1. 'A change is as good as a rest.' V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 1 USING PROVERBS IN THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

2. The proverbs and their usage in the classroom: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 2 This activity can make up just part of a lesson, a complete lesson, or even two – depending on your decision (or better to say curriculum). The activity can be used in young, adult or teenage general English (foreign) language classroom. As it can be interesting activity with plenty of opportunity for social contact it can be used at various times in a lesson, as warm-up, break and filler activity.

3. The proverbs and their usage in the classroom: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 3 -level of students: elementary to upperintermediate -age of students: young learners to adults -time needed: according to your own choice and planned activity (from 1-10 minutes up to 45 minutes) -focus: vocabulary, pattern memorisation, pronunciation, writing, discussing, storytelling, learning proverbs as an end in itself, -materials: none -preparations: a brief note about the activity the purpose of which is to orientate you about rationale and other useful background information, careful plannning of the complete lesson -procedure: the steps to follow in class -variations: warm-up activity, filling activity,break activity, a complete lesson

4. Depending of the level and age of your students and time you have, you will have a diferrent approach to this activity: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 4 If you spend a few minutes per lesson it is best to teach one or two proverbs at a time (never in batches). You can use the main idea or one of the review ideas in tens or scores of different lessons.Later on, new proverbs can be introduced by you or by students as you go along. Low level students in particular like learning proverbs. For beginners, learning a proverb has extra value since learning a proverb is learning a complete text. The importance of students learning masses of prefabricated chunks of language (as opposed to rules for creating their own chunks from scratch) is academically respectable (Nattinger and de Carrico 1992). One sometimes hears it said that proverbs aren't all that commonly used anymore. That is probably true for some proverbs (e.g. 'Haste makes waste') but not for others (e.g. 'You win some, you lose some').

5. Procedure: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 5 Make sure your students know what the word proverb means Choose or elicit the first 'proverb of the day‘ Make sure your students understand the proverb! Help students say it well. Pay special attention to rhythm Ask your students to copy the proverb into a special proverb section of their notebooks. Move on to some other activity if you choose this activity as warm up activity. Perhaps, once or twice later in the lesson ask, 'What was today's proverb?'. To continue in other lessons, at the beginning of the lesson, you may ask, 'What was yesterday's proverb?', 'What was the proverb before last?', 'What was our first proverb?'

6. For homework, after every twenty or so proverbs, ask students to group them in some way, for example: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 6 -proverbs that have similar ('What's done is done.'; 'The past is past.') -or opposed imports (' Clothes make the man.'; 'Don't judge a book by its cover') -ones that have counterparts in Croatian ('When the cat's away, the mice will play.'), - and ones that don't (Two in distress makes trouble less.) -ones they like and ones they don't

7. Proverbs can be used as a theme for classroom work that goes beyond reading: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 7 -to promt your students to tell stories or anectodes on the theme, the 'message', or moral of a proverb (for example: 'Rome wasn't built in a day.'; 'Don't judge a book by its cover') -You may encourage discussion using morals or wisdoms from the proverbs (for example: 'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.') -morals or wisdoms contained in proverbs can be used as a theme for a homework activity: writing an essay using a suitable proverb as its 'title' (e.g. 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.’)

8. More activities that are not time consuming V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 8 -Rhyming proverbs can be written on a peace of paper. You cut the paper in two so that one the proverb is divided into two parts. Each student gets just one peace of paper with a part of a proverb (for example: 'Haste makes' / 'waste'; 'If you snooze', /'you lose') The students circulate to find their match. When the match is found, they stay together as a couple. At the end of the activity, they read their proverbs. -If you teach more advanced students, and after introducing a certain number of proverbs, you may use proverbs that do not rhyme, a longer or more complicated ones and do the same activity but on higher level.

9. Some proverbs may be used as introduction to grammar activities: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 9 Comparison : -’Blood is thicker than water.’ ‘If’ clauses: -’If it can’t be cured, it must be endured.’ Passive voice: -’A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.’ Present simple: -’All things come to those who wait.’

10. Some english proverbs: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 10 Rhyming proverbs: Love many, trust few; always paddle your own canoe. A stitch in time saves nine. Alliterative proverbs: Live and learn. Where there's a will, there's a way. All that glistens is not gold.

11. Repetitive proverbs: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 11 First come, first served. You win some, you lose some. There's no fool like an old fool. A penny saved is a penny earned. All's well that ends well. What's done is done. The past is past. Don't get mad, get even. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Like father, like son.

12. Other proverbs: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 12 There's an exception to every rule. A leopard never changes its spots. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Neither a borrower nor a lender be. Rome wasn't built in a day. Experience is the best teacher. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Charity begins at home. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. A new broom sweeps clean.

13. V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 13

14. References: V. Šimi č evi ć, 'Using proverbs in the language classroom', 2015. 14 E. Strauss, 'The Dictionary of European Proverbs', Routledge, 1994 S. Lindstromberg, 'The Standby Book', (C. Laroy, A Proverb Day),Cambridge University Press, 1999 www.phrasemix.com/collections/the-50-most-important- english- proverbs www.phrasemix.com/collections/the-50-most-important- www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html https://en.wikiquote.org/.../ English_proverbs_(alphabetically) https://en.wikiquote.org/.../ www.learn-english-today.com/ proverbs/proverbs.html www.learn-english-today.com/