It Happened to Me

Teacher tells a personal anecdote on a theme, then students share their own related stories.

Procedure

1. Choose an anecdote theme such as "stupid things I've done," "near accidents," "a nice surprise," or "if only..." stories.
2. Tell your anecdote to the class naturally -- tell it, don't read it. It will sound more natural and be easier to understand.
3. Listening often triggers memories. By the end, several students will want to share their own anecdotes. Invite them to tell their stories to the whole group.

Tips

• Good anecdote themes: losing things (documents, passports, keys), running away (from awkward situations), fear (of things, people, places), positive experiences (being lucky, the best present ever).
• The teacher's story provides live listening input; students' stories provide fluency practice.
• Follow-up: ask the class to choose one story and, in small groups, turn it into a written text to share -- adding writing and reading practice.
• The teacher can record their story for further listening, transcription, or language analysis.