Job Discussion Forums

[tw]

OK, I may be good at making lessons interesting, but when it comes to games my mind goes blank. I am aware of various guess-the-word/phrase games. I have classes that have at least 35 students and I want games that FORCES everyone to participate. Does anyone have any ideas other than Hangman and Wheel-of-Fortune? I should also mention that my students are mostly intermediate beginners. Thanks in advance!

[andyscott84]

I got this game from another teacher, it is smiply called the boom-boom game. On the black/white board draw a grid about 5x5 should so it. Label the X and Y axis A, B, C, D, E and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Underneath these squares there are points, a gun and a humburger. You split the class into two teams and ask them questions adding up to the amount of squares you have on the grid. If they get the question right then they can choose a square and get whatever is underneath. Points is obvious, the gun means that the other team will get an extra question and the hamburger means your team will get another.

So before class all you have to do is print out a grid and know where everything is on it and also a list of questions. To get everyone to participate I only let each person answer one question. The team will then convince the usually quiet students to also participate.

This game always goes down well in my students, everyone speaks. I always use it for my revision class.

[Roger]

Games for 35-year olds? Sounds like some contradiction to me. BUt yes, we are, after all, in China.

Here is a suggestion I used with middle-school students and kids at summer camps:

Post lists of consumer items in various locations around your school, preferably far apart, so that your learners have to make some physical effort (which helps to get better vibes out of some).
What you list on those posters is up to your imagination and may depend on the job profiles of your learners. I would try to give them the idea of spending a fixed amount on badly-needed household items they must select from different departments at a department store.
THis is a practical job, related to their personal experience (most will be married), it revolves around spending money (another Chinese "like" activity).
You can vary the degree of difficulty by giving them terse oral instructions as to where they find this or that department; give them a time frame so that they can compete against each other.
Alternatively, you can form groups of 5 to 6, so that each group has to work together and discuss certain issues among them.
A kind of orienterring - it works, and it doesn't require a lot of preparation.

[vikdk]

quoting Roger

[nolefan]

[Roger]

Thanks, Nolefan, for your pointer! Silly me misinterpreting the title. It clearly states in the text "35 plus students".

He didn't say a thing about the age of his learners; however, the lucky bugger got ONLY 35 plus - not 50, 60 or 100!

[GeminiTiger]

[shenyanggerry]

Put them in groups of 5-7 - for some reason, 4 doesn't seem to generate the excitement that one more person gives.
Have each group stand in a circle.
Give each a post-it note and tell them to put the name of a famous person on it and stick to the person's back WITHOUT THEM SEEING THE NAME. Each S has a post-it note on their back
Have them take turns guessing who they are using yes/no questions. Continue until each has had one or two turns.

Model the activity first. i.e. George Washington:
Am I a woman - group says "no"
Am I alive - no
Am I Chinese - no
Am I American - yes
Was I a writer - no
Was I an athlete - no
Was I a politician - yes
Did I die in the last 150 years - no
Was I a president - yes
Was I George Washington - YES

Wander around monitoring throughout the exercise.