Any interesting and innovation ways to teach tenses?

Question

.....from simple past, past/present cont to past prefect tenses.
Target group: children aged 9-11, English speakers who are failing English Language at school.

Answer 1

This has worked for me: make dice. You make big (about 2"X2"x2") boxes and write one of the tenses of a verb on each of the six sides. You can also make one with subjetcs, adverbs, adjectives, ect. I suggest making the cubes different colors. This helps the students associate a color with a part of speech.

Have them roll the dice and make sentences. It feels like a game to them, so they enjoy it and which always makes your job easier. I have used this method from first grade through adult, customizing the dice for the level and it has always been successful.

Hope it helps.

Answer 2

I suggest you download the book Fun with Grammar, which is free if you register with the site. It has lots of fun, interesting activities that you can download, photocopy and distribute legally. The way you approach the langauge will depend on whether you're working in an EFL or ESL context. Teaching "tenses" alone is kind of pointless- you need to be doing it in a context that the students feel is valuable and interesting.

Answer 3

it takes some work on your part but it can be fun...

tell them that you are going to tell them a story or read something to them...have them keep track of mistakes you intentionally make in regards to verb tenses...offer a prize for whoever gets them all or the highest score...

prepare something for them to read, directions work best, where the tenses are incorrect thus making the directions impossible to folloow...have them make the appropriate corrections...

Answer 4

form rhymes with the tenses.
like: now i am going
everyday i go
yesterday i went
tomorrow i shall go
already i have gone

now i am singing
everyday i sing
yesterday i sang
tomorrow i shall sing
already i have sung