Hi!
I actually agree 100% with Rania.
All the facts she stated are true IMHO.
You can learn and have a nice time too.
I know that my pupils learn from games.
I spend a lot of time inventing and preparing all sorts of games.
There are so many different games Larry....
I find your approach a bit narrow minded.
Best wishes
Siân
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE GAME?
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
What's a Game?
I'm curious to know what people think an activity needs to have in order to be called "a game." I think I mentioned one activity I use a while back in this thread that my students call "a game." I was wondering if you feel that a "game" has to have winners and losers, or someone who finishes "first". Some of the matching activities I do with pairs of students seem very game-like, but I don't give prizes.
In an ideal world I think Larry's ideas would work fine, but as other people have made clear, this isn't an ideal world. Some students are highly motivated, others are forced to come to evening classes by their parents, others (at my school anyway) just want to chat and make friends. If you make lessons too dry these students would stop coming. If you make lessons too light-hearted, the more studious students would feel they are wasting their money. Another complicating factor, in my situation, is that I'm a relatively new teacher and if I tried Larry's approach I would have to know the grammar inside out, which I don't. I don't think this disqualifies me from teaching - after all, if I can speak English fluently without knowing a lot of the grammatical terms, then so can my students.
Finally, don't forget the topic guys. This is an interesting thread, but it would be nice to see a few more of your favourite games. The seance game reminded me of a nice little game/activity. Everyone writes the name of a very very very very famous person or character (it could be Mickey Mouse) and then sticks the name to the forehead of another student (using cigarette papers or double-sided tape). Then either as a class or in groups the students have to ask yes/no questions to find out who they are. (Eg. Am I alive? Am I a woman? etc). A student asks one question, then the next student asks a question, and it goes round like this. If it's played in groups, the teacher notes down common mistakes to deal with later. It's funny for the students to look around and see everyone with pieces of paper stuck to their foreheads.
Finally, don't forget the topic guys. This is an interesting thread, but it would be nice to see a few more of your favourite games. The seance game reminded me of a nice little game/activity. Everyone writes the name of a very very very very famous person or character (it could be Mickey Mouse) and then sticks the name to the forehead of another student (using cigarette papers or double-sided tape). Then either as a class or in groups the students have to ask yes/no questions to find out who they are. (Eg. Am I alive? Am I a woman? etc). A student asks one question, then the next student asks a question, and it goes round like this. If it's played in groups, the teacher notes down common mistakes to deal with later. It's funny for the students to look around and see everyone with pieces of paper stuck to their foreheads.
my favourite game
Hi Bish,
A really great game for slightly more advanced students is to take some English proverbs and write them on cards, but you only write half the proverb on each card. You hand out the cards and get the students to move around and try to match up the cards to create the proverb. It's a lot of fun and can be really funny, seeing as some English proverbs sound strange to foreigners. You should see some of the pairings they can come up with!
Students also like it because you can tell them what each one means at the end and they learn something quasi-cultural at the same time.
Some proverbs to get you started (including suggested breaks):
The rolling stone/ gathers no moss
Haste/ makes waste
Too many cooks/ spoil the broth
Slow and steady/ wins the race
Don't look a gift horse/ in the mouth
It's better to be safe/ than sorry
Beauty is/ skin deep
Don't judge a book/ by it's cover
If you like this idea and get stuck for other proverbs, let me know and I will come up with some more.
Regards,
Zosia
A really great game for slightly more advanced students is to take some English proverbs and write them on cards, but you only write half the proverb on each card. You hand out the cards and get the students to move around and try to match up the cards to create the proverb. It's a lot of fun and can be really funny, seeing as some English proverbs sound strange to foreigners. You should see some of the pairings they can come up with!
Students also like it because you can tell them what each one means at the end and they learn something quasi-cultural at the same time.
Some proverbs to get you started (including suggested breaks):
The rolling stone/ gathers no moss
Haste/ makes waste
Too many cooks/ spoil the broth
Slow and steady/ wins the race
Don't look a gift horse/ in the mouth
It's better to be safe/ than sorry
Beauty is/ skin deep
Don't judge a book/ by it's cover
If you like this idea and get stuck for other proverbs, let me know and I will come up with some more.
Regards,
Zosia
-
LarryLatham
- Posts: 1195
- Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2003 6:33 pm
- Location: Aguanga, California (near San Diego)
If you're following these thoughts, they are continued at the new topic:
"New thread--grim realities of teaching and games."
LL
"New thread--grim realities of teaching and games."
LL
Last edited by LarryLatham on Tue Sep 09, 2003 4:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
I just recently discovered a good little activity, mind-bogglingly simple but very nice...
At some point in the lesson get everyone to stand up, and tell them that they can't sit down until they have answered a question correctly. The questions can be anything, or maybe just read from a text you've been using and let them complete the sentences, although it's nice to ask them questions and demand that their answers come in the form of complete sentences. The tension rises when there are just a few people left standing, and at the end, you can congratulate the last person for being the winner, with a little apology to the others - "Oh, sorry, I forgot to explain the rules..."
At some point in the lesson get everyone to stand up, and tell them that they can't sit down until they have answered a question correctly. The questions can be anything, or maybe just read from a text you've been using and let them complete the sentences, although it's nice to ask them questions and demand that their answers come in the form of complete sentences. The tension rises when there are just a few people left standing, and at the end, you can congratulate the last person for being the winner, with a little apology to the others - "Oh, sorry, I forgot to explain the rules..."
Here's another nice idea (I think) for intermediate and above.
It's basically "Scruples" (I think, although I've never played that game). It can be done as a whole class activity, but I prefer to put students into groups, then they get more time to speak. The groups work/play separately, while the teacher can go round the groups listening, noting down stuff, offering correct patterns etc.
Put the students into groups of 5 or 7 and give them the questions below. A student takes the first question and has to answer "yes" or "no", and of course give his/her reasons. Then that student elects another in the group to give the contrary point of view, and after this the group as a whole votes to decide who has provided the strongest argument (which is why an odd number in each group is recommended.) Whichever student wins the vote gets a point. You should emphasise before they begin that they are voting not according to their own opinion, but according to who has offered the best argument.
I have presented this as a game, but you can see it's just a way to get the students talking, using conditionals (or whatever - sorry, grammar's not my strong point) and the only thing that makes it a game is the points thing. You can take that aspect away if you're anti-game, it doesn't really change much; I just think making something into a game can help to enthuse students.
I particularly like question 9.
1. Your bicycle has been stolen. At the police station you're shown an identical bike that isn't yours. Do you claim it?
2. You're standing on a corner. Someone in a car smiles and waves at you. You don't have a clue who this person is. Do you smile and wave back?
3. You're buying a car from someone who has lost his job and needs to sell. Do you offer much less than it's worth?
4. Your fiancé/e gives you a new video camera as a gift. When you agree to break off the engagement you're asked to return the camera. Do you?
5. Your mate wants to earn money posing nude for art classes. Do you try to prevent it?
6. The door-to-door salesman has nothing you want. He looks haggard and forlorn. Do you buy something out of sympathy?
7. Your family is hungry. You're broke and can't find a job. Do you steal?
8. You're awarded a major contract that requires you to be out-of-town when your wife is due to give birth. Do you turn down the contract?
9. Guests are due when your dog snatches the turkey and drags it out the door. Do you retrieve and serve it?
10. You want a job that requires experience you don't have. Do you lie on you resume?
11. It's late and your 18-year-old asks permission for his/her steady to spend the night in his/her room. Do you permit it?
12. You've been looking for a disc player. On the street someone offers to sell you a new one for $10. Do you buy it?
13. Your teacher adds your test wrongly. She gives you five extra marks by mistake. Do you tell her?
14. Your new lover is impressed by your sexual stamina. She doesn't suspect you use Viagra. Do you take the credit?
15. The environmentally friendly laundry detergent costs two dollars more than the regular brand. Do you buy it?
16. In a supermarket, you send dozens of packages tumbling into the aisle. No one sees you. Do you tip toe away?
17. Your boss demands to know what a co-worker is saying behind her back. It's not flattering. Do you say?
18. You manage a TV station. Your female news anchor doesn't look the way she did 15 years ago. The ratings are falling. Do you replace her?
19. Your son's Fifth Grade teacher is proud to be gay. He espouses gay family values in class. Do you protest to the principal?
It's basically "Scruples" (I think, although I've never played that game). It can be done as a whole class activity, but I prefer to put students into groups, then they get more time to speak. The groups work/play separately, while the teacher can go round the groups listening, noting down stuff, offering correct patterns etc.
Put the students into groups of 5 or 7 and give them the questions below. A student takes the first question and has to answer "yes" or "no", and of course give his/her reasons. Then that student elects another in the group to give the contrary point of view, and after this the group as a whole votes to decide who has provided the strongest argument (which is why an odd number in each group is recommended.) Whichever student wins the vote gets a point. You should emphasise before they begin that they are voting not according to their own opinion, but according to who has offered the best argument.
I have presented this as a game, but you can see it's just a way to get the students talking, using conditionals (or whatever - sorry, grammar's not my strong point) and the only thing that makes it a game is the points thing. You can take that aspect away if you're anti-game, it doesn't really change much; I just think making something into a game can help to enthuse students.
I particularly like question 9.
1. Your bicycle has been stolen. At the police station you're shown an identical bike that isn't yours. Do you claim it?
2. You're standing on a corner. Someone in a car smiles and waves at you. You don't have a clue who this person is. Do you smile and wave back?
3. You're buying a car from someone who has lost his job and needs to sell. Do you offer much less than it's worth?
4. Your fiancé/e gives you a new video camera as a gift. When you agree to break off the engagement you're asked to return the camera. Do you?
5. Your mate wants to earn money posing nude for art classes. Do you try to prevent it?
6. The door-to-door salesman has nothing you want. He looks haggard and forlorn. Do you buy something out of sympathy?
7. Your family is hungry. You're broke and can't find a job. Do you steal?
8. You're awarded a major contract that requires you to be out-of-town when your wife is due to give birth. Do you turn down the contract?
9. Guests are due when your dog snatches the turkey and drags it out the door. Do you retrieve and serve it?
10. You want a job that requires experience you don't have. Do you lie on you resume?
11. It's late and your 18-year-old asks permission for his/her steady to spend the night in his/her room. Do you permit it?
12. You've been looking for a disc player. On the street someone offers to sell you a new one for $10. Do you buy it?
13. Your teacher adds your test wrongly. She gives you five extra marks by mistake. Do you tell her?
14. Your new lover is impressed by your sexual stamina. She doesn't suspect you use Viagra. Do you take the credit?
15. The environmentally friendly laundry detergent costs two dollars more than the regular brand. Do you buy it?
16. In a supermarket, you send dozens of packages tumbling into the aisle. No one sees you. Do you tip toe away?
17. Your boss demands to know what a co-worker is saying behind her back. It's not flattering. Do you say?
18. You manage a TV station. Your female news anchor doesn't look the way she did 15 years ago. The ratings are falling. Do you replace her?
19. Your son's Fifth Grade teacher is proud to be gay. He espouses gay family values in class. Do you protest to the principal?
I like the following game, and my students do too, but I generally use it on ‘special occasions’, like the last class before Christmas/Summer break, when students are giddy and excited anyway! This game, however, became a staple revision exercise for a group of classes I taught at a technical college. The students loved it - that is to say, they loved the problem-solving element of the game and the emphasis on team-work (the training courses they were taking part in placed a lot of emphasis on group work and peer assistance so they were used to work like this in a friendly manner). I found it raised their awareness of a lot of language points, and corrections made during the course of this game tended to be remember far more easily than regular corrections made in class. I guess their motivation to remember and use correctly was a lot higher…
Compile a list of sentences containing errors your students commonly make. I include false friends, errors in tense, lexical mistakes – any of those things that have cropped up during the course of …eh… the course. Photocopy it on to an OHP sheet or write it on the board before class. I also make enough copies of the list so each student can have one.
I split the class into group, by devious means if necessary, ensuring that there is a mix of abilities in each group, keeping an eye on the dominant and weaker students. On a board or flip chart, I write each group’s name or number and 150 points underneath. I then explain to the students that there is a mistake in every sentence, and give them an example. They have to find and correct the mistake in each sentence, understanding why it is wrong. They then get to work in their group – set a time limit, 30-45 mins, depending on the amount of sentences. There will be quite bit of discussion, but they should do it as quietly as possible, so the other groups don’t hear them.
Then it starts: Group A picks out a sentence for Group B to correct. This ensures that students don’t choose the easiest sentences for themselves. Interestingly, it is seldom the case that each group considers the same sentence as ‘the hardest’. Group B confers and decided how many points they wish to ‘bet’ (they must leave at least 50% of their points). Therefore, if they are very confident, they can bet 75. They then give the correct version of the sentence and explain why the other one was wrong – e.g. in the case of a tense, explain what the incorrect sentence would imply, if anything. If they are correct – the other groups help you in your decision – the add 75 points to their score, if they are wrong, they lose 75 points.
Then Group B chooses a sentence for Group C and the game continues.
Note: I mingle during the conferring time at the beginning but don’t help. I listen to students, making a mental note of who gives the correct explanation and who seems completely confused! This has two reasons: (1) it’s a good form of feedback, helps me recognize what needs to be looked at again, how effective a teaching point may have been (or not), which students are grasping what is being taught and (2) it helps me ‘steer’ the game part later. What I mean to say is, loud students can always make themselves heard but if I know, for example, that Student X – normally shy or uncertain and reluctant to speak up in class – knows the explanation, I can call upon him to give it. It’s a great morale-booster to have your team cheer your English knowledge and lovely to see students bloom under praise from peers.
The game is over when all the sentences have been corrected (make sure that each group has an equal amount of sentences to correct). The group with the most points wins.
Compile a list of sentences containing errors your students commonly make. I include false friends, errors in tense, lexical mistakes – any of those things that have cropped up during the course of …eh… the course. Photocopy it on to an OHP sheet or write it on the board before class. I also make enough copies of the list so each student can have one.
I split the class into group, by devious means if necessary, ensuring that there is a mix of abilities in each group, keeping an eye on the dominant and weaker students. On a board or flip chart, I write each group’s name or number and 150 points underneath. I then explain to the students that there is a mistake in every sentence, and give them an example. They have to find and correct the mistake in each sentence, understanding why it is wrong. They then get to work in their group – set a time limit, 30-45 mins, depending on the amount of sentences. There will be quite bit of discussion, but they should do it as quietly as possible, so the other groups don’t hear them.
Then it starts: Group A picks out a sentence for Group B to correct. This ensures that students don’t choose the easiest sentences for themselves. Interestingly, it is seldom the case that each group considers the same sentence as ‘the hardest’. Group B confers and decided how many points they wish to ‘bet’ (they must leave at least 50% of their points). Therefore, if they are very confident, they can bet 75. They then give the correct version of the sentence and explain why the other one was wrong – e.g. in the case of a tense, explain what the incorrect sentence would imply, if anything. If they are correct – the other groups help you in your decision – the add 75 points to their score, if they are wrong, they lose 75 points.
Then Group B chooses a sentence for Group C and the game continues.
Note: I mingle during the conferring time at the beginning but don’t help. I listen to students, making a mental note of who gives the correct explanation and who seems completely confused! This has two reasons: (1) it’s a good form of feedback, helps me recognize what needs to be looked at again, how effective a teaching point may have been (or not), which students are grasping what is being taught and (2) it helps me ‘steer’ the game part later. What I mean to say is, loud students can always make themselves heard but if I know, for example, that Student X – normally shy or uncertain and reluctant to speak up in class – knows the explanation, I can call upon him to give it. It’s a great morale-booster to have your team cheer your English knowledge and lovely to see students bloom under praise from peers.
The game is over when all the sentences have been corrected (make sure that each group has an equal amount of sentences to correct). The group with the most points wins.
-
LarryLatham
- Posts: 1195
- Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2003 6:33 pm
- Location: Aguanga, California (near San Diego)
Even I like this game!!! 
Students here are encouraged to really think about English. Certain aspects of this game I've done myself with students, but Rania has polished it to perfection. I can imagine that even though only one group at any given time may be working for points, they all are conferring in their groups about the English in all those sentences. Excellent game suggestion, Rania.
A possible refinement: Perhaps one or two sentences could be included which have no errors.
Larry Latham
Students here are encouraged to really think about English. Certain aspects of this game I've done myself with students, but Rania has polished it to perfection. I can imagine that even though only one group at any given time may be working for points, they all are conferring in their groups about the English in all those sentences. Excellent game suggestion, Rania.
A possible refinement: Perhaps one or two sentences could be included which have no errors.
Larry Latham
Another nice little activity involves the teacher writing on a sheet of paper, "Once upon a time there was a poor boy and a monkey" (or something like that) and getting the students each to add a sentence and then pass it on. This takes a bit of time so it can be done during a break or when the students are doing something else.
The resulting story can be written on the board/OHP and corrected by the class, or it can be used as Rania suggested in a group game.
The resulting story can be written on the board/OHP and corrected by the class, or it can be used as Rania suggested in a group game.
hotseat
this is a little warmer that always works unless all the students hate eachother already. it was explained to me by Adam Robinson.
two teams. one team player from each sits at the front, back facing the board.
teacher writes a word on board. teams must explain the word to their seated member. (using English of course).
EG "CAT"
........it's a small animal with a tail. it lives with people. they like to chase and eat mice. they like to drink milk.......
first seated player to guess word wins the word for their team.
this is ideal for vocab learned or phrases.
watch out for translating in mother tongue, and for cheating in other ways, like the seated player turning around and seeing the word.
this is a noisey game, better for warmers or end of class, and with thick walls around.
two teams. one team player from each sits at the front, back facing the board.
teacher writes a word on board. teams must explain the word to their seated member. (using English of course).
EG "CAT"
........it's a small animal with a tail. it lives with people. they like to chase and eat mice. they like to drink milk.......
first seated player to guess word wins the word for their team.
this is ideal for vocab learned or phrases.
watch out for translating in mother tongue, and for cheating in other ways, like the seated player turning around and seeing the word.
this is a noisey game, better for warmers or end of class, and with thick walls around.
Phonetics game
I found this game in the teacher´s resource book I used last year with my 15 year olds. The main objective of this game is to familiarise students with phonetic symbols so that they can use them as a self-studdy tool. It is also very useful to revise the pronuncation of basic monosylabic words.
specially minimal pairs and irregular verbs. I promise it worked incredibly well , even the most unmotivated students who never seemed to give a toss about the class or learning English got really involved
- Cut out or make one card for each of the vowel and dypthong sounds, often listed at the back of students´ coursebooks . Make one set for eac group playing
- Tell them which sound each symbol stands for, or get them to find out.
(they tend to panic when they first see these strange symbols, but then explain it´s an easy game by which they will be learning how to look up the pronunciation of ANY word in the dictionary)
- Split the class into mixed-ability groups, each group having a set of cards.
-The teacher says out a word and one person from each group has to raise their hand with the right phoneme facing the teacher and the rest of the class( no score if it´s upside down!!!)
- Groups which have to members raising their hands don´t get points, so that they think carefully about what phoneme to pick.
- Sometimes students moan because I don´t always notice who is the first to raise their hand, which is fair , I tell them, as I only have two eyes. If they make a big fuss about it or to much noise, nobody gets the point.
- Before starting the game I write each symbol on the board as the heading of a list of words that will come up in the game. So after the point is awarded the word is written on the board .
- You can get them to copy the chart at the end of the lesson . A follow up activity that goes well is writing a short poem using end rhyme or making up a sentence wich includes several words with the same sound.
specially minimal pairs and irregular verbs. I promise it worked incredibly well , even the most unmotivated students who never seemed to give a toss about the class or learning English got really involved
- Cut out or make one card for each of the vowel and dypthong sounds, often listed at the back of students´ coursebooks . Make one set for eac group playing
- Tell them which sound each symbol stands for, or get them to find out.
(they tend to panic when they first see these strange symbols, but then explain it´s an easy game by which they will be learning how to look up the pronunciation of ANY word in the dictionary)
- Split the class into mixed-ability groups, each group having a set of cards.
-The teacher says out a word and one person from each group has to raise their hand with the right phoneme facing the teacher and the rest of the class( no score if it´s upside down!!!)
- Groups which have to members raising their hands don´t get points, so that they think carefully about what phoneme to pick.
- Sometimes students moan because I don´t always notice who is the first to raise their hand, which is fair , I tell them, as I only have two eyes. If they make a big fuss about it or to much noise, nobody gets the point.
- Before starting the game I write each symbol on the board as the heading of a list of words that will come up in the game. So after the point is awarded the word is written on the board .
- You can get them to copy the chart at the end of the lesson . A follow up activity that goes well is writing a short poem using end rhyme or making up a sentence wich includes several words with the same sound.
Here's a nice little number that I use as a kind of follow-up to any phrasal verbs that I've taught. It's called "Drop your Mate in it." I use this for mainly businessmen and rich teenagers but I suppose you could use this for most adult classes.
After they have completed a phrasal verb lesson and have a new list to study, get them to tell the person next to them to give a full sentence using a certain phrasal verb in a certain tense. It's an excellent way to see if the have grasped the idea and understand the correct usage ("make for" means "go" but to say "I make for school by bus" doesn't work). So student 1 could say to student 2 "Take up, present perfect," student 2 would say (in a perfect world) " I have taken up the piano." It's not even necessary for it to be phrasal verbs.
After they have completed a phrasal verb lesson and have a new list to study, get them to tell the person next to them to give a full sentence using a certain phrasal verb in a certain tense. It's an excellent way to see if the have grasped the idea and understand the correct usage ("make for" means "go" but to say "I make for school by bus" doesn't work). So student 1 could say to student 2 "Take up, present perfect," student 2 would say (in a perfect world) " I have taken up the piano." It's not even necessary for it to be phrasal verbs.