Using Flash Cards at the English Lessons

I’m sure that flash cards are the essential tool of  the English lessons.  They really help us to teach and revise  new vocabulary.

As you know, a simple repeating the words is a boring way of teaching, especially for the youngest pupils, so we need new ways of working with flash cards. Here I’d like to give you some hints about effective using of   flash cards at the lessons.

These are two unusual ways of showing flash cards:

• You can show a card as quickly as possible, and ask pupils about what they have seen.

• Cover a card with a paper and move it slowly down or to a side,showing only a part of a picture. Encourage pupils to guess what is in the picture.

For revising a new vocabulary put the cards on the board and ask pupils to name the pictures. Then turn the first picture back side and ask to do the same. Continue doing this with the other cards. At the end, all the cards are turned their backsides, but pupils can easily name all the cards! 

One more way of using flash cards is very useful for big groups. A teacher shows a card , the first pupil  given the right answer gets a card and run through the class asking the classmates what is it.  7 or 8 pupils can run around the class with pictures at the same time. This is a great way to involve  pupils into teaching activity.

Each of these methods of using flash cards creates a relaxing atmosphere in the classroom and a positive motivation to studying new words, turns  pupils attention to the subject of the lesson.

If you know other ways of using flash card, please, share them here!