Bill Gates Says

Decide on which hardware vocabulary students need to learn, (see list below). Some more advanced students may need to learn other computer vocabulary, e.g., icon. Make sure that they understand the everyday use of each word, e.g., screen (both noun and verb). Depending on student level, prepare commands. Simple commands can be, "Touch the screen." Hear more examples.
More complex commands can be, "Press the power button with your right hand and put your left hand on the keyboard," Hear more advanced examples.
(or "After you push the power button, turn the monitor on, and then put your right hand on the mouse.")

To go to Audio Page

screen
monitor
boot / up
hard / ware
space / bar
key / board
mouse / pad
power / button
central / processing / unit

Activity

• Familiarize students with vocabulary by touching the computer parts and saying the names, and having students do the same.
• Tell students that you will give commands for them to follow, but first they must hear you say, "Bill Gates says," before they follow the command. You may want to mention who Bill Gates is, and explain the game of Simon Says. (Depending on the group with which you are working, you may want to substitute "Bill Gates Says" with "Please".)
  

• Students can lead the class in this game.
• More advanced students can pair off, giving each other three-step commands.

The interactive activities created by Bruce Ellis could help your students learn vocabulary while practicing their pointing and clicking. (This list of definitions wasn't developed for ESOL learners, some being quite technical.)

E-mail us YOUR ideas or submit a form and we will add them as a Variation.