| A jigsaw, of course, is an activity where several | | | | strips to be put in order, and others). Several are |
| small groups of students each get only one part | | | | presented in both beginner and intermediate |
| of a reading text. They must figure out how to | | | | versions. Each one is labeled with the language |
| explain their part to members of other groups, so | | | | points it reinforces. |
| that the whole story can be pieced together. It's | | | | Each chapter can serve as the basis for a class |
| good practice for students, promotes cooperation, | | | | session. Of course, they work best in a class |
| and give less competent students a chance to be | | | | large enough for at least four small groups, but |
| the knowledgeable ones for a change. | | | | the author gives suggestions on what to do when |
| Callan's Jigsaws by Nancy Callan gives you | | | | this isn't the situation. I've used the texts |
| nineteen ready-to-go, reproducible jigsaws, plus | | | | successfully in non-jigsaw form (for other reading |
| much more. | | | | and listening activities) when I didn't have enough |
| Topics include daily routines, health, shopping, | | | | students for a jigsaw. |
| banking, and Christmas (including a simple version | | | | This book can save you lots of prep time and |
| of O. Henry's famous short story, "The Gift of | | | | raise your students' levels of interest and |
| the Magi"). Each chapter contains a text already | | | | participation. |
| divided into four sections, four pictures to | | | | Callan's Jigsaws, by Nancy Callan, is published by |
| correspond to the sections, and several follow-up | | | | Snug Harbour Publications (ISBN 0-9730398-1-7), |
| activities (clozes, true/false questions, sentence | | | | and available at the author's site, esljigsaws. |