Korean Job Discussion Forums

[khyber]

Howdy y'all.

I'm going home for a brief, but welcome respite.

I want to bring back a bunch of board games that are USEFUL (NOT time wasters) in the classroom.

So far,
1) Scrabble (somewhat obvious reason)
2) Guess Who? (the face game...again, obvious)
3) Boggle (does this need explanation)
4) Uno (i hear teachers use this, but I can't get it through my skull as to what benefit it could be once students know numbers)...enlighten me
5) I've heard Monopoly (I think that's a bit advanced for my students in particular...any advice?).

I teach elementary and middle school students at a variety of levels but MOST are somewhat literate and eager to learn.

Does anyone have any other good games to use.
Games like "guess who" would be ideal (where they can use a language pattern repeatedly), but as long as there is some kind of noticable result and the students enjoy it, i'd want it.

thanks for the help

khyber

[Seon-bee]

Just me two cents:

One comment on UNO. When does one really know numbers? I use the game for several reasons. As students become more proficient they should be faster (hence, prone to make mistakes, which calls for a penalty). I also change the rules often to make the game more complicated (they can escape a draw 4 card by doing penalty speaking in fornt of the class, like tell a 1-2 minute mini stoty or something). I make them add the numbers left over in their hand after someone has won and I then keep a running total.

But there are two better reasons for using the game. One is the classroom language that goes along with it. 'It's your turn, my turn hurry up, have you got a draw 2, Holy Cow1, damn, oh yea!, etc. The other is that games lower students' affective filter. They do need a break, sometimes, from the constant in-your-face English program so it can be used sparingly as a relief valve or a prize for good behavior. I usually keep two games going at the same time.

As for other games, how about Monopoly. I haven't been home in years so I don't know exactly what's out on the market.

[sparkx]

A great game is Outburst. I use the game for both my adult and childrens classes and they all love it. I actually find that it helps them with vocabulary as well.

Speaking of board games -- I tried ordering some for my school using amazon.com but found out that they don't deliver to S.Korea. Are there any places that will ship here for a resonable rate???

(sorry to jump into your thread, but I didn't want to start a similar one)

[Dazed and Confused]

Twister is great for the younger kids.

[gajackson1]

I don't know what age you are looking for, or what you are trying to 'teach,' but here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/171689/ref=t_th_ln_w_6/103-9596168-9129467

Hmmm - hope that is correct. It is SUPPOSED to take you to Toys-R-Us online, to their games section. A LOT of stuff there.

UNO could be used to work on speaking in full sentences, sportsmanship, etc. Also, they have Harry Potter editions, too (different cards & such)

Monopoly Jr., Risk Jr., etc. -- a lot of the 'longer' games have been made into simpler kids versions.

Balderdash, Pictionary/Jr., Boggle, Operation!, etc. ummm - probably quite a few. Brain Quest. Trivial Pursuit Kids edition.

You get the idea. If it is for the school, save receipts & make them pay for it! If they are for you (privates), make sure you take good care of them - they are worth their weight in gold/gim-chee!!!

Also, I have a nice set of dominoes here - Koreans don't know it, but pick it up quick, andevery one i have taught LOVE it.

Hey! I see they now have a LoTR Risk out! Kewl . . .

G.

[lighthouse1971]

Monopoly is great for intermediate and advanced adult students. You can teach them financial English (mortgage, rent, tax, banking) as well as plenty of great competitive slang and idioms.

For example, "Your ass is grass" or "You snooze, you lose" or "You're going down". It's good for plenty of laughs and learning. It's part of our culture, and that's always valuable for them to experience.

My friend uses Jenga by writing a topic on each block. When you remove a block, you have to talk about that topic for a designated amount of time and somebody has to ask you a question. Students eat it up.

[Rand Al Thor]

outburst and taboo come to mind. for your own personal sanity bring RISK and/or Axis & Allies.

[The Lemon]

We just started playing Risk in weekly matches at my university. Wish we had done it sooner - what a blast. Brings back happy memories of junior high school, before girls.

[lighthouse1971]

Cool...I'd love to get in on that. Whaddya say? Is there room for one more? I love that game.

[Bruce Willis]

What, you guys get away with playing "Risk" in a hogwhon?
Man, I've already been kicked out of one hogwhon for doing that.
The boss lady was a peacenik pacifist and just couldn't bear to
hear the comments of the kids: No way, man, I just nuked
Australia and I'm coming up to take out Kamchatka, Southeast
Russia, on my next turn. "Oh yeah, well you only got 47 battalions
in Greenland. I'll come in with my tanks, wipe that out and you'll
be toast." "Not so fast pal, by time I'm finished with you, you'll
be lucky to stake yourself out in exile down there in Argentina."
"Hey, you know very well that it takes 7 cards to control Asia,
only 5 to take Europe, and a piddly 2 or 3 for South America
or Australia. Why don't you go back to Venezuela where you belong!"

I never knew there was a junior version of it though, I know there's
Castle Risk, which I've never played. Guys in the military and
graduate school play Risk all night long, eating, drinking, and having
a good old time till daylight. Doesn't Axis and Allies take 3 days
to play? Man, play these games in a Korean hogwhon and you might
"risk" getting deported.

[The Lemon]

Bruce:

Nope, our games are strictly after-hours between the teachers. We have a great time, but losing is the worst. I beat myself up for a whole week after losing, until the next game.

[Bulsajo]

Agree with everyone else:
Outburst Jr.
Taboo
Upwords (a faster game than scrabble and easier to modify for particular lessons)
Uno (for beginners only, otherwise you're just killing time)
Jenga, tied into a lesson or as a 'reward game'
A recent edition of Trivial Pursuit for teachers after class.

Warning: Preaching to the choir ahead-
I'm a strong believer of games as long as they serve a purpose and are not just 'time-killers'. Since it's so easy to modify the rules of just about any game to fit almost any given lesson, you have to be pretty lazy, or dense, or apathetic not to do so. Doing so also gives you a defense when it comes to the boss and/or parents.

I hooked my intermediate classes on the card game A$$hole (seems to also be my favorite word these days for some reason) and used it strictly as a 'reward game' for good behaviour, half a class the last Friday of the month IF the class behaved and did their homework. Of course, I had to change the name- they now call it Babo.

A co-worker decided to do the same thing but the fool played it just about everyday and gambled with the students as well... you can figure out for yourself how that story ended.

[Rand Al Thor]

[captain kirk]

pictionary. you can buy a pictionary set. it comes in a blue box and there's a second edition when you finish/play out the first set.

if you're game for monopoly the life is good too. it's full title is 'the game of life' and it's by milton bradley. the board is huge. there's a big spinner in the middle. you choose a career , spin, and drive around the board taking on kids, insurance, etc. through 'life'.

toys are us back home would have these things.

[matthews_world]