Planning with your co-teacher isn't a bad idea since Korean teachers absolutely love taking over in the auction with the hammer and the bell and score keeping... and then forgetting to do it altogether.

The most important thing about running an auction is staying organized because it's easy to lose track of what team has bid and paid for what. Don't forget to limit the amount of "money" each team has too. Some students might even insist on "going to the bank" (a fake bank, right?) and borrowing money to bid more money. To keep things simple just tell them at the beginning that they're not allowed to "borrow" money or trade money between each other.

So how do you get money? The easiest way is to have your school order some fake monopoly-like money from a magazine. Most schools need to be proven to that the auction works with the students at your school. So you probably won't have this option. For the first 2 auctions I held (that is, 44 classes of 30-45 students each) we used money that I created using Photoshop.

I put a picture of myself, through and threw in some numbers. The fake money I made was all in multiples of $100, this makes the whole auction easier to calculate for you and for students. Also, you don't have to run a bank that gives students change when they need it.

It is strongly advised that you don't use a microphone for the auction. Those in favor of using one will say that it will help preserve your voice and create the right atmosphere. While this can be true, you should also remember that if you're running the auction, students must hear you.

If you speak softly, they'll adjust the volume of their voice. If you just want to make a lot of noise and get your students really worked up by all means, use a micro. When would you want to do this? Students are usually very quiet for the first class of the day. Most kids at that hour are still waking up. By Friday afternoon however they're wound up and ready to make you lose your voice, so be careful.

This is the best information I have about using the auction to teach students in public schools. If you have a smart board, then more power too you, since it only enhances the whole experience.

Try it; you'll soon discover that even the quietest and dumbest students see you in the same light they see a celebrity. They'll respect you more and listen more in future classes.

Dan teachers Native English Teachers how to survive in Korea by cooking, giving and being loving at their schools. Join his free newsletter: http://www.survivalinkorea.com