Whenever an actor needs to go to another location in a story, there is potential for a humorous mode of travel and a brief comical interlude in class that takes place in the target language.
The means of conveyance can be described in words, or in certain classes where the focus is strong enough, it can actually be put into dramatic action, which the kids simply love doing.
If a motorized spoon is the chosen method of travel, two or three students can become the spoon and the actor just accompanies the spoon as it scoots across the room to its destination, usually with much laughter. Safety is an issue, and the instructor must not let things get out of hand.
Generally a couple of minutes suffice for these scenes. Just remember that the kids being the spoon must synchronize their actions with your words (Rule #7 of the Classroom Rules).
Examples of such conveyances, besides the common ones of by car, boat, train, airplane, or on foot are: by motorized utensil (spoon, knife, fork, plate, glass, or cup), cow, camel, toad, monster or other bizarre creatures, magic carpet, auto-toilette, space shuttle, narwhal, etc.
The students never fail to make this an amusing and sometimes hilarious part of class, and often come up with amazing conveyances of their own. When the words mean something to the kids, they actually learn them. Fishing for increasingly bizarre details can provide excellent repetition of thematic vocabulary words like knife, fork and spoon, for those who still teach thematic units.
Of course, another way to teach these terms is to have the kids memorize the list of means of transportation in the textbook or in the thematic unit vocabulary unit and take a test on it on Friday. The choice is up to the teacher.
unit and take a test on it on Friday. The choice is up to the teacher.