Invited to give a PE lesson. HELP!

[Hecho]

We live abroad and my children are at a local state school where they are trying to encourage English language learning. I've been asked to come in and give a PE lesson in English (the idea to make it active and fun, rather than just listen to me reading out loud ….). I have 2 problems. I am not a teacher; and it's been a very very long time since I attended a PE lesson myself. I'm fit-ish, but don't play team sports. Apart from being English, I am about as unsuitable for this as is possible. Any idea? Please? The kids are all aged 10/11 years. Thank you all …..

Difficult one. I've no experience in this but have nearly 11 yr old in continental school too. Depends on dcs current level of English learning - if it is v. basic then hard to match sporting activity that will engage their level of interest at this age.

ie rapid fire throwing of bean bag or ball - catcher shouting out numbers in English, sequential multiplying of numbers in English, shouting out alphabet or prepared phrases or appropriate adjectives (ie high, low, slow) or throwing ball '"to him" "to her" "above me" "below me" etc etc (but that might be a bit boring for 11 yr olds???) and obviously can't do that all lesson

hmmm ...

is it a mixed class? If just girls, would suggest making up dance/gym/acro-sport routine to English pop song? (My nearly 11 yr old just learnt routine to Avicii Wake Me Up in continental school)

Googled 'learn English through sport' and this link came up some ideas even if audio not very clear!!

Good luck!

Simple questions and you have to run to the appropriate corner of the field? Have something colorful in that corner e.g. What is the English word for Pomme? Blue corner - Grape, Red corner - Carrot, Green corner - apple and so on. start them all off in the middle.

Or a relay where you have to answer a question right before you can run?

Thank you both …. really good ideas, and I'll borrow some stuff from the YouTube clip too. I think I'll be able to build something out of this. It's a mixed class, only about 15 kids, quite a low level of English, but they're quite enthusiastic, and not at all shy. I was also think of asking them to teach me something/a game (??!) then translating their instructions into English and getting them to repeat, etc. Feeling slightly less ridiculous about agreeing to this!

If you have enough in a class, and have a field, divide them into teams and give each team the letters of the alphabet on cards, A4 size. Each kid responsible for several.

Give them a quiz (sports themed?) in English. They have to work out the answer, then the kids holding the letters needed to spell the answer have to race to the other end of the field and line up, each holding their letter up to spell the word.

E.g. Where is this year's big football event being held?
-> kids holding B, R, A, Z, I and L leg it to end of field and spell it out usually with one letter upside down

This does require answers which don't repeat any letters/mean a kid with 'Z' should be allowed 'E' too, but it's quite fun.
You'd need an adult helper to judge which team is first to line up and spell accurately.

Play Simon Says? Traditional English playground and party games might be a good end to the session.

PE seems to be the first lesson given to student teachers because the normal teachers can't be bothered, and with no teaching experience it sounds like a recipe for disaster. Sounds like it's no different abroad! Be prepared to put on your 'loud voice' :)

Thanks again, everyone. I've just chatted to the teacher, and we're going to get together a few days before to plan activities. I'll definitely be using some of the ideas here.

Misspilly, thank goodness I'm not a student teacher, I'd be rubbish /emo/te/2.gif. I'm a mum, and the only one around who's first language is English, so the idea is to see English used outside of the books/CDs they normally stick to. Nothing too serious; and to honest it'll be an exercise in crowd-control, but I hope they have fun (and I do have a very loud voice if needed).