Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lifeinkorea]

Price Game

This is a fairly easy game to play that kids enjoy a lot. You can play it different ways but here is the main outline. Think of the game show "The Price Is Right".

First, get a list of things students want. It can be gifts for Christmas or birthday presents (about 10 will last you 30 minutes easily). Then, look up these on the internet. You can use Amazon to get the prices, or check specific sites for things like pets or cars. Save the pictures too, and show them on a computer screen if you can.

Since these are gifts, don't list cheap things like pencils, candy, or food (list things you would most likely unwrap). Instead, list school supplies so it is higher priced (higher that 20 dollars at least). Only 2 or 3 items under 100 dollars is good. The other stuff should be from 100-1,500 dollars. If they want a car, go ahead and get a really expensive one. The idea here is to practice reading and saying larger numbers.

After you get all the prices, divide the class up into at least 4 teams (4 or 5 students per team for more teams). Each team will guess the price of one of the items. The closest one to the actual price gets a point, and they are the last to guess the price of the next item. They also get to choose the next item to guess the price of. The second team closest to the actual price then guesses the price first, and then the third, fourth, and fifth team. Do the same thing for each round/item.

You can give them play money and have them count out the money to match the actual cost. This will help them understand the use of 20 dollar bills instead of 1, 5, or 10 dollar bills. Add coins to the higher level students and have them name how many of a specific coin or bill is needed (Ex. "$130.48", six 20 dollar bills, one 10 dollar bill, 1 quarter, 2 dimes, and 3 pennies).

With the last one, I often give each team a piece of small paper and instead of guessing the price in turns, they write it down. This can be for bonus points or just one point.

[Kaypea]

I'm going to try this.

Picky question... Is it necessary to make them understand that the point is to guess closest to the price without going over, like they do on TV? Do you think that's a fairly useless and confusing rule you can jettison for ESL? I noticed you didn't discuss this rule, and so I'm inspired by that (I've thought of playing Price is Right before, but balked at the thought of explaining the "not going over" bit)

[pandapanda]

I've played it a couple of times but never do the giving prices in order thing. Each team is given a mini whiteboard, I show an item, they have 30 seconds to come up with a price, they raise the board and say their guess and the closest wins. The not over is purely your choice, it's not like it's difficult to explain.

[lifeinkorea]

[Kaypea]

I actually can't imagine doing this with a big class. It's for my afterschool class in the English Zone, where they sit in groups and not in those long rows.

Heh I always think game rules are harder then they are. I'm the person who always forgets how to play poker, monopoly, etc... you know, THAT person.

[lifeinkorea]

When I did larger classes, we had 6 teams. There were different colored tables. I put 2 blue tables together, that was one team (4-6 students), then another pair of blue tables. Then there were yellow and white tables. You play as if there are 6 students, but the team works on the price.

It's actually better in my opinion than a smaller class. I did this yesterday at the afterschool program I am doing now, and there were only 3 teams. It was not as fun. One student will say a price, and another on the team will disagree. They debate for like 5 minutes. You can teach numbers during this time with the lower level students.

If you just do a few students, then there will always be one who just doesn't get it and will see no point in continuing playing. If they are on a team with a good player (someone who already knows how to count), then they are more likely to continue in the game and participate. You just need to be there to help them. The co-teacher can do this as well.

I'll have another lesson on delivering food or items posted. You can see it at http://roleplaydi.wikispaces.com/deliverysheet

It's more involved, but you have more options. Use the template form I made or scrap it, as it is confusing without some explanation.

If there is interest, I'll make a youtube video or something else like an animation at http://goanimate.com/

[Kaypea]

Thank you for the helpful suggestions and resources. I love it!

I find my problem with class games is not so much the size of the class, it's the quality (or type) of the actual physical room and desks.

My afterschool class is as big as my "normal" classes, but we are in a nice room with the desks arranged as tables. These can be separated, if necessary.

In the regular classroom, the Ss sit in those old fashioned chair-with-desktop-attached thingies. The classrooms are dark and cluttered. It's really difficult to do team activities because it's tricky to get the students to move to form a group.

I do activities, but they tend to be one-person or partner activities. When I do group team games like "BAAM", I tend to just make the teams out of rows, and I just pick a kid from the row to answer a question. It's still fun, but there's little interaction between team mates.

The question is: is the lazy period from now until the start of next semester the optimal time to train my students to move their desk thingies into groups for team games? Or, is there no point?

If there's some OBVIOUS teacher wisdom I'm missing, please don't think I'm somehow above not knowing it yet, and inform me ^^

[lifeinkorea]

I have the same problem. Boys also don't want to mingle with girls, and vice versa. So, you need to set the student desks before class and teach like that until game time.

I found it easier to make them not move anything than try to have them coordinate something.

One thing I did was make "L" shaped patterns for seating. It actually looks more like "___|" where the students are facing up. I did this with tables, but you could do them with desks.

The advantage of this is that all students can look to the front of the classroom. The inner part can be space for the teacher to teach in smaller groups. I use the same idea with smaller classes, but just have a big "U" shape split down the center to create an aisle.

[Kaypea]

Ah, cool! Maybe even rows of 4-ish or something could work. As the kids trickle in, I can make them help me (they're easier to work with BEFORE class starts)