Imagine this thread being loaded with the best games and activities we have ever used in our classroom. These would be the best of the best. The top line of games and activities we have all ever used. If each one would add their best game or activity we would have a huge resource of only super high-quality stuff.
So, what's the best game or activity you have ever used in your classroom?
What is the best game you ever used in your classroom?
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
I think bigdave's idea is great. I'm always on the lookout for new games/activities. I just hope that we will see some new, fresh things, not another posting of HANGMAN or FIND SOMEONE WHO... 
I tried a game called The Weakest Link (based on the TV show) the other day with my university class and they loved it. You can read about the game here:
http://www.hltmag.co.uk/may02/less4.htm
Note: I used review questions about the material we had covered during the past 2 months instead of general knowledge questions. It may not be the best game I have ever used, but it went over really well, and I'm certainly going to use it again!
I tried a game called The Weakest Link (based on the TV show) the other day with my university class and they loved it. You can read about the game here:
http://www.hltmag.co.uk/may02/less4.htm
Note: I used review questions about the material we had covered during the past 2 months instead of general knowledge questions. It may not be the best game I have ever used, but it went over really well, and I'm certainly going to use it again!
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beebopbecky
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:12 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City
Best Game
I really believe Deal A Word to be one of the best I have used. It can be used by every grade level and has been especially useful for me in "one-on-one" and for an activity center. I also saw a game at the LDAT conference in Austin this weekend called Blitz. Unfortunately they don't have a website...just sell it at conventions I guess. Deal A Word's website is www.dealaword.com. GREAT idea Dave...thanks!
Best Games Ever
I was fortunate to get a hold of some of the production samples of Phonicball and Blendball games.
They were so useful that I was using them in nearly every lesson. They were extremely motivational as all students really wanted to throw the ball at the target. They actually made teaching unruly classes easier.
I believe they will go on sale in about a week. I have already placed myself on a waiting list for some at [email protected]
There is also a web site at http://www.phonicball.com
however I dont think it is ready for launching for another two weeks. Worth looking at the site just to see how it all came about.
They were so useful that I was using them in nearly every lesson. They were extremely motivational as all students really wanted to throw the ball at the target. They actually made teaching unruly classes easier.
I believe they will go on sale in about a week. I have already placed myself on a waiting list for some at [email protected]
There is also a web site at http://www.phonicball.com
however I dont think it is ready for launching for another two weeks. Worth looking at the site just to see how it all came about.
Best Ever Games
I was one of the teachers in Australia that were given some of the sample phonicball boards to test and agree with Cruza. They are so motivational. I actually used them in most of the subjects I teach. In geography I used them to teach country names and other hard to remember facts. It was amazing the effect the game had on childrens ability to remember names. They even had a very stong impact on spelling as well.
Thanks to Lisa and Ray for getting them made. Looking forward to the arrival of my order the three samples were not enough I need at least 5.
Thanks to Lisa and Ray for getting them made. Looking forward to the arrival of my order the three samples were not enough I need at least 5.
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woodcutter
- Posts: 1303
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 am
- Location: London
The problem with "the weakest link" is that the slow ones get chucked out first. All of ESL teaching is too much like the weakest link.
The little lesson plan provided above for the game says that one of the AIMS of the exercise is to give students the experience of listening to language in a pressurized mode and in a relaxed mode, cos they relax when they get chucked out.
Oh lord, give me the strength to carry on
The little lesson plan provided above for the game says that one of the AIMS of the exercise is to give students the experience of listening to language in a pressurized mode and in a relaxed mode, cos they relax when they get chucked out.
Oh lord, give me the strength to carry on
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woodcutter
- Posts: 1303
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 am
- Location: London
Best Game I Played
The most effective game I have incorporated in my mock lesson plans is Jeopardy, and I have found it to be a brain-base stimulator in learning.
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woodcutter
- Posts: 1303
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 am
- Location: London
all time favourite?
i dunno.
ive got a few i suppose.
i like doing the 'i have never ... ' game.
i like the crazy debate
i like grammar auction
etc...
ive put up a few of my favourites in the 'teaching materials' section of my web-log:
http://roeltheworld.web-log.nl/
most of it is from dave's cookbook, but these are only the ones ive used, adapted and found they worked...
love to hear some feedback btw.
see yaze
da jiang
i dunno.
ive got a few i suppose.
i like doing the 'i have never ... ' game.
i like the crazy debate
i like grammar auction
etc...
ive put up a few of my favourites in the 'teaching materials' section of my web-log:
http://roeltheworld.web-log.nl/
most of it is from dave's cookbook, but these are only the ones ive used, adapted and found they worked...
love to hear some feedback btw.
see yaze
da jiang
guessing game
Actually, students like group work. They can cooperatate with their own group members and also, they really like to challenge themselves. I mean, students want to know how good they are!
They will enjoy the exciting process.
They will enjoy the exciting process.
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woodcutter
- Posts: 1303
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 am
- Location: London
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baijioubloke
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:09 am
Nice ideas- if postings are to have the 'added value' desired by the OP let's specify who the activity is for and if possible what the skill/language focus is.
postings along the lines of : "Gee! this game's rilly neat"! deserve this:
Blitz - what is it? Don't tantalise....tell!
Blockbusters - agreed but I couldn't be bothered to tell them the rules (OK, I forgot!) so I used a TBL approach:
we brainstormed "what's in a (good) game"? to activate/teach vocab
e.g. players, instructions, rules, the aim/purpose etc. and to get them thinking about inclusivity, simplicity and fun.
THEN, I produced a blank blockbuster honeycomb grid on the board and gave groups the task of using the grid to create a game that uses English.
1st study period doing all the above.
2nd study period groups present and evaluate ideas.
you'll get as many different games as there are groups each with their own merits.
They'll play them 'coz they've invested in them, they'll understand the rules, and voila! you've got 'warmers' which you can road test over the next 4-5 weeks!!
14yr old low-ints could do this!!
Game: Just a minute (classic BBC radio4 quiz)
Level: motivated intermediates and up
best for adv. or those preparing for FCE/TOEFL
Main Skills: spontaneous speaking & listening
sub-skills: expressing opinions, making an arguement, utilising 'stalling' strategies, use of rhythm & pace
Aims of the game: talking for one minute, on a topic with no hesitation, deviation or repetition.
If the speaker is heard to do any of the above, opposing team(s) can challenge by yelling "just a minute"! The clock stops, and the challenger has to make their case.
If the adjudicator upholds their challenge, the topic passes over to the challenger who has to speak with the time remaining. The person (still) speaking after 60 seconds gets the 'points'.
1st study period can be spent introducing the game:
-give them some background to the game (easier for Brits)
-learning/teaching the rules through a grammar transformation & information exchange task
-Function of the phrase 'just a minute' with work on pronunciation/word stress used for interrupting.
-similar for key vocab: hesitation deviation repetition spontaneous esp. syllable stress
2nd study period: play the game & get/give feed back
If you've a class of 12 or less you're laughing.
I play it with 40 students 60% of whom 'can' have a reasonable stab at it.
It is beyond some of them but there's 15% of my class that I will never reach & you have to use the 80/20 rule in the real world.....
- I also introduced 'my' rules - no Cantonese, no rubbish English which can also form the basis of a challenge.
I've also conceded to allow members of the same team to 'butt in' if they feel the speaker is wavering or about to run out of steam which is only fair as some brave sod has kicked the thing off.
I've had better results from writing the topics up on the board at the start of class and allocating them at random- not 'truly' spontaneous but it cuts out thinking time once the clock starts.
Topics: if there is a degree of ambiguity, students can sometimes spot an opportunity to get creative
e.g. "What's under my bed" is asking for a list of clothing vocab
"under my bed....." you could get a list or you might get a nonsense monologue about what it's like under there.
stronger students have demonstrated some of the gamesmanship that makes the radio quiz such great entertainment, without any promting from me!
-challenging with 10 seconds or so remaining - a little cruel especially if the challenger is stronger and the weaker speaker has been fluffing all the way through but it's part the fun - I don't always uphold the challenge if I feel the speaker has been unfairly 'ambushed'.
-stalling, by repeating the question or topic, using fillers "in my opinion...." "this is an interesting topic,....." buys them time to organise their words AND it runs down the clock.
-S-l-o-w-i-n-g down their speech, using the pause (count 1-2) lenthening vowels does the same, makes them comprehensible and emulates dramatic effect used by native speakers.
took more than just a ferkin minute to write this, so something useful as a follow up would be appreciated.
postings along the lines of : "Gee! this game's rilly neat"! deserve this:
Blitz - what is it? Don't tantalise....tell!
Blockbusters - agreed but I couldn't be bothered to tell them the rules (OK, I forgot!) so I used a TBL approach:
we brainstormed "what's in a (good) game"? to activate/teach vocab
e.g. players, instructions, rules, the aim/purpose etc. and to get them thinking about inclusivity, simplicity and fun.
THEN, I produced a blank blockbuster honeycomb grid on the board and gave groups the task of using the grid to create a game that uses English.
1st study period doing all the above.
2nd study period groups present and evaluate ideas.
you'll get as many different games as there are groups each with their own merits.
They'll play them 'coz they've invested in them, they'll understand the rules, and voila! you've got 'warmers' which you can road test over the next 4-5 weeks!!
14yr old low-ints could do this!!
Game: Just a minute (classic BBC radio4 quiz)
Level: motivated intermediates and up
best for adv. or those preparing for FCE/TOEFL
Main Skills: spontaneous speaking & listening
sub-skills: expressing opinions, making an arguement, utilising 'stalling' strategies, use of rhythm & pace
Aims of the game: talking for one minute, on a topic with no hesitation, deviation or repetition.
If the speaker is heard to do any of the above, opposing team(s) can challenge by yelling "just a minute"! The clock stops, and the challenger has to make their case.
If the adjudicator upholds their challenge, the topic passes over to the challenger who has to speak with the time remaining. The person (still) speaking after 60 seconds gets the 'points'.
1st study period can be spent introducing the game:
-give them some background to the game (easier for Brits)
-learning/teaching the rules through a grammar transformation & information exchange task
-Function of the phrase 'just a minute' with work on pronunciation/word stress used for interrupting.
-similar for key vocab: hesitation deviation repetition spontaneous esp. syllable stress
2nd study period: play the game & get/give feed back
If you've a class of 12 or less you're laughing.
I play it with 40 students 60% of whom 'can' have a reasonable stab at it.
It is beyond some of them but there's 15% of my class that I will never reach & you have to use the 80/20 rule in the real world.....
- I also introduced 'my' rules - no Cantonese, no rubbish English which can also form the basis of a challenge.
I've also conceded to allow members of the same team to 'butt in' if they feel the speaker is wavering or about to run out of steam which is only fair as some brave sod has kicked the thing off.
I've had better results from writing the topics up on the board at the start of class and allocating them at random- not 'truly' spontaneous but it cuts out thinking time once the clock starts.
Topics: if there is a degree of ambiguity, students can sometimes spot an opportunity to get creative
e.g. "What's under my bed" is asking for a list of clothing vocab
"under my bed....." you could get a list or you might get a nonsense monologue about what it's like under there.
stronger students have demonstrated some of the gamesmanship that makes the radio quiz such great entertainment, without any promting from me!
-challenging with 10 seconds or so remaining - a little cruel especially if the challenger is stronger and the weaker speaker has been fluffing all the way through but it's part the fun - I don't always uphold the challenge if I feel the speaker has been unfairly 'ambushed'.
-stalling, by repeating the question or topic, using fillers "in my opinion...." "this is an interesting topic,....." buys them time to organise their words AND it runs down the clock.
-S-l-o-w-i-n-g down their speech, using the pause (count 1-2) lenthening vowels does the same, makes them comprehensible and emulates dramatic effect used by native speakers.
took more than just a ferkin minute to write this, so something useful as a follow up would be appreciated.
translator game
The criteria I think are most important in games are 1) simplicity and 2) ability to encourage the whole class to get involved. That's way I like this activity, introduced to me be a fellow teacher from the states.
You have an interviewer, a translator and a person who chooses a particular line of work they imagine themselves as having. Before the activity, take a couple minutes and write down good questions.
The interviewer speaks English, the person being interviewed speaks their native language and the translator translates.
Everyone catches on right away and the class gets involved when students run into trouble.
m
thekungpaochicken.com
You have an interviewer, a translator and a person who chooses a particular line of work they imagine themselves as having. Before the activity, take a couple minutes and write down good questions.
The interviewer speaks English, the person being interviewed speaks their native language and the translator translates.
Everyone catches on right away and the class gets involved when students run into trouble.
m
thekungpaochicken.com