IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY USING

INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES

(A Classroom Action Research at XI.IPA4 grade of SMA Negeri 8 Tangerang)

Oleh :
xxxxxxxx
NIP. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

SMA NEGERIxxxxxxxxxxxx
KOTA TANGERANG
 PENGESAHAN

Judul Penelitian : IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY

USING INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES (A
Classroom Action Research at XI.IPA4 grade of SMA
Negeri 8 Tangerang)
Nama Peneliti : xxxxxxxxxxxx
NIP : xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tahun Penelitian : 2016/2017

Tangerang, April 2017

Mengetahui
Kepala Sekolah Pustakawan

xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
NIP. xxxxxxxxxxx NIP. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

ii
 ABSTRAK

This research is conducted in order to improve students’ speaking ability

through information gap activities at XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang and
also to help the English teacher of XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang Kota
Tangerang in managing classroom activities communicatively, so that it will
encourage the students to speak English.
In conducting this research, the researcher used Classroom Action
Research (CAR) as the method of research. She taught English speaking using
information gap activities at XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang This research
consisted of three cycles and each cycle consisted of four elements, they were:
planning, action, observation and reflection. Each cycle was conducted in three
meetings, so the researcher conducted this research in nine meetings for one
month and three weeks. To collect and analyze the data, the researcher used the
information from interview, observation, questioner, and the students’
achievements in pre-test and post-test in order to support the data collected.
The result of this research shows that using information gap activities in
teaching speaking at XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang can motivate the
students to speak English and improve their speaking ability. The students’
responses showed that they were interested to learn English speaking because they
thought that the activities were interesting. Moreover, the students’ achievements
in pre-test and post-test which are analyzed by using the method of speaking
assessment stated by Arthur Hughos showed a significant improvement. The
students’ average score in pre-test was 62.6 and the average score in post-test was
70.9, while the improvement of students’ average score in pre-test and post-test
was 8. 2. From this result, the researcher concluded that teaching speaking using
information activities at XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang can improve
students’ speaking ability.
Key Words: Speaking Ability, Information Gap Activities

iii
 ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini dilaksanakan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara

siswa melalui metode information gap activities di kelas XI SMAN 8 Tangerang
Kota Tangerang dan juga untuk membantu guru bahasa Inggris kelas XI SMAN 8
Tangerang Kota Tangerang dalam mengelola kegiatan kelas yang komunikatif
agar dapat mendorong siswa untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris.
Dalam melaksanakan penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan Penelitian
Tindakan Kelas (PTK) sebagai metode penelitian. Peneliti dan guru bahasa
Inggris berkolaborasi dalam mengajar berbicara bahasa Inggris dengan
menggunakan metode information gap activities di kelas XI SMAN 8 Tangerang
Penelitian ini terdiri dari tiga siklus dan tiap siklus terdiri dari empat unsur, yaitu:
perencanaan, pelaksanaan, observasi dan refleksi. Setiap siklus terdiri dari tiga
tatap muka. Peneliti melaksanakan penelitian ini dalam sembilan tatap muka
selama satu bulan tiga minggu. Untuk mengumpulkan dan menganalisa data,
peneliti menggunakan informasi dari wawancara, observasi, angket dan untuk
mendukung data peneliti juga melaksanakan pre-test dan post-test.
Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan information gap
activities dalam mengajar berbicara bahasa Inggris di kelas XI SMAN 8
Tangerang dapat memotivasi siswa untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris dan
meningkatkan kemampuan mereka dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris. Respon dari
siswa menunjukkan bahwa mereka tertarik untuk belajar berbicara bahasa Inggris
karena menurut mereka kegiatan yang digunakan menarik. Di samping itu,
pencapaian siswa dalam pre-test dan post-test yang dianalisa dengan
menggunakan metode penilaian kemampuan berbicara menurut Arthur Hughes
menunjukkan peningkatan yang signifikan. Nilai rata-rata siswa pada pre-test
adalah 62, 6 dan nilai rata-rata pada post-test adalah 70, 9, sementara peningkatan
nilai rata-rata pada pre-test dan post-test adalah 8,2. Dari hasil ini, peneliti
menyimpulkan bahwa pengajaran speaking dengan menggunakan information
gap activities di kelas XI SMAN 8 Tangerang dapat meningkatkan kemampuan
berbicara siswa.
Kata Kunci: Kemampuan Berbicara, Information Gap Activities

iv
 KATA PENGANTAR

Puji syukur senantiasa penulis panjatkan kehadirat Tuhan Yang Maha

Agung, yang telah mengasihi hamba-Nya, sehingga penulis dapat menyelesaikan
penulisan karya tulis ini.
Pengalaman penelitian menjadi hal yang berharga bagi penulis. Banyak
hambatan yang dialami baik dalam perencanaan, pelaksanaan maupun laporan.
Namun semangat, dorongan dan bimbingan dari berbagai pihak, maka semua itu
dapat terealisasi. Penulis menghaturkan rasa terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya
atas segala bantuan, saran dan bimbingan kepada :
1. Kepala Dinas Pendidikan Kota Tangerang
2. Kepala UPTD Pendidikan Kecamatan Cibodas
3. Kepala SMANaaaaaaaaaaaa
4. Semua pihak yang telah memberikan bantuan baik secara moril
maupun material dalam penyelesaian penelitian Tindakan Kelas ini.
Penulis menyadari bahwa karya tulis ini masih jauh dari sempurna. Oleh
karena itu saran dan kritik senantiasa penulis harapkan.
Akhirnya penulis berharap semoga karya tulis ini bermanfaat.

Penulis

v
 TABLE OF CONTENT

The Approval Sheet of Advisor

The Endorsement Sheet of Examination Committee
Pengesahan ....................................................................................................ii
Abstract........................................................................................................ iii
Acknowledgement......................................................................................... v
Table of Content............................................................................................vi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study................................................................................ 1
B. Limitation and Formulation of Study........................................................ 4
C. The Objective of Study............................................................................. 4
D. The Significance of Study......................................................................... 4
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Teaching Speaking.................................................................................... 6
1. The Nature of Speaking ............................................................................6
2. Element of Speaking ................................................................................ 6
3. The Aim of Teaching Speaking ................................................................ 7
4. Classroom Speaking Activities................................................................. 8
B. Information Gap Activities ..................................................................... 10
1. The Nature of Information Gap Activities ..............................................10
2. Speaking Activities Based on Information Gap Principle.......................12
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. The Aim of Study.................................................................................... 14
B. Research Location................................................................................... 14
C. Subject of Study...................................................................................... 14
D. Research Instrument............................................................................... 14
E Technique of Data Collecting..................................................................14
F. Technique of Data Analysis.................................................................... 17
G. Action Procedure......................................................................................18

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CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS
A. Description of Data ................................................................................ 23
1. Data of Observation................................................................................ 23
2. Data of Interview.................................................................................... 24
a. Data of Interview with English Teacher of XI.IPA4 grade of SMA........24
b. Data of Interviews with Students of XI.IPA4 grade of SMA ..................25
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities in
Teaching Speaking......................................................................................25
4. The Improvement of Students’ Speaking Achievements...........................26
5. Students’ Responses on the Implementation of Teaching
Speaking by Using Information Gap Activities .......................................... 44
B. Interpretation of Data.............................................................................. 47
1. Data of Observation................................................................................ 47
2. Data of Interview.................................................................................... 47
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities to Improve
Students’ Speaking Ability........................................................................... 48
4. Students’ Achievements in the Tests....................................................... 49
5. Students’ Responses on the Implementation of Information
Gap Activities.............................................................................................. 49

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion...............................................................................................51
B. Suggestion................................................................................................52

BIBILOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………….. 53
APPENDICES

vi
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study
The emergence of globalization era which has caused no distance between
countries in this world, force people to decide an international language to
overcome the communication problems when people from different countries with
different languages meet in some occasions. Today, the first international language
is English. Therefore, almost all people in this world try to master English in order
to be accepted in this globalization era.
The ever-growing need for good communication skills in English has
created a huge demand for English teaching around the world. Millions of people
today want to improve their command of English or to ensure that their children
achieve a good command of English. The opportunities to learn English are
provided in many different ways such as through formal instruction, travel, study
abroad, as well as through the media and the Internet. The worldwide demand for
English has created an enormous demand for quality language teaching and
language teaching materials and resources.
Communication is an essential need for human being. Language as a
means of communication has an important role to reveal an intention to someone
else. Since language is a means of communication, it is not enough for students to
learn words, phrases and grammatical features if they want to produce language in
their daily communication or to interact with others in English. Therefore, we
should consider the goal of English teaching today, that is to develop what Hymes
in Jack C. Richard’s referred to as “communicative competence”. Communicative
competence is a definition of what a speaker needs to know in order to be
communicatively competent in a speech community.
One of the ways in communication is through speaking. Therefore, the
most important thing that should be noticed in teaching speaking is how to
activate all of language elements, such as vocabulary, grammar, and

1
pronunciation, which students have possessed to communicate, since the main
function of language is a means of communication. It means that the goal for
students learning English speaking is that they are able to use language to
communicate effectively and appropriately for all life’s requirements, both social
and academic. The students have to be able to express their thoughts, ideas, and
feelings orally in English without thinking for a long time before saying what they
wish to say.
Speaking in a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the
most demanding of the four skills. Many people today realize that their aims to
study English is to be able to communicate in English, it is suitable with the
theory of language according to communicative approach that is “language as a
means of communication”.
Students often think that the ability to speak a language is the product of
language learning, but speaking is also a crucial part of the language learning
process. Effective teachers teach students speaking strategies that they can use to
help themselves expand their knowledge of the language and their confidence in
using it.
The frequency in using the language will determine the success in
speaking ability. Therefore, teacher should create a teaching strategy that
stimulates and motivates student to talk in English. Since English in Indonesia is a
foreign language, so the most comfortable place for the students to speak English
is in the classroom. There are three main reasons for getting students to speak in
the classroom. Firstly, speaking activities provide rehearsal opportunities –
chances to practice real-life speaking in the safety of the classroom. Secondly,
speaking tasks in which students try to use any or all of the language elements
they know to provide feedback for both teacher and students. Finally, this is also
the opportunities for the students to activate the various elements of language they
have stored in their brains. Unfortunately, this condition rarely occurs to the
students of XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang Kota Tangerang.
In teaching speaking at XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang, the teacher
teaches the students traditionally. The teacher asks the students to read a dialogue

2
in the textbook together. Then, the teacher asks the students to perform that
dialogue in front of the class without asking them to develop a more
communicative dialogue using their own way. So, they only memorize the
dialogue and most of the students do not know how to use some expressions
taught by their teacher in a real communication. This teaching strategy can not
help the students to use language as a means of communication.
This strategy influences the teaching of speaking which cause many
problems. First, it relates to the condition of students who are lack of vocabulary
which will make them unable to say words or sentences in a real communication.
Second, the students get used to speak Indonesian language while the most
comfortable place for the students to speak English is in the classroom, since
English in Indonesia is a foreign language. Fourth, most of the students are not
confident to use English in speaking class. For instance, when the teacher asks
them to come forward to have a conversation with their friends, they refuse it.
They are shy to perform English conversation in front of their friends.
Consequently it makes them uninterested in learning English.
The teacher also has difficulties to teach in large class. The main problem
is the way to manage it. During the teaching hours the teacher should make the
students pay attention to the materials given to them and also to their friends’
performances in front of the class. It needs hard work for getting students
attention without giving them an interesting activity for more than one hour.
Based on the problems above, the writer tries to give a solution for the
teacher to implement an English teaching strategy which can motivate and give
more opportunities for the learner to speak English in the class, that is information
gap activities. This strategy is designed to create students’ interests to learn with
pleasant. In an information gap activity two speakers have different bits of
information, and they can only complete the whole picture by sharing that
information-because they have different information, there is a ‘gap’ between
them. Using information gap activities in teaching speaking will encourage the
students to speak and it will activate the various elements of language they have
stored in their brains. Another advantage of information gap activities is that

3
students are forced to negotiate meaning because they must make what they are
saying comprehensible to others in order to accomplish the task. These types of
activities are extremely effective in the foreign language classroom. They give
every student opportunity to speak in the target language for an extended period of
time and students naturally produce more speech than they would otherwise. In
addition, speaking with peers is less intimidating than presenting in front of the
entire class and being evaluated.
Based on the problems above, it encourages us to think how to manage a
classroom activities to be a communicative class so that the students can
participate actively in the teaching and learning process and then we can achieve
the objective of English learning as stated above, that is “communicative
competence”. So, in presenting this paper the writer will try to study how to
improve student’s speaking ability by using information gap activities at XI.IPA4
grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang Kota Tangerang.
B. Limitation and Formulation of Problem
1. Limitation of the Problem
The writer limits the study to the implementation of information gap activities
to improve the students’ speaking ability at XI.IPA4 grade students of SMAN 8
Tangerang
2. Formulation of the Problem
The formulation of this study is : How significant is the students’ speaking
ability better after they are taught using information gap activities?
C. The Objective of the Study
This Classroom Action Research (CAR) is conducted in order to improve
students’ speaking ability at the XI.IPA4 grade of SMAN 8 Tangerang Kota
Tangerang through information gap activities.
D. The Significance of Study
The results of this research is expected to be useful for the English teacher
of SMAN 8 Tangerang Kota Tangerang especially in teaching speaking, so that
the teacher can manage classroom activities communicatively by using
information gap activities in order to encourage their students to speak or to state

4
their ideas orally in English. For students themselves, it can motivate them to try
to speak English as often as possible, so that they can improve their ability in
speaking skill.

5
 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Speaking
1. The Nature of Speaking
Speaking is an important instrument of communication. People use it
almost constantly. As human beings, especially as social creature we have a need
to make meaning of our surroundings. We have a need to express our thoughts,
opinions, or feelings in order to be accepted in social life. “Speaking does not only
make sound by the speech organs but ideas and emotions. Speaking is the active
use of language to express meaning so that other people can make sense of them,
therefore, the label of productive use of language can be applied to speaking”.
While another expert said that speaking is “the process of building and sharing
meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of
contexts”. To express their ideas in foreign language, the learners will use their
existing language resources, built up from previous experience of language use.
The word speaking has many different meanings or definitions on
linguistics’ views. Another definition of speaking is making use of words in an
ordinary voice, offering words, knowing and being able to use a language
expressing one-self in words, acquired through listening and reading. While the
definition of speaking ability is “the ability to produce sentences, to express, to
state, or to deliver thoughts, ideas and feelings. Speaking is human behaviors
which use physics: psychological, neurological, semantic, and linguistic and in
general it can be considered as a tool of social control”.
Referring to the definitions above, we may conclude that speaking is
giving oral expression to thoughts, opinions, or feelings in a variety of contexts by
using speech organs that is built up from previous experience of language use.
2. Elements of Speaking
In speaking, it is very important for student to acquire the ability to
express their ideas and opinions. Consequently, this competency should be
mastered by the learners of language. According to Jeremy Harmer, there are two

6
elements of speaking. First, language features, consists of:
1. Connected speech is the modifying in sounds production or utterances such as
assimilation, omission, addition, weakened (through contraction and stress
patterning)
2. Expressive devices are the alteration of the speed, volume, and stress of
utterances to show the feeling. The use of this device contributes the ability to
convey meaning.
3. Lexis and grammar related to the ability to use a number of common lexical
phrases, especially in the performance of certain language functions.
4. Negotiation language is the ability to get benefits from the negotiatory
language we use to seek clarification and to show the structure of what we are
saying.
The second element of speaking is mental or social processing, consists of:
1. Language processing: the ability to process language in their own heads and
put it into coherent order so that it comes out in forms that are not only
comprehensible, but also convey the meanings that are intended.
2. Interacting with others. This means that speaking also involves a good deal of
listening, and understanding of how the other participants are feeling.
3. Information processing: the ability to process the information the moment we
get it.
Therefore, the English teacher should consider these elements of speaking
in teaching speaking to their students, so that they will have a good ability in
speaking. Furthermore, as explained by Arthur Hughos that for assessing spoken
English production, teachers have to asses students’ pronunciation, grammar,
vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Although his theory does not mention
explicitly about the element of speaking, however the implementation to assess
the spoken English production is dealing with the elements of speaking itself. Of
course grammar and vocabulary here should be based on the curriculum and
students’ expectations.
3. The Aim of Teaching Speaking
Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching.

7
Despite its importance, for many years, teaching speaking has been undervalued
and English language teachers have continued to teach speaking just as a
repetition of drills or memorization of dialogues. However, today's world requires
that the goal of teaching speaking should improve students' communicative skills,
because, only in that way, students can express themselves and learn how to
follow the social and cultural rules appropriate in each communicative
circumstance.
One of the characteristics of speech in everyday life is that speech is
spontaneous. That is, in most situations, people do not plan ahead of time what
they are going to say. Only in more formal situations, such as when a person has
been asked to give a speech, do people plan and organize their speech. 15 The fact
that speech is spontaneous means that it is full of false starts, repetitions,
incomplete sentences, and short phrases. Therefore, teachers may require their
students to do more forward-thinking and planning than native speakers do in real
life. Another aspect of producing spoken language is the time-constraint. The
students must be able to produce unplanned utterances in real time, otherwise
people will not have the patience to listen to them.
Based on the facts explained above, we should consider the goal of
English teaching today, that is to develop “communicative competence” rather
than a mere mastery of structures, vocabulary items, or pronunciation.
Communicative competence is the aspect of our competence that enables us to
convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within
specific contexts.
4. Classroom Speaking Activities
Most English teachers face the problem of having passive students who
show no willingness to speak in class, or students who seem interested enough to
speak but find it difficult to express themselves.
Traditional classroom speaking practice often takes the form of drills in
which one person asks a question and another gives an answer. The question and
the answer are structured and predictable, and often there is only one correct,
predetermined answer. The purpose of asking and answering the question is to

8
demonstrate the ability to ask and answer the question.
In contrast, the purpose of real communication is to accomplish a task,
such as conveying a telephone message, obtaining information, or expressing an
opinion. In real communication, participants must manage uncertainty about what
the other person will say. Authentic communication involves an information gap;
each participant has information that the other does not have. In addition, to
achieve their purpose, participants may have to clarify their meaning or ask for
confirmation of their own understanding.
To create classroom speaking activities that will develop communicative
competence, which is the aim of teaching speaking as explained above, instructors
need to incorporate a purpose and an information gap and allow for multiple
forms of expression. Therefore, the teacher should provide students with
communicative activities in which the student can engage actively in teaching and
learning process.
They must use the target language to share some information. For instance,
one student has the direction to a party and must give them to a classmate. One
type of speaking activity involves the so-called ‘information gap’-where two
speakers have different parts of information making up a whole. Because they
have different information, there is a ‘gap’ between them.
Speaking activities which can improve students’ speaking competence as
suggested by Richards are:
1. Information-gap activities: this refers to the fact that in real communication,
people normally communicate in order to get information they do not possess.
In this activity, each student has different information and they need to obtain
information from each other in order to finish a task. They must use target
language to accomplish it.
2. Jigsaw activities: these are also based on the information-gap principle.
Typically, the class is divided into groups and each group has part of the
information needed to complete an activity. The class must fit the pieces
together to complete the whole. In so doing, they must use their language
resources to communicate meaningfully and so take part in meaningful

9
 communication practice.
3. Task-completion activities: puzzles, games, map-reading, and other kinds of
classroom tasks in which the focus is on using one’s language resources to
complete a task.
4. Information-gathering activities: student-conducted surveys, interviews, and
searches in which students are required to use their linguistic resources to
collect information.
5. Opinion-sharing activities: activities in which students compare values,
opinions, or beliefs, such as a ranking task in which students list six qualities in
order of importance that they might consider in choosing a date or spouse.
6. Information-transfer activities: These require learners to take information that
is presented in one form, and represent it in a different form. For example, they
may read instructions on how to get from A to B, and then draw a map showing
the sequence, or they may read information about a subject and then represent
it as a graph.
7. Reasoning-gap activities: These involve deriving some new information from
given information through the process of inference, practical reasoning, etc.
8. Role plays: activities in which students are assigned roles and improvise a
scene or exchange based on given information or clues.
B. Information Gap Activities
1. The Nature of Information Gap Activities
Information gap activity is an activity which is based on information-gap
principle that in real communication people normally communicate in order to get
information they do not possess. Real communication is likely to occur in the
classroom if students practice language forms on their own way and use their
linguistic and communicative resources in order to express their ideas. In so
doing, they will get available vocabulary, grammar, and communication strategies
to complete a task.
Another definition of information gap activity is an activity where two
speakers have different bits of information, and they can only complete the whole
picture by sharing that information-because they have different information, there

10
is a ‘gap’ between them. In an information gap activity one person has
information that the other lacks. They must use the target language to share that
information. For instance, one student has the directions to a party and must give
them to a classmate.
Information gap exists when one person in an exchange knows something
to other person does not. Therefore, if we create an activity based on this
statement, the activity is in the form that the students work in pair or in group and
each student has different information and they have to share each other’s
information in order to complete a task.
Referring to the definition above, we can conclude that the principles of
information gap activities are that each student has different information and they
need to obtain information from each other in order to finish a task. They must use
target language to accomplish it.
For information gap activities to work, it is vitally important that students
understand the details of the task (for example, that they should not show each
other pictures). It is often a good idea for teachers to demonstrate how an activity
works by asking a student to come to front of the class and performing the activity
with the teacher, so that everyone can see exactly how to do the activity.
Many English learners cannot say what they wish to say in English, even
though they had years of English learning. Therefore, we need to actively engage
students in speaking activities that are enjoyable and that are based on a more
communicative competence as the goal of teaching speaking. One of the
challenges faced by many second language-teachers is motivating their students to
speak in the target language, confident students always participate and students
who are less confident are reluctant to speak. Even when students speak in the
target language, they are usually answering a question and this approach greatly
limits students output. Oral presentations provide opportunities for students to
speak in the target language for an extended period of time and these activities are
useful, but they should not be the only opportunities, students have to speak at
length. Because students prepare for this presentation by writing a script and then
rehearsing it, they have difficulty to speak in the target language spontaneously

11
because they only have a little opportunity to do so. When students choose to
learn a language, they are interested in learning to speak that language as fluently
as possible. One solution is by using information gap activities.
These types of activities are extremely effective in the L2 classroom. They
give every student the opportunity to speak in the target language for an extended
period of time and students naturally produce more speech than they would
otherwise. In addition, They can help to reduce such fears by maintaining a
friendly atmosphere in the class and providing opportunities for students to
practice alone or with another student and then increasingly with a larger group of
students. Thus, students can practice speaking in front of their peers who face the
same situation. Speaking with peers is less intimidating than presenting in front of
the entire class and being evaluated. Another advantage of information gap
activities is that students are forced to negotiate meaning because they must make
what they are saying comprehensible to others in order to accomplish the task.
2. Speaking Activities Based on Information Gap Activities
The teacher should design the speaking activity so as to provide an
opportunity for learners to produce language that they had recently learnt (e.g.
through open or cued dialogues) in order to prepare the learner for later
communicative activity by providing them with the necessary linguistic forms and
the necessary links between forms and meanings.
The principle underlying communicative activities is that the teacher
structures the situation so that learners have to overcome an information gap or
solve a problem. Speaking activities based on information gap principle can be
divided in to some categories, those are:
1. Identifying pictures: learner A has a set of four, five or six pictures which are
very similar in content, but contain a number of distinguishing features.
Learner B has a copy of these pictures. Learner A must find out which of the
pictures learner B is holding, by asking him questions about it.
2. Discovering Identical pairs: in this activity the students work in group, for
instance one group consists of five students. Four pictures are given among
four students and the fifth learner in the group holds a duplicate of one of

12
 these pictures. He must ask the others to discover which learner has the
picture identical to his own.
3. Discovering sequences or locations : learner A has a set of six patterns. These
are arranged into a sequence from one to six. Learner B has the same set of
patterns, but these are not in sequence. Learner B must discover the sequence
of A’s pictures and arrange his pictures in the same way.
4. Discovering missing information or features : learner A has information
represented in tabular or picture form. However, some items of information
have been deleted from the table or picture. Learner B has an identical table
or picture, but different items of information have been deleted. Each learner
can complete his own table or picture by asking his partner for the
information that he lacks.
5. Communicating patterns and pictures: learner A has an assortment of shapes
which he arranges into a pattern. Learner B has the same shapes. They must
communicate each other so that B can reproduce as exactly as possible the
same pattern as A.
6. Discovering diferences: learner A and B each have a picture (or map, patter,
etc). The pictures are identical except for a number of details. The learner
must discuss the pictures in order to discover what the differences are.
7. Following directions: learner A and B have identical maps. Only A knows the
exact location of some building or other features. He must direct B to the
correct spot.
8. Pooling information to solve a problem: learners have to pool information in
order to solve a problem. For instance, learner A has a town plan showing the
location of interesting places. Learner B has a list of a bus timetable. Together
they must devise an itinerary which would enable them to visit, say, five
places during one ay, spending at least half an hour at each.
9. Reconstructing story-sequences: a picture-script story (without dialogue) is cut
up into its separate pictures. One picture is handed to each member of a
group. Without seeing each other’s pictures, the learners in the group must
decide on the original sequence and reconstruct the story.

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