What to Do with These

These pages just display random subject, verb, etc. cards in random order, without repeating until all cards in the category have been shown. I use them to practice sentence structure. Since it's random, weird things will come up. That both makes it a little more interesting and forces a focus on structure, both in the English and in translation into Japanese.

I usually have kids use these in pairs or groups of three. Sometimes, they just practice saying the sentences--first, I might have them use a set without positive, negative, and interrogative markers, so if, e.g., we're practicing past tense, at first I'll have them all convert whatever comes into positive past tense; then after a bit change to negative past, etc. Then move on to the version with those markers so they have to decide and remember how to use positive, negative, and interrogative together. Or in first year or late 6th grade, do it in present tense and they have to decide whether to add the "s" to the verb, or to choose between "am," "are," and "is."

Sometimes, if the class is small enough and the other teacher is OK, I'll have them practice each sentence with their partner, then come up to a teacher and one kid says it in English, the other in Japanese, changing each time. Optionally, usually in jr. high, they can then write the sentence down. I'm usually not big on translating into Japanese, but here it forces them to associate structure with meaning. Or I just have them write without coming up to a teacher, and we'll circulate, looking at and marking papers on the fly, or I'll collect them and mark them later.

Or in a 3-4 person group, you can use it for steps in a sugoroku game, or have the group decide whether each player got their sentence right and if so that player gets a chit. If anyone wants I could easily add bozu and mekuri cards to turn that into a bozu mekuri game--just let me know.