to the audios soon...! Greetings from "Brunete".

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  2. It was the better activity that we have done in the subject, it was very funny and interesting, and the basketball players were very friendly. We have to repeat it.

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  3. It is a brilliant activity, is very interesting and emotive, I think that it has been an experience that would recommend to the whole world that it could.

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  4. I think this is the best activity that we have done until now. I like so much. this activity help us to practise English. Particulary, I want to repeat this activity, and if it is with the same player better jeje.
    kisses
    Yaiza

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  5. Hello!
    I ejoyed a lot in this activity.Althoug we worked hardly it had reward,we could speak with english players!I think,at the beginning,everybody was nervous,but the kindness of the players help us a lot.
    Of course, this activity has increased my motivation.
    Bye
    Marta Martínez

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