Using Postcards in the Classroom
Peter Lobell(Osaka, Japan)
fg3p-lbll [at] asahinet.or.jp
An idea l've been using successfully for several years in all my junior and senior high, college and business classes is postcards! I collect them whenever I travel and ask all my friends to send me their favorites from their hometowns or holidays. I keep them all in a special postcard file book available at most large bookstores. The book is easy to carry to class and keeps everything neatly organized and clean. Look for colorful or unusual cards in addition to the usual famous scenes. My own books are divided into various sections. I have postcards from all over the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. From scenes of my hometown to great monuments to scenic wonders -- it's all here! In addition to noted tourist attractions, I have sports scenes, people at work, religious motifs and a few "joke" cards. I can use the cards to practice many different structures such as:
- Where is this? What country, city, continent?
- What do we call this building/monument/sport/etc. in English?
- What color/shape/condition is this?
- What are they doing?
- What are they wearing?
- What religion are these people practicing?
- Would you like to visit this place? Why or why not?
- Would you like to play this sport? Why or why not?
- Have you ever been here/done this?
- What would you like to do if you visited this place?
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. II, No. 1, January 1996
http://iteslj.org/