GAMES IN ENGLISH CLASS

GAMES IN ENGLISH CLASS

Act Out an Activity

Level: Easy to Medium

This is a game-like activity to teach continous tense.

One student simply acts out some activity (e.g.cooking) and the other students guess what that student is doing. The student who guesses correctly acts out another acitvity...

Submitted by: Lucia Liskova

What's the Question?

Level: Any Level

Type of Activity: listening and speaking

Purpose: review question forms previously studied in class

Procedure:

Form two teams (three will work, but two seems to add just the right amount of competitive tension).

Explain the game, with a few examples of answers in search of questions. Ask, 'What's the question?', and get students to correctly say the corresponding questions for your answer.

Have two players--one from each team--come to the front. Style it like a game show if you like, with the students standing side-by-side. If you have access to bells or buzzers, it's even more fun.

Next, read an answer to a question and say, 'What's the question?' The fastest player to respond wins a point for her/his team. New contestants come to the front for a new round.

Rationale: This game forces the students to think backwards a little, so they must provide a grammatically perfect question. All too often, they are used to answering rather than asking questions, so this is challenging and useful as review.

Submitted by: Tim

Bad Fruit: A Shoppers' Nightmare

Level: Easy to Medium

This is an oral communication activity appropriate for EFL learners in elementary/primary school. (It's optimal for grades 3-6). This game is designed for practicing "shopping" dialogues and vocabulary.

Materials: "produce" and play money.

Object of Game: To accumulate as many products as possible.

Students are divided into clerks and shoppers.

The clerks set up "stands" to allow easy access for all shoppers (e.g. around the outsides of the room with their backs to the wall).

The shoppers are given a set amount of money* (e.g. dollars, euros, pounds, etc.) and begin at a stand where there is an open space.

Students shop, trying to accumulate as many items as possible (each item is 1 unit of currency).

Periodically, the instructor will say "stop" (a bell or other device may be needed to attract attention in some cultural and classroom contexts) and call out a name of one of the products. Students with that product must then put ALL their products in a basket at the front of the room. The remaining students continue shopping. Students who had to dump their products must begin again from scratch (with fewer units of currency).

The student with the most products at the end wins.

Students then switch roles.

*It is recommended giving students as much money as possible since students who run out can no longer participate.

Alternative play for more advanced students: Clerks set the price of items. Shoppers have the option of negotiating the price. There are two winners in this version: The shopper who accumulates the most products and the clerk who makes the most money.

Submitted by: Mike Yough

Question and Answer Game Activity

Level: Any Level

Usually students answer comprehension questions after a reading. Why not have students create their own comprehension questions? I have and it works well, especially if this activity is turned into a game. I do this by having students in small groups work together to write questions about the text. Only questions which can be answered by the text are allowed. Opinion questions are not allowed. After groups finish writing their questions, they ask their questions to another group which must answer within a specified amount of time (the teacher decides the time according the class level). If the answer is correct and given within the time period, the answering team receives a point. If the answer is incorrect or not found within the time period, the questioning group receives a point, but they must inform the other group of the answer. Each group takes turns asking and answering questions.

Submitted by Greg Goodmacher

Guess the Object

Level: Any Level

The teacher prepares cutout pictures that are pasted or taped to index cards. One student selects a card and must describe it in English until another student can guess the object. This is very much like "20 Questions" but instead of the challenge being to ask questions, the bonus is on the cardholder to verbalize the description.

The teacher should be careful to select pictures that reflect the vocabulary level of the students. Simple objects, like "baby", "door" or "car" are good for beginners. Later on, more complicated pictures that suggest actions, scenes and relationships could be used, like: "mother bathing child".

Submitted by Betsy Walker

Tell Me about Myself

Level: Any Level

This game works well with students at pre-intermediate level or above and can be adapted accordingly. It is an original way of introducing yourself (as a teacher) to a class for the first time, but could also be used later on.

Prepare in advance, on an overhead transparency or white-board, a mind map of yourself. Instead of using sentences to describe your life, use single words, numbers, dates, symbols and illustrations where possible.

For example I include information about my life in England, names of siblings, date of birth, name of hometown etc. (My hometown is Stoke-on-Trent which I then illustrate with a cup and saucer - the Potteries, and a football - Stoke City FC. It keeps them guessing.)

I include information about my husband (name and illustration of job) children (names, ages, birthdays). You can add your shoe size, height, illustrations of your hobbies etc. I draw a needle and thread - sewing, a pair of skis - I enjoy skiing, and a pencil - drawing.

Any kind of information can be included. Use your imagination! I live in Sweden and draw a picture of a snowman with a cross through it to illustrate that I don¥t like the winter!

Get your students to tell you what the information means. For example.

July - is that when your birthday is?

Does the cup and saucer mean you drink tea?

Try and get a good mix of obvious and less obvious information. For example, when I drew a fish (to illustrate that I kept tropical fish) it provoked questions like:

Do you eat a lot of fish?

Do you enjoy fishing?

Is your star sign pisces?

Give them a clue if they¥re having problems guessing.

This game has worked wonderfully for me in many classes of varying levels. To follow up, get you students to take a few minutes to prepare something similar individually, and then work in pairs guessing what the information means about their partner.

Submitted by Dawn Garnheim, Sweden

A Conversation Idea - How Do You Kill Time?

Level: Medium

Here is a simple idea to generate chat among your students. We all know

that there are moments during the day when we have nothing to do, no plans.

For example, when you are waiting for a teacher, a friend and so on. How do

we occupy these periods of time, either mentally or physically? For

example:

Activity A

What do you do during the TV advertisements?

Make a list of what the students say

(My students got these)

Talk to my sister

I read something, anything

I get up and do something

I go to the bathroom (!)

I change channels

I look for something to eat or read

I call a friend

I water the plants

I put on some food for the next day

I phone Pizza Hut

I put the children to bed

I brush my teeth

I unload the washing machine/put clothes on line

I rush to do the washing-up

You can also get the students to tick off the ones which they regularly do

and check the most common activities

Activity B

Ways to pass the time/occupy your mind/self when you are:

In a bus queue

Waiting at a supermarket check-out

In a doctor's waiting-room

Waiting for your boy/girlfriend on a cold day-outdoors

In a cinema/theatre, waiting for the film/play

In a traffic jam

In an airport/train station

In a lift/elevator

Getting your hair done/cut

Etc ...

Submitted by Gerard Counihan

A Conversation Idea - Rate the Apparatus

Level: Medium

Activity A

The many household apparatus/machines/gadgets we use at home make life a

little bit easier; the micro-wave oven heats things up quickly; the fridge keeps

perishable goods fresh; the washing-machine cleans our clothes and saves us

time. So, when put to the test, which of these machines/apparatus could we

do without-IF WE HAD TO. In other words, which of these machines is the

most important, generally speaking. Get your students to make a list of ten

common ones, and then get them to list them in order of perceived necessity

(for want of a better word). Here is a list I gleaned from my pupils, don't

show it to the pupils at first.

Refrigerator

Washing machine

Shower

Toilet

Tea/Coffee maker

TV

Radio

Telephone

Light bulb

Cooker

Of course, these items must be rated according to perceived necessity, and

the rating must be justified. Reasons for a choice must be given. Students

will debate the "top" necessity and so on, down to the least important

item.

Activity B

Are these things necessary?

The activity A could branch out into further items we use to make life

easier and, presumably, make life better. For example:

Perfume

Hair driers

Mirrors

Walkman

Cigarette lighters

Special wine glasses

Mobile telephones

Curtains

Expensive furniture

Sweets and savouries

Etc ...

The idea is not to embark on an ethical crusade, but simple to get people

thinking and speaking in English. All of this is, crucially, backed up by

realistic reasons for the comments made. Some of the items above are by no

means original, but they are everyday things which are part and parcel of

our lives.

Can you think of more normal, common-or-garden items which could be

dispensed with?

Submitted by Gerard Counihan

Role Play: The Exclusive Picture

Level: Medium to Advanced

Time: One hour, including follow-up debate.

Language: As many speech acts as are possible. "Divergent"approach (see The Internet TESL Journal" for a good article by Patricia K. Tompkins).

Organization: Small group (in my case, 7).

Warm-up/Preparation: Each student compiles a fictitious character profile(or merely thinks up a few ideas on what he mightsay in the context).

Procedure: Teacher asks for volunteers, or appoints them ifthe students are stalling too much.

Background:

The editor of a newspaper, whose sales are not going well at the moment, has just received a very graphic photo of a horrendous accident involving a school-bus and which occurred on a nearby motorway due to heavy fog. In the photo, you can see the injured and dead strewn around the crash scene. The rest is easy to imagine. The problem is whether to publish it or not. The image could shock, all the more so if it is on the front page. Should not the victims be left in peace, and not appear on the cover of a newspaper. Then again, perhaps by publishing this photo, the editor seeks to educate would-be careless drivers, or would-be drink-drivers. Of course, why should these victims be used as free advertising? Also, it is news, and nobody can fault a journalist for airing a story and photo. Moreover, the photo will attract, perhaps, new customers; people have a morbid interest in the misfortunes of others, it is said.

Role players:

The editor, quite young.

The photographer who took the shot, single.

The accountant, married with two children.

A journalist-relative of one of the victims-in favour ofpublication,

married (with or without children).

A second journalist, single, who is against publication.

More journalists from various sections of the paper.

(The ages and marital status may be altered as you see fit).

Facts on newspaper:

Employs fifty workers, most with children.

Is on the verge of closure.

Serious newspaper.

Follow-up:

Teacher collects main arguments raised and writes them down in order to fully tease out what was said, the validity/logic of same.

A more open " casual" group debate can ensue in the wake of the role play.

Variation:

Instead of a photo, it could be a nasty story about a local hero/personality.

Off-shoot Activity:

The role of newspapers in society.

What sells newspaper.

Why do we buy newspapers.

Will they disappear in the future?

Advice

Level: Medium to Difficult

Aims: To practise giving advice and suggestions. To trigger creative

contributions. To generate interaction from a simple raw material.

1 Get a student to say the first sentence below to his neighbour. The

latter makes a suggestion, and goes on to utter the next of my sentences,

and so on.

2 If the students are a bit cold, do the following; get them all to write

down a piece of advice for the first sentence on a page-give them time.

Then, you can go around the class enjoying the wide variety of

contributions which are sure to ensue.

(I actually did the uttering of the sentences, and allowed the students to

propose the advice).

Note: For some sentences you may get really boring answers, devoid of any

thought-get them to modify it, change it a bit, spice it up, use

creativity!

I HAVE A HEADACHE.

I HATE WORKING.

I FEEL SAD.

I WANT TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

I LOVE PEOPLE.

I AM ALWAYS LATE.

I KEEP LOSING MY CREDIT CARD.

MY FRIENDS DON'T WANT TO SEE ME.

I HAVE A RED NOSE.

I AM ALWAYS CRASHING MY CAR.

I WOULD LOVE TO MEET SOME PEOPLE.

IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE RICH.

MY STOMACH IS HUGE

I AM VERY INTELLECTUAL.

MOTHER SAYS I AM ATTRACTIVE.

YOU SHOULD + INFINITIVE

YOU OUGHT TO + INFINITIVE (FORMAL)

IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF YOU + PAST SIMPLE

IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD ...

YOU HAD BETTER ... + INFINITIVE

YOU WILL HAVE TO + INFINITIVE

IT IS TIME YOU + PAST SIMPLE

WHY DON'T YOU ... + INFINITIVE

YOU COULD ALWAYS ... + INFINITIVE

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ... + ING

IMPERATIVES (Don't ... Do ...)

Submitted by Gerard Counihan

Finding the Best Person for the Job

Level: Any Level

The idea of this activity is to review or learn personality adjectives.

Tell the students that they are the owners of a cafe and they have to choose a new waiter/waitress from a list of four applicants for the job.

The teacher's preparation involves thinking of four personality adjectives for each applicant.Give the applicants a name and a colour. One applicant should be ideal for the job, two neutral and the other totally useless. After this the teacher writes each adjective on a separate card using a different colour pen for each applicant. Four applicants,four colours,sixteen adjectives altogether.

The next step is to arrive at work early before the students and hide the cards in sixteen different places around the classroom.

When the class starts, you explain the activity by telling the students their aim is to decide which applicant is best for the job.There are four applicants, each with their own colour and a total of sixteen words. The pair that finds all the words and chooses the best applicant first are the winners. But first they have to find the cards!

Pair the students off. Student A stays put while student B searches for the hidden words. When a word is found B must read it, (without alerting the other searchers )return to A and quietly say the word.A writes the word, keeping words of the same colour together. If B forgets the word or the correct spelling,he /she has to return to the word. A and B should swap roles after a number of words have been found.

At the end of the activity stick all the words on the board, in their colour groups,under the correct name. All the students can then discuss why the applicants are/are not suitable for the job.

The job could be changed depending on what sort of adjectives you would like to focus on as could the number and dificulty of the adjectives.

Submitted by Colin Guest

Verb Review Game

Level: Any Level

This game can be played in teams or individually, depending on the size end knowledge of the students.

Step 1:

The teacher gives the students 5 minutes to review a list of both regular and irregular verbs.

Step 2:

Then the teacher writes something like this on the board : "things we do with our feet"

Step 3:

The students then have exactly one minute to write all the verbs related to this topic, such as: walk, kick, dance, run, jump, etc.

Step 4:

After the time is up, the teacher checks the students' lists of vebs. Each verb counts for one point. Any verbs appearing in more than one list are elliminated.

Then the teacher writes another topic on the board, "things we do with our mouth", for instance.

The student or team with the most points is the winner.

NOTE:This game can be used to review ot only verbs but also adjetives, nouns etc.

Submitted by Pablo Ortega

Essay Planning Made Easy

Level: Any Level

My students find it hard to brainstorm ideas,plan what to write and present balanced opinions. This activity seems to help because it works from a fun speaking base.

Use big pieces of paper. Write a different word within a group on four pieces of paper and stick in different corners of the room(eg. animals: horse, elephant, dog, monkey) Tell the sts to go and stand next to the (animal) you like best/fear most/want to be" etc. Students go to corners and justify their choice to other students.

This can be done in various ways to suit the situation; I sometimes end up with teams having to offer and counteract arguments publicly across the room. The topics can become more abstract, depending on the level of the students.

Finally, bring the activity together by choosing the basis of an essay topic,eg "The Rainforests". Elicit single words for the big pieces of paper, eg 'fuel/building materials/ oxygen/medicines (the brainstorm) and stick them on the board. Then invite students to sort them into two overarching groups; eg reasons for forest conservation or reasons for using the wood (the plan) Repeat the verbal argument 'game' in teams but keep notes of the submissions on the board or on paper(the body of the essay)

Finally write a sentence on the board eg:

"Although it is important to ___ because ___(give one reason) I believe it is more important to ___ because (give two main reasons."

Students then go to one of the two main groups they broadly agree with and produce their final pronouncement(the conclusion).

Review the process overtly. Get the students to write in groups next time, then go it alone with the same methods.

Submitted by Jane King, New Zealand

Present Continuous Videos

Level: Any Level

I've used this activity in just about every class I've ever had, it's suitable for any age group and any level but the best thing about it is that it requires almost no preparation.

You'll need a video. I usually use Mr Bean but anything will do as long as it isn't dialogue heavy and has a lot of action.

The students will need a piece of paper and a pen. Arrange students in two rows and seat them back to back so that the video can be seen by one row (watchers) but not by the other (writers).

Explain to the watchers that they are to describe the action taking place on the screen using the present continuous, they can also describe clothing, people, anything really but try to keep the focus on the action.

The writers have to listen carefully to the watcher sitting behind them and write down as much information as they can.

Keep this going for about five or ten minutes (or as long as a Mr Bean sketch) then get them to swap chairs and play a different sketch/segment for the new row of watchers.

Put the students into two groups according to row. They must now pool their notes and create their own version of events. Good past continuous practice!

I usually get them to share their stories with the other group and then at the end let them watch both segments again and compare their version with what actually happened.

Lots of listening, speaking, writing and lots of fun.

Submitted by Vanessa P.

Group Dialogue

Level: Any Level

Following a simple warm-up where each person must say a word associated with the word mentioned by the person before him or her, I have them repeat the same procedure but with complete sentences, as if it were a discussion between two people. For example: student 1, "Hi how are you Joe?"; student 2, "Oh pretty good Sue. How about you?"; student 3, " Well, not so good."; student 4, " Why not?", etc. The dialogue must procede in such a way that the last person concludes the discussion and they bid each other goodbye. You never know where the conversation will lead and it's excellent for listening, even without a point system!

Submitted by Tim Morgan

Mimes

Level: Easy to Medium

This game is very useful to practice present progressive structures. You have to give to each student a small card with an action (i.E. You are dancing). The student has to mime the action in front of the class and each student in turn will try to guess what he's doing posing a question like: "Are you dancing?". The student who mimes has to answer "Yes i am" or "No i'm not". This way pupils practice and have fun!

Good luck!!!

Gloria from Italy (glo75$$$hotmail.com)

Submitted by Gloria

Making Words from Letters in a Long Word

Level: Medium to Difficult

This game is a good activity for learning new words and for reviving some word knoweledge and for giving a teacher time to prepare other tasks for students.

The class is to be divided into 2-3- teams. Give each team a dictionary and write on the board a long word. Students should compose different words from the letters of this word. After some time, the teams give their words. the team that has the most correct words wins.

For example:

R E T R I B U T I O N

return tribute iron notion note tone rib tube bruit tent tribe bur button rent burin nob bite burr run route tire tore bent bet bonnet rub nib net nub bin nut bit rube ruin rob rot unit union unite tier tie tin tint tone toe brute burn brunt butt butter riot tot tenet tenure terrier retro bone boot born bout totter tote tour bore

Then you can ask them to learn these words.

Submitted by Shipulin Vladimir

The Alphabet Game

Level: Any Level

This game is used to practice alphabet and check their vocabulary. Do as a competition. Divide Students into groups of five ( it depends on the number of students you have) and ask them to stand in line. give to the students of the front a marker to write on the whiteboard.Then draw with your finger an imaginary letter of the alphabet on the back of the students at the end of the line. They must do the same with the student in front of him/her and so on. the students with the marker are supposed to run to the board and write any word that begins with that letter. Students love it!

Submitted by Andréia Martins

Memory Game (Long and Short Forms)

Level: Medium to Difficult

RULES: The same rules as the regular memory games(the only difference is they are going to match the long forms with the sort forms).

Foreign students sometimes do not realize there are many reductions in English. They feel frustrated when they are not able to understand spoken English. This is in part to because they are not aware of short forms. A way to help them is by showing same expressions in both short and long forms. Examples:

want to- wanna

going to-gonna

ought to-outta

because-'cause

a lot of- alotta

see you-seeya

got to-gotta

let me-lemmi

give me-gimmi

what have-wattav

etc.

I advise the teacher to read aloud the cards when the students pick them up in order to encourage them to repeat and learn them.

Submitted by Pablo Ortega Juárez portegaj63$$$hotmail.com

Listening Exercise (Song Puzzle)

Level: Medium to Difficult

I really like this activity because it is easy and fun. Students will say English is music to my ears!

For this exercise you will need the lyrics of a song in English.You will need several copies, one for each student .Cut the lines of the song .The students will try to put the song in order.You will play the song as many times as necessary.The student who finishes first is the winner.

Submitted by Pablo Ortega Juárez portegaj63$$$hotmail.com

Getting To Know You

Level: Medium to Difficult

-for larger classes

1. Give each student an idex card

2. Have the students pair up and write the name of their partner on their card.Give them five or six questions that they must ask each other such as:

-Where were you born?

-What is your favorite color and why?

-What did you dream last night?

3. Make sure that they write down the answers to these questions on their card. When they are done, have them each choose a new partner.

4. They will then tell their new partner about their old partner based on the questions answered. Each person will record this information on the other side on the index card (the index card is only to help them remember everything).

5. Once they have finished, they each stand up in front of the class and tell everyone what they learned about one of their classmates.

-this helps them to develop their communication skills and helps them get comfortable with speaking and interacting with all the students in the class

Submitted by Melanie Dutton

Prepositions Game

Level: Medium to Difficult

Prepare a text that contains prepositions. Take out the propositions and print them on a separate sheet, then cut this sheet so that each preposition is on a piece of paper, then put all of them in an envelope . Divide the class into groups and give each group an envelope. Tell the students that you are going to read a text and whenever you raise your hand they should bring a suitable preposition and put it on your desk and that the fastest team would get points. Read the text with each groups' order and cancel a point for each mistake. Finally read the text with correct prepositions. You can play this game with adj as well as a,the and an.

Submitted by: Luma Ashoo

Getting to Know a Little More about Your Classmates

Level: Any Level

The teacher gives every student a piece of paper on which they write a sentence about their personal life. This sentence can be about school, family, music, friends, the last vacation, etc. For example "I went to the beach last vacation" or "I always study for my exams" or "I have two brothers" etc. When they finish writing their sentences they fold the paper and give it to the teacher.

It is very important to tell students before writing the sentence that the information they are going to write is "a secret" and not to show it to their classmates. If they have a question about something, they should ask it to you instead of a classmate. Tell students to write their names on the papers.

After collecting all the papers, ask the students to write the numbers from one to 10 (or 20, depending on the number of students you have in that moment in the classroom) in their notebooks. After that, the teacher reads the sentences in random order (without saying the name of the student), and the students write the names of the people they think wrote sentences.

After reading all the sentences, say the question number and read the sentence again for each piece of paper and ask the students to name who they thought wrote it.

Then tell the students the name from the student who wrote that sentence. Students should write (C) for correct guesses and (I) for incorrect guesses.

This is one way for studnets to start knowing a little more about their classmates.

Submitted by: Lic. Carmen Martinez

Reviewing Tenses

Level: Any Level

Preparation:

Print out three sentences (negative, positive, and question) of the tense you want to review.

Cut each sentence into words.

The Activity:

Students work in groups.

Give each group of students words of a sentence and ask them to make the sentence.

Draw a table on the board and ask students to tick sentences at suitable positiions, positive, negative, or question.

Ask students to make rules of the tense.

Example:

Three Sentences:

I am a student.

I am not a student.

Are you a student?

The Rules:

TO BE at the present simple

I am a student.

Positive: S + am/is/are + O.

I am not a student.

Negative: S + am/is/are + not + O.

Are you a student?

Question: (Ques words) + am/ is /are + S + O?

Submitted by: Nguyen Nhu

Words Beginning with a Given Letter

Level: Medium to Difficult

The teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. Then each student must say a word that begins with that letter. If a student repeats a word that has already been said, then he/she is out of the game. The game ends when only one student remains. That student is the winner. In high level classes students lose if they say a past form of the verb. Example:see-saw. You can increase the difficulty by adding a timer. Only allow each student 5 seconds to think of a word.

Descriptions

Level: Medium

Write down names of every student in your class on pieces of paper.

Give the names to students. Try to make two students describe each other.

Ask them to describe the person whose name is on the paper.

After they finish, give the description to the person who is described. He/she has to find any writing mistakes on the paper.

Students work in pairs to correct the two papers.

Submitted by: Nguyen Nhu

Fold-over Stories

Level: Any Level

This is an old favorite. Give each student a sheet of blank paper. Write the following words on the board in a vertical line: WHO, WHAT, HOW, WHERE, WHEN, WHY. Explain that everyone will be writing a sentence story. Write an example on the board, explain, asking for suggestions.

Tell them to write someone's name at the top of their paper, i.e., their own, a classmate's, the teacher's, a famous person that everyone knows; fold the paper over once so no one can see it, then pass the paper to the person on their right.

Write on the received paper what the subject did (suggest funny or outrageous actions), fold it over and pass it on to the right.

Continue to write one line, how they did it (adverbs), fold and pass; where-pass; when-pass; and last of all, why (because...) and pass it one more time.

Have the students unfold their stories, and read them silently. Help anyone who cannot read what the others wrote, or doesn't understand.

Ask one student at a time to read "their" story aloud, or turn the stories in for the teacher to read. Funny!

Submitted by: Vicki Konzen

Crazy Story

Level: Any Level

This is an activity that will make your students speak in class and be creative.

Ask students to write a word on a piece of paper and tell them not to show anyone. This word should be a verb (or whatever you'd like to rewiew).

The teacher starts telling a story, then stops and chooses a student.

That student will continue the story and must use his/her word. This student then chooses the next student to continue the story.

The last student must end the story.

After the story is over, the students then try to guess what words each student has written on his/her paper. The student who guesses the most words wins the game.

Submitted by: Luciana Pinheiro

Classroom Rules: Must and Mustn't

Level: Easy to Medium

Prepare small pieces of paper each with either one thing students must do or one thing students must not do.

Tell the students that they are supposed to form sentences that explain classroom rules.

Divide the class into groups (of 4 if possible, so that everyone gets a chance to speak).

Give each group the pieces of paper.

The winning group, the group that finishes first, reads their sentences aloud. (Each student of the group reads one or two sentences depends on size of group.)

It's an easy game and the preparation does not take too much time. You can make as many rules as you wish.

Submitted by: Sijeta Braha

Describing Appearances & Characteristics of People

Level: Easy to Medium (Low to low intermediate)

Each student is then give one sheet of paper.  One student sits at the front of a room.  He/she describes a person and the rest of the class draws the person being described.

It is more interesting if the person being described is known by everyone. Once the student has finished describing that person then he/she reveals who it is and each student shows his/her drawing. The laughter from this is hilarious as the impressions tend to make the character in question look funny.

It is a good idea to encourage students to ask the interviewee student questions about who they are describing.

Submitted by: Darrell

Battle Ships - A Vocabulary Game

Level: Easy to Medium

Preparation:

Divide the students in to groups of four or five. Then ask the student to make the name for their ships for example with the names of animals, cities, movie stars or let them find their own favourite names.

Ask them to choose the Captain and the Shooter. The captain's duty is to memorize his ship's name, so he can reply if somebody call his ship's name. The shooter's duty is to memorize the names of the ships of 'their enemies', so he can shoot them by calling their ship's name.

Activity:

Arrange all the captains in a circle, the ships' crews must line up behind their captains. The shooter is the last crew member in line.

The teacher must decide a lexical area of vocabulary, this vocabulary will be used to defend their ships from the attacks. Every students (except the shooters) must find their own words. The lexical area for example, "Four Legged Animals". Give the students 1-2 minutes to find as many possible words as they can and memorize them.

Start the game by calling a ship's name, for example the ship name is "THE CALIFORNIAN". The captain of THE CALIFORNIAN must reply with a word from the lexical area given, for example he says "TIGER" followed by his crews behind him one by one, "COW"; "SHEEP" until it  is the shooter turns and he calls out the name of another ship and the captain of the ship called must reply and his crews must do the same thing. No word can be repeated.

If the captain is late to reply (more than 2 seconds) or his crew can not say the words or a word repeated or the shooter shoots the wrong ship (his own ship or the ship that has already been sunk) the ship is sunk, and the crew members can join the crew of another ship.

The teacher can change the lexical area for the next round.

In the last round there will be two big groups battling to be the winner.

Submitted by: Agung Listyawan

Add a Word

Level: Any Level

Rationale: Students practise grammar and syntax.

Materials: None.

Levels: All levels, though better for more advanced students, because the game is more fun at a quick pace.

Method: One student begins a sentence by saying only one word. A second student must say a word which continues the sentence. A third must continue, and so on, until someone says a word that does not fit syntactically or grammatically. If the sentence comes to a logical end without error, the next student may say "period" and begin a new sentence with a new word.

The teacher may suggest a topic to get things started. What the students say may also be recorded and played back, so the class can discuss the error that stopped the sentence.

Example:

Teacher: The topic is 'pets'.

First student: "My . . ."

Second student: ". . . dog"

Third student: ". . . has . . ."

Fourth student: ". . . spots . . ."

Fifth student: ". . . brown . . ."

The sentence would stop here. The teacher would ask the students why, hoping someone explains that the adjective 'brown' normally comes before and not after the noun 'spots'.

Submitted by Stephen MacDonald