Point to your nametag with sides of fingers touching and say:

My name is [Name of Teacher].

Move at a lively pace. Shake hands with each student, making each one feel special. Make allowance for a "silent period" in which students may attune their ears to strange new sounds without fear of having to produce them. Your patience combined with the warmth of your voice and smile will foster a low-anxiety atmosphere in which language acquisition can take place.

Write on the board what you have been saying. Use one color of chalk for your first name, draw an arrow up and to the left and label it "First Name." Use another color for your last name, circle it, draw an arrow up and to the right, label it "Last Name."

Then show a picture of a father, mother and children. Draw an imaginary circle around this picture and say the word 'family.' Next point to your last name and say the word:

Family.

Next point to your label beside your last name and add (in another color of chalk) the word Family. Beside that write: Last name = family name.

In the U.S., people write their name with the family name last (to the right) and the first name (the name parents, brothers and sisters say) to the left.

Compare this with the custom wherever you are/whatever culture your students represent. Review what has been taught so far. Point to your nametag, and with raised eyebrows, ask:

What's my first name? What's my family name?

Remember that you are teaching language in "chunks." One of your goals is to teach students to listen for the main idea - not to parse everything they see and hear. Here the only emphasis you make is on "first name" and "family name."

1Issue Handout #1 First/Last Names for pair activity. Demonstrate how to do this. Guide students in doing "About You." Then write questions on the board for "About My Partner: What is your name? What is your first/last name?" Practice saying questions with the entire class. Monitor students' work, encouraging and building self-confidence.

2If most of your students are true beginners, conduct a chain drill whereby the first student on the row turns to the second student and says: My first name is [first name of student]. What is your first name? This second student then turns to the third student and says: My first name is [first name of student]. What is your first name? (Etc.)

Stage prompt as needed so each student may enjoy success! Whisper to a hesitant student:

My name is [student's first name]

!!!More Advanced!!!

Demonstrate telling about others, e.g., "His first name is [student's first name]. His family name is [student's last name]." Students practice in small groups, each telling about the others.

Distribute Handout #2: Alphabet. While students look and make notes as desired, you say the letter names as you write them on the board. When you finish, ask students to say the letters with you.

1 Randomly erase a few letters and lead the students to say the alphabet despite the missing letters! Erase a few more letters, and say the alphabet once more. Continue in this fashion until every letter is finally erased and students are able to say all the alphabet without visual cues.

!!!More Advanced!!!

2 Form two teams of students. Position each of them in front of the two alphabets you wrote on the board before class. You call out a letter and the students at the front of the line race to the board to erase the letter they have heard you say. These students then go to the back of the line and the number two students do the racing. Award a point to the team who is first to erase (correctly!) in each round. Students have fun with this!

3 Next say:
I spell my first name __ __ __ __ __.
I spell my family name __ __ __ __ __ __.
How do you spell your name?

With chalk in hand, ask students to spell their names. Start with those who seem likely to answer correctly so they will be a model for others. Force yourself (!) to write whatever you hear! This highly effective technique shows students that the sounds coming out of their mouths is not always what they intend them to be. It underscores the importance of correct enunciation of letter names. This may also reveal weaknesses in articulation even for more advanced students.

Teach the "Alphabet Song" (to the tune of "Twinkle - Twinkle - Little Star").

	A-B-C-D    E-F-G
	H-I-J-K   LMNOP
	Q-R-S - T-U-V - W-X - Y and Z
	Now I've said my ABC's!
	Next time won't you sing with me?
	

1 Ask the students to arrange themselves alphabetically according to their family names. Then, beginning with 'A,' ask each person to say the letter and the name being used.

2 Distribute Handout #3 interview with First/Last Names. Demonstrate what students are to do with this interview. Call on two of the better students to model this also. Motion for everyone to stand, walk around, and interview each other. Your job is to direct traffic!

Make sure only two students are talking together. If you see a cluster of three, one will be listening to the other two - or worse, reading the answer on someone's paper. The purpose is for each to practice speaking and listening before writing the information.

!!!More Advanced!!!

Show the class pictures of your family members. As you refer to each relationship, write that word on the board. For example: This is my husband (or wife). (Then write "husband" - or "wife" - on the board.)

Distribute the Student Study Guide to each student. Point out the family words in Section A on the Student Study Guide. Ask students to repeat vocabulary words after you. Work only for pronunciation and stress at this time-not meaning.

Draw your family tree on the board-squares for males and circles for females.

The example (left) depicts the author's nuclear family (i.e., husband, married son and daughter plus their families. See if you can find the newest - twins!!).

While keeping yourself (your square or circle) as a reference point, introduce your immediate family members to your class.

This is my [husband, wife, son, daughter, etc.].

Try to include a cousin somewhere, since the JESUS story will include "cousin" Elizabeth.

Review the mechanics of drawing one's family tree. Then ask students to draw their own family tree to share in class with a partner or in a small group.

!!!More Advanced!!!