Applying five minute warm up activities in teaching lessons 1 getting started (unit 1 unit 5), new english textbook 11

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

APPLYING FIVE-MINUTE WARM UP ACTIVITIES
IN TEACHING LESSONS 1. GETTING STARTED
(UNIT 1-UNIT 5), ENGLISH TEXTBOOK 11

Author: Nguyen Thi Hoa
Position: Teacher
Subject: English


THANH HOA, 2019


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale
1.2. Aims of the study
1.3. Objects of the study
1.4. Methods of the study
1.5. New ideas of the study
2. CONTENTS OF THE STUDY
2.1. Theoretical background

2.1.1. What is a warm-up activity?
2.1.2. Some popular five-minute warm up activities in

teaching English.
2.2.
2.3.

Practical background

Applying five-minute warm up activities in teaching
lessons 1. Getting started (Unit 1 - Unit 5), New
English textbook 11.

2.4. Results of applying method
3. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
Reference books

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale.
Up to now, English which is used popularly in Vietnam is an indispensable
international language. English is one of the compulsory subjects at high
schools. It has been used for Final Examinations to evaluate students’ level of
knowledge. Therefore, whether students are proficient at English or not. Being
proficient at English means students are good at both received skills – reading
and listening, and productive skills – speaking and writing. These four skills are
integraded in a lesson to improve all these skills for the students because one
certain skill can be used to improve the others. But it is very hard for students to
begin learning English. Therefore, it is necessary to have good English teaching
and learning methods and techniques.
To make students interested in a new lesson is very important for teachers,
especially English teachers. How must teachers do that? This is the
responsibility of all teachers! Warm – up activities are the ways in which
teachers can take interest, encourage the students and prepare them to learn by
stimulating their minds and their bodies. Warm – up activities are essential
teaching techniques for good teachers and trainers. But how do English teachers
in high schools apply these activities?
There are many ways to make good warm – up activities at high schools.
However, it is a matter of fact that finding the most suitable and excellent warmup for each lesson is not easy and many teachers find it rather time-consuming.
Therefore, instead of using a five-minute warm up or ice breaker, they usually
start new lessons immediately to save their time and effort.
Basing on these facts, I present the theme “Applying five-minute warm
up activities in teaching Lessons 1. Getting started (Unit 1 - Unit 5), New
English textbook 11” that I have applied in teaching English for many years
with the aim of helping students focus on English at High school.
1.2. Aims of the study

My theme focuses on making clear about some issues below:
- What is a warm-up activity?
- How many popular five-minute warm up activities are there in teaching
English?
- How are five-minute warm up activities applied in teaching lessons 1.
Getting Started, new English textbook 11.
1.3. Objects of the study
11th grade students in classes 11A1 and 11A4 in Hoang Hoa 4 High school,
Thanh Hoa province are the objects chosen for my study. The students are in the
second year of high school, tending to focus only on their main subjects in the
National Examination and English is not really their interest; therefore, they
complete the tasks in their English text book in a passive way.
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1.4. Methods of the study
In order to collect a number of information, compare, and then, analyse
data my study is conducted by qualitative methods. By using the combination of
these methods, my theme will make clear the questions in this topic, and reach
effectively the targets of the essay.
1.5. New ideas of the study
Only with five minutes to start new lessons are students motivated by
warm-up activities applied. These activities make students pay more attention to
their lessons and, as a consequence, the lessons become more attractive and
students can comprehend knowledge better.
2. CONTENTS OF THE STUDY
2.1. Theoretical background
2.1.1. What is a warm-up activity?
According to Allwright , warm-up activities are designed to attract
students’ attention, to help them put aside distracting thoughts, and to get them

ready to focus individually and as groups on whatever activities that follow.
They will cause people to stop whatever they are doing or thinking and refocus
their attention. We could say a warm up activity is a motivating starting point
that will lead students to become animated to work efficiently in the language
class. It was the activity used to encourage students’ involvement and permeate
the development of the whole lesson, so we avoided looking at them as isolated
activities. These kinds of activities might also be called zealous, enthusiastic or
suggestive activities.
“Warm up is an effective way to help the students begin to think in English
and to review previously introduced material. Different types of warm ups help
provide variety and interest in the lesson.” (p.vi). A warm up to prepare students
for a period of concentration may involve physical movement with activities that
keep them active by standing up, walking, jumping, matching pictures with
sentences or vocabulary, drawing or writing personal experiences or stories, and
singing or listening to familiar songs and chants. These are, among others,
enjoyable and motivating warm ups.
Diagram 1 shows some of the principles that a teacher must consider when
preparing a warm up activity.
The principles contained in this diagram make us realize that warm up
activities are not only processes to begin the class, but tools that help us catch
students’s attention. If you start with an exciting and interesting activity you can
be sure the other steps can be developed easily. This warm up must also be short
(should last about 5 minutes) because it is like a preparation for the other class
stages. That is why it has to be related with the topic and centered in
communicative aspects which could involve activities that emphasize the
practice of different skills.
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Go at the

beginning
of the class
Be short

Be related to
the topic

Principles for
warming up
activities

Be useful to

continute the
class

Focus
student’s attention

Be an
interesting
and
enjoyable
activitiy

Help
students
begin to
work
Prepare

students for a
period of
concentration

Diagram 1. Aspects to be considered in a warm up activity.
In addition, a warm up must be prepared taking into account the students’
learning styles. According to Cardenas (2001), “Students learn best when they
can address knowledge in ways that they trust. They will learn best through
doing, rather than reflecting”.
Learning English highly depends on students’ positive attitude toward the
class. Consequently, learning must be stimulating and enjoyable through
breaking what might cause monotony in this process and strengthening what
makes tasks more interesting, as well as what increases students’ involvement.
The use of warm - up activities implies features as the ones previously described
in order to get students’ attention, to make them interested in what is going on,
to focus on language items and to increase learners’ expectations by consciously
arranging the conditions in a way that they put the learners in a more positive or
optimistic mood.
2.1.2. Some popular five-minute warm up activities in teaching English.
Depending on the contents of the lesson and students, teachers should
design a suitable five-minute warm up for each lesson. Below are some warm
ups often used to start a new lesson.
2.1.2.1. Guessing topic.
2.1.2.1.1. Hangman
This classic game is a favourite one for all students but it can get boring
quite quickly.
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Teacher thinks of a word related to the topic of the lesson and write the

number of letters on the board using dashes to show many letters there are.
He/she asks students to suggest a letter. If it appears in the word, write it in all
of the correct spaces. If the letter does not appear in the word, write it off to the
side and begin drawing the image of a hanging man. Teacher continue until the
students guess the word correctly (they win) or you complete the diagram (you
win).

2.1.2.1.2. Jumbled word
This is a great game to encourage team work and bring a sense of
competition to the classroom.
Teacher gives students some jumbled words related to the topic of the
new lesson. Students must rearrange them in the correct order.
2.1.2.1.3. Guessing topic
Teacher divides class into some small groups and delivers the list of items
related to the topic of the lesson to groups. Students discuss in groups. The
group first guessing the topic is the winning group.
2.1.2.2. Describing the picture
Show a picture and have students take turns saying one descriptive thing
about it. Beginners can make simple observations like “three cats” while
advanced students can make up a story to go with the picture. They aren’t
allowed to repeat what someone else said, so they need to pay attention when
each person speak. Variation for individual: take turns with the teacher.
2.1.2.3. Shark attack
Teacher uses the template to present a new learning topic. This activity is
a variation on the popular Hangman warmer. Instead of building a set of
gallows and hanging the villain, a boy or a girl moves down the steps and falls
into the mounth of a waiting shark.

4

2.1.2.4. Sing a song or play the music song
If you’re musically inclined, or even you’re not, song can be a lively way
to get everyone involved.
2.1.2.5. Finding information
2.1.2.5.1. Brainstorm race
A brainstorm race is a great way to review topics you’ve already covered,
and have some energizing fun in the process. Divide the class into two teams or
more. Teacher gives a topic and asks learners to think of anything related to it.
They will have about 30 seconds to brainstorm and list as many items as they
can in a certain amount of time-without speaking. Each student must write his
or her ideas on the board or paper you’ve provided. The team with the most
ideas after the prescribed time wins that round.
Ask the winning team to present their ideas. Ask remaining teams to add
any ideas the winning missed and to correct any mistakes the winning team
may have made.
2.1.2.5.2. Networks
Teacher draws a network on the board with the topic of the lesson in the
middle of the network. Teacher asks students to work in two or four groups to
find information related to the theme.
2.1.2.5.3. Lucky number
Teacher divides the class into two teams and lets them name their team.
Teacher asks teams to choose the number. If they choose the number that is
lucky, they will not have to answer the question but they still get mark. In
contrast, if they choose the number that have a question, they will have to
answer that question. At the end of the game, the team getting the highest mark
will be a winner.

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2.1.2.5.4. Chatting
Teacher asks students questions relating to the content of the new lesson.
Students give their ideas. From this information, teacher leads to the new
lesson.

2.1.2.5.5. Kim’s game
This is the memory game. It helps students find out the information for
the new lesson. Teacher divides the class into two teams. Let students see a
picture with objects or 8-10 words, word phrases related to the topic of the
lesson in 20 seconds. Students must remember them without writing. After that,
students go to the board and write down all the objects or the words, word
6


phrases they can remember. The team which has the most objects or the words,
word phrases is the winner.
2.1.2.6. Remind knowledge
2.1.2.6.1. Bingo

Distribute to each student one 5x5 Bingo card with a vocabulary word
typed into each square. If teacher have time, he/she could distribute blank
Bingo card and present the students with a list of vocabulary words they should
recognize. The students write in the words themselves to practice writing.
Draw a randon word card from a bag and call out the word (alternatively,
Teacher could show the students a picture that corresponds with a vocabulary
word). The students search for the written word on their cards and cross it off.
Continue until a student calls out, “Bingo!”. This student is the winner.
Again, students can only call out, “Bingo!” when they have crossed out five
boxes in a row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

2.1.2.6.2.
Matching
Teacher asks students to match words in column A with their meanings in
column B, words in column A with pictures in column B or a half of sentence
in column A with its rest half in column B, …
2.1.2.6.3.
Crossword puzzle
Teacher asks students to work in pairs or groups. He/She gives them a
“crossword” and asks students to find the objects related to the lesson.
2.1.2.7.Other five-minute warm up activities.
What and where, slap the board, survey, true/false statement, picture drill,
find someone who, chain game, gap fill, hot seat, mystery object, nought and
crosses, …
2.2. Practical background
Hoang Hoa 4 high school is located in Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa
province. It was built in 1989. At present, school has 32 classes with nearly
1.500 students.
Almost all students in the school live in the countryside and do not have
many opportunities and conditions to practice English regularly as well as take
part in extra English classes. Although they are studious and obedient students,
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they do not raise the sense of initiative in learning English. They need the
teacher’s help. If a teacher uses a five-minute warm up, which is a short, fun
game, he/she can encourage the students, wake them up - first thing in the
morning and after lunch they are often a little sleepy, mark the shift when
students have finished one subject before starting on a new topic. Furthermore,
a five-minute warm up helps learners put aside their daily distractions and
focus on English. If they haven’t used English all day, they may take a little

while to shift into it. Warm-ups also encourage whole class participation which
can build a sense of community within the class.
We all know that starting the lesson with a good hook activity sets us up for
a better chance of success. It captivates the students and draws them into the
lesson – giving us the opportunity to “do our thing”! A warm up at the
beginning of the lesson takes only five minutes but it brings us a variety of
benefits as I presented above.
2.3.Applying five-minute warm up activities in teaching Lessons 1.
Getting started (Unit 1 - Unit 5), English textbook 11.
Below are some five-minute warm ups I have used in teaching new English
lessons, English text book 11 in the last few years, many teachers can also
apply them in their teaching.
2.3.1. Application 1.
Unit 1. THE GENERATION GAP
LESSON 1: GETTING STARTED
Warm up
2.3.1.1. Hangman.
Teacher thinks of the phrase word “the generation gap” and writes 18
letters on the board using dashes to show. He/She asks students to suggest a
letter. If students suggest the letters: g, t, e, h, r, t, i, n, o, a and p, write it in all of
the correct spaces. If students suggest other letters, write them off to the side and
begin drawing the image of a hanging man. Teacher continues until the students
guess the word correctly.
THE GENERATION GAP
B,Q,C,Y,F
3

1
2

2
5

4
5

2.3.1.2. Network.
5555
Teacher draws a network on555the board with the topic of the lesson. After
that, he/she asks students to work in groups of four to complete the network
about some words relating to the topic.
Conflict
8


Nuclear family

Extended family

Generation gap
2.3.1.3. Jumbled word.

Childcare
Viewpoint

Teacher divides the class into four groups and gives some jumpled words
related to the topic “our families”:
1. ofitcnlc
2. xeddaiyetnefml
3. nceraiyulafml

4. cidaehlcr
5. wepitiwon
6. eeainagnrtogp
Suggested answer:
1. conflict
2. Extended family
3. Nuclear family
4. Childcare
5. Viewpoint
6. Generation gap
2.3.1.4. Matching
Teacher asks students to match a word or word phrase in column A with
its corresponding picture in column B.
A
B
a.
1. Extended family

2. Generation gap

b.
9


3. Conflict

c.

4. Nuclear family

d.

5. Childcare

e.
Suggested answer:
1.b 2.a 3.e 4.c 5.d
Lead-in: We are going to listen to a conversation between two friends about the
generation gap and family rules
2.3.2. Application 2.
Unit 2. RELATIONSHIPS
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LESSON 1. GETTING STARTED
Warm-up.
2.3.2.1. Describing the picture.
Teacher shows some pictures about Romantic relationships and asks
students to describe them.

Teacher can give some questions to make this activity easier:
1. What are the pictures about?
2. What can you see in the pictures?
3. Should a student start a romantic relationship with a boy or a girl?
4. What are we going to learn today?
Suggested answers:
1. They’re about romantic relationships.
2. We can see two persons, a boy and a girl. They are getting involved in
romantic relationships.
3. No, she/he shouldn’t. If she/he falls in love with someone, it will

distract her/his attention from studying.
4. We are going to learn some vocabularies related to relationships.
2.3.2.2. Play the music song
Teacher plays the music song “Love story”. The song is a lively way to
get everyone involved.

11


/>After students listen to the piece of music, teacher asks them some
questions:
1. What is the song about?
2. What can you see in the video?
3. What are we going to learn today?
Lead-in: You are going to listen a conversation between Mai and her grandma
about the topic of romantic relationships.
2.3.3. Application 3.
Unit 3. BECOMING INDEPENDENT
LESSON 1. GETTING STARTED
2.3.3.1. Kim’s game
Teacher divides the class into two teams. Let students see a picture with 8
phrases related to the topic of the lesson in 20 seconds. Students must
remember them without writing. After that, students go to the board and write
down all the phrases they can remember. The team which has the most phrases
is the winner.
AN INDEPENDENT PERSON
Being self-reliant
Being determined
Can be trusted
Able to make decisions quickly

Having a lot of knowledge
Being confident
Not allowing any difficulties to prevent you
Can rely on

12


2.3.3.2. Guessing topic
Teacher divides class into some small groups and delivers the list of items
related to the topic of the lesson to groups. Students discuss in groups. The
group first guessing the topic is the winning group.

self-reliant

Topic of the
lesson?

determined

confident

Lead-in: You are going to know more about the topic of becoming independent
2.3.4. Application 4.
Unit 4. CARING FOR THOSE IN NEED
LESSON 1. GETTING STARTED
2.3.4.1. Guessing game.
Teacher divides the class into six groups, shows the back of a picture of
disabled people and gives some information about the picture. Students discuss
in groups. The group first guessing the picture is the winning one.

The back of the picture
Some information about the picture:
1. They can’t hear.
2. They can’t walk.
3. They see nothing.
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4. They need a lot of help to get around.

The front of the picture
Expected answer:
The picture is about disabled people.
2.3.4.2. Chatting.
Teacher asks students some questions about the picture in the textbook
and students give their ideas.

The picture in the textbook
1. What can you see in the picture?
2. What are the students doing?
3. Who do you think some gifts are being prepared for?
4. Are the students in the picture happy or not?
Suggested answers:
1. I see four students and many gifts.
2. They are preparing some gifts.
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3. I think they are being prepared for students who need help.

4. Yes, they are very happy.
Lead-in: You are going to learn about helping students in need.
2.3.5. Application 5.
Unit 5. BEING PART OF ASEAN
LESSON 1. GETTING STARTED
* Warm-up:
2.3.5.1. Brainstorming.
Teacher divides class into two groups and has students brainstorm words and
phrases related to ASEAN’s – its aims, member states and activities to answer
the question “What do you know about ASEAN?”. They will have about 3
minutes to brainstorm and list as many words and phrases as they can in a
certain amount of time without speaking. After three minutes, a representative of
each group writes the words and phrases on the board. The group with more
words and phrases wins.

ASEAN

Aims
* improving member
states’economies
* maintaining regional
peaces and stabilities.

Member states

* Vietnam
* Thailand
* Singapore
* Philippines
* Lao

* Myanma
* …….

Activities
* improving the
business environment
* offering the ASEAN
scholarships to
students
* ….

2.3.5.2. Guessing topic
Teacher divides class into 4 groups and delivers the list of items related to
the topic of the lesson to groups. Students discuss in groups. The group first
guessing the topic is the winning group.

1
5


It has 10 member states (Vietnam, Thailand,
Singapore, …)
Its aims are to improve member states’ economies
and maintain regional peaces and stabilities.
It holds sports activites like the Southeast Asian
Games, the ASEAN Para Games, … …

The list of items related to ASEAN
Lead-in: You are going to listen and read a conversation between Bao Thy and
her father, Mr Lam about ASEAN and the ASEAN Charter.

A picture of a period applying five-minute warm up activities at Hoang Hoa 4
high school
2.4. Results of applying five-minute warm up activities in teaching Lessons
1. Getting started (Unit 1 - Unit 5), English textbook 11.
In order to assess the effectiveness of applying this method to teaching new
lessons, I have compared my work with many classes (11A1, 11A2 & 11A3
- school year 2017-2018, 11A1 &11A4- school year 2018-2019) for two years.
Before using this method, most of my students could traditionally start all the
lessons in the text book without five-minute warm-up activities at the beginning
of the lessons. Therefore, the atmosphere at the class was boring and not
exciting, students were passive and not enthusiastic, they could complete all the
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tasks but they easily forgot the vocabularies, the topic as well as the contents of
the lessons immediately.
It is a matter of fact that after applying five-minute warm-up activities at
the beginning of the lessons, my students are very interested in taking part in the
warm-up activities, students seemed to be very eager for new lessons. BEFORE
APPLYING NEW APPROACHES:
Students’ English proficiency
Number of
Percentage
students
Excellent
7/141
5%
Good
15/141

10,6%
Average
72/141
51,2%
Weak ( bad)
47/141
33,2%
AFTER APPLYING NEW APPROACHES:
The frequency of English speaking
Number
of
students
Excellent
6/95
Good
15/95
Average
65/95
Weak ( bad)
11/95

Percentage

Compared with
1 year ago

6,3 %
15,7%
68%
11,8%

Increase 1,3%
Increase 5,1%
Increase 16,8%
decrease 21,4
%

3. CONCLUSION
3.1. Conclusion
The best lessons, books, and materials in the world won’t get students
excited about learning and willing to work hard if they are not motivated.
Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the success of students
at all stages of their education, and teachers can play a pivotal role in providing
and encouraging that motivation in their students. Of course, that is much easier
said than done, as all students are motivated differently and it takes time and a
lot of effort to learn to get a classroom full of kids enthusiastic about learning,
working hard and pushing themselves to excel. Whether you are a new teacher
or an experienced one, try changing teaching method to motivate your students
and to encourage them to live up to their true potential.
Changing teaching method, from my point of view, is changing the role of
the teacher from the provider into a consultant; students will fulfil the demand of
knowledge themselves. It is clearly that in my class, with five-minute warm-up
activities learning English is getting more and more exciting, students are
voluntary participants in teaching process, I myself find it is relaxing to be a
guide instead of being a translator, for all the activities in the classroom.
In order to apply this method effectively, the teacher should spend time
designing a suitable and closed five-minute warm-ups for each lesson so that
students can participate in these activities actively.
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3.2. Suggestion
Basing on practical teaching English text book 10, 11, 12, I suggest that
there should be a projector and a computer or a laptop in each classroom in
order to motivate students in learning English and help them start new lessons
effectively because some five-minute warm ups should be organized with them.
This is my little experience in finding methods to motivate students in
learning English thoroughly and actively. I hope to receive your reading and
comments as well as contribution to make this theme more perfect so that it can
be applied widely.
Thanks for your reading!
THE CONFIRMATION OF
THE HEAD MASTER

Thanh Hoa, May 29th 2019.
I, the undersigned, certify my
authority of the experiential initiative
entitled “Applying five-minute warm
up activities in teaching Lessons 1.
Getting started (Unit 1 - Unit 5),
English textbook 11”. Except where the
references are indicated, no other
person’s piece of work has been used
without due acknowledgements in the
text of initiative.

Author

Nguyen Thi Hoa

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REFERENCE BOOKS.
1. Dornyei, Z. (2001). Motivational strategies in English classroom. Cambridge
University Press.
2. Allwright, R. (1984). The importance of interaction in classroom language
learning. Applied Linguistics.
3. Document on the Internet.
4. English textbook 11.

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Mẫu 1 (2)

DANH MỤC
SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM ĐÃ ĐƯỢC HỘI ĐỒNG SÁNG KIẾN KINH
NGHIỆM NGÀNH GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO HUYỆN, TỈNH VÀ CÁC
CẤP CAO HƠN XẾP LOẠI TỪ C TRỞ LÊN
Họ và tên tác giả: Nguyễn Thị Hoa
Chức vụ và đơn vị công tác: Giáo viên Tiếng Anh
Cấp đánh giá
xếp loại
TT
Tên đề tài SKKN
Five-minute warm-up
activities to motivate

Năm học

(A, B, hoặc C)

đánh giá
xếp loại

SởGD–ĐT
Thanh Hóa

C

2014-2015

SởGD–ĐT
Thanh Hóa

B

2016-2017

(Ngành GD cấp
huyện/tỉnh; Tỉnh...)

1.

Kết quả
đánh giá
xếp loại

students in learning English

– English textbook 11
2.

Combining technology and
PBL in teaching unit 12,
English textbook 10

20