Today the 6ème were using the past simple for the first time, this is always a delicate moment and I’m never sure whether I won’t be producing a herd of grammar monsters who will answer the question “what did you do in the holidays?” with ” I am go to the cinema”. I do in fact have several such beasts in my other classes.

Which is why I was so pleased with what happened today.

As we have just got back after half term it seemed a pretty valid question to ask what they had done,

pupil 1: ” I’m go swim”

cue frown & waving of irregular verb sheet from yours truly,

1 again : I’m swam

cue me holding up two fingers  & mouthing,

1: I swam.

Great, I searched through my brain for something fun, rather than 16 painfully slow phrases accompanied by unconcentrated classmates messing about.

T: ” So 2, what did 1 do? … and you?

2: 1 swam and I ate pizza

3: 1 swam, 2 ate pizza, and I saw my friends…

etc. Repeat and add phrases 15 times.

Suddenly I had a class full of kids hanging on each other’s words so as not to miss a step, and repeating loads of past simple phrases without batting an eyelid,

it was FANTASTIC!

The kids loved it, and as we obviously didn’t go round the class in order, everyone was paying attention, until we got to my turn, and I let the whole side down by forgetting what the last pupil did.

Although now I think about it, Anna bought a pencil.