Suggestions for Using Proverbs in the Classroom Betty Simelmits Updated by Judy Mutzari

What are Proverbs? Proverbs are short sayings that contain some wisdom or observation about life and people. Are popular and memorable; Are short and to the point; Provide wise advice; Contain simple truths from experience over the years. Most proverbs exhibit simple rhyme and elegant balance.

"A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience." Miguel de Cervantes

Using Proverbs in Class Deal with proverbs in their contexts, such as in reading and listening tasks or when you use one naturally in class. Group the sayings by topic and introduce in conjunction with other activities around the topic. It will be easier for students to remember some of them if they’re in groups. Use visuals and pictures to help learners remember them.

Put them into context. Try to use situations when people actually use the expressions and get students to create dialogues or role-play and to use a few of the proverbs to reinforce the meaning. Don’t overload students with too many at a time. Five is probably a good number for one class. Create a Quizlet for online practice at home or in the classroom. Create a Game for online fun with proverbs.

ACTIVITIES for teaching one proverb or for weak pupils Draw a picture describing the proverb. Add your own saying. Type it on the computer and add pictures. Mix it up and put it together. Act it out. Write a short story about it. Say it ten times in different voices / on one foot / add body movements & gestures

ACTIVITIES for teaching a set of proverbs Match the proverbs with what they mean. Try finding equivalents for the proverbs in your own language. Are the meanings the same? If you can’t find translations try translating them yourself. Pick a proverb from the list. Draw a picture, a painting or create a poster based on your interpretation of the proverb.

Pick a proverb and write a story about it, either fictional or non fictional. Take a proverb, write it in big on a piece of paper and cut out the different words. Can you rearrange them to write the same proverb? Write ten proverbs on ten slips of paper and then cut each on in half. Students have to match the beginning of each to the end.

After students have learned several proverbs or as revision, each pair chooses two or three and makes up a situation where we might use the proverb. They explain the situation without saying the proverb and the other groups have to guess it. “My Proverbs Pictionary” in which pupils write the proverb and illustrate or write its meaning. Collect your students’ “Pictionaries” and make a Flipsnack book.