Korean Job Discussion Forums

[some waygug-in]

My director has strictly prohibited us from using games in our upper level classes. It's not like they (the students) don't do any work either, the director wants us to do all bookwork every class. The games were the only means had to lighten the atmosphere so the students would actually enjoy the class. I would tell them if we do these 2 -3 pages in the book, then we can play a game. Now, the students are bored, angry and they are blaming me.

I am wondering if anyone knows any games that don't look like games, so the director will get off my case and the students will be happier as well.
Thanks in advance
Some waygug-in

[indytrucks]

The Hot Seat

Materials:
Deck of regular playing cards.

Index cards with various pictures of random objects pasted on (20-30 should do). You could simply write the words on, but pictures is more fun.

Procedure:

Take a chair and separate it from the rest. This is the hot seat. Place the pile of playing cards and the pile of index cards side by side on the hot seat. Each student then individually comes and sits in the chair; if you're teaching kids, playing out the act of the hot seat adds another dimension to the game (teacher sits in chair ... teacher jumps out of chair as if he's been burned ... much ballyhoo).

Each student first takes a playing card, then an index card. The playing card represents the number of sentences/adjectives/adverbs/etc. (whatever the level of the students is) the student must make with the corresponding index card. Face cards are worth ten. Example: Jimmy, you drew a five! Tell me five things about ... King Kong!

Students are given a time limit to finish (1 minute, 2 mins, whatever). If they can't complete it, they must perform some kind of gruesome task (too bad Jimmy ... sing me happy birthday - in English!), or if you have one of those squeaky hammer things, you can just whack them over the head with it. If you're teaching kids, trust me, some of them will WANT to be hit.

No boards, no dice, hence, not an obvious "game". A bit of work, yes, but in my experience it's worth it. I've adapted it for my uni kids during the intro week and they love it. My hog kids loved it to.

[GirlFromMars]

Try Taboo. Set it up anyway you like but normally there are 2 teams because students naturally love any competitive element. One team member has to define a word to his team without using certain given key terms or miming.

eg the word Beach without using Sand, Sea, Sun, Towel

Choose vocab they have studying in class and it becomes a revision exercise. And set a time limit.

[ajuma]

Does your director speak English fairly well? Try explaining to him/her that "games" are a part of learning. Hangman is GREAT for spelling (single words) and sentence construction (sentences). Scrabble and Boggle are great for vocabulary building. There wouldn't be so many "game" ideas if they didn't work to improve a students learning in some way.

If you students are really advanced, explain to THEM that "games" aren't allowed but "learning activites" are!! YOU gotta play the game!!

[jajdude]

A real simple but good one I have gotten lots of mileage from, I call "hint game." Simply get some flash cards like "Let's Go" cards or whatever. Give everybody some. Have them describe the card but not say the word(s) on the card so that everybody can guess it. For lower levels of course maybe only teacher should give the hints. "It's tall, it's green and brown. It's in the park."