When to use gamesWhen to use gamesGames are often used as short Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the there is some time left at the end of a lesson end of a lesson

Games ought to be at the heart Games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages of teaching foreign languages

Why use games in Why use games in class timeclass timeGames are fun and students like to play Games are fun and students like to play

themthem

Games add variation to a lesson and Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target plausible incentive to use the target languagelanguage

The game context makes the foreign The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the language immediately useful to the students students

How to choose How to choose gamesgames

A game must be more than just a A game must be more than just a gamegame

A game should involve “friendly” A game should involve “friendly” competitioncompetition

A game should keep all of the A game should keep all of the students students involved and interestedinvolved and interested

A game should encourage A game should encourage students to focus on the use students to focus on the use language rather than on the language rather than on the language itselflanguage itself

A game should give students a A game should give students a chance to learn, practice, or chance to learn, practice, or review specific language review specific language materialmaterial

Activities for GamesActivities for GamesWhispersWhispers

Split the class into two or more teamsSplit the class into two or more teams

Whisper a word or a sentence into the Whisper a word or a sentence into the ears of the first students in each rowears of the first students in each row

They whisper the word into the next They whisper the word into the next student’s ear in their row until the student’s ear in their row until the whisper gets to the last student in the whisper gets to the last student in the rowrow

The last student in the row has The last student in the row has to say out the wordto say out the word

The team or teams that get the The team or teams that get the pronunciation right scores a pronunciation right scores a pointpoint

Dice GameDice GameEach time, the student who rolls Each time, the student who rolls the die uses the number that the die uses the number that shows up on the die to say a some shows up on the die to say a some things about himself or herself things about himself or herself For example, if the number 2 For example, if the number 2 shows up, the student will have to shows up, the student will have to say two things about himself or say two things about himself or herself herself Students take turns rolling the die Students take turns rolling the die and making sentences until the and making sentences until the teacher fills they have had much teacher fills they have had much oral practice in that language area oral practice in that language area

Taboo Taboo A teacher shows the students a A teacher shows the students a flash card of say a HAIRDRESSER flash card of say a HAIRDRESSER Taboo words could be words Taboo words could be words likes CUT & HAIR likes CUT & HAIR Students cannot use these two Students cannot use these two words to describe hairdresser words to describe hairdresser This forces the students to find This forces the students to find other ways of describing the other ways of describing the word without the taboo words word without the taboo words

Creative CardsCreative CardsEach student gets an empty cardEach student gets an empty cardThey draw pictures related with the They draw pictures related with the theme given by the teachertheme given by the teacherFor example, it’s about For example, it’s about “Christmas”. The students draw “Christmas”. The students draw pictures of Christmas tree and giftspictures of Christmas tree and giftsThey come forward in turn and tell They come forward in turn and tell about their drawing to their about their drawing to their classmates classmates

Problems CardsProblems CardsThe students work in a group of The students work in a group of fourfourEach of students get one card Each of students get one card which has its own problemwhich has its own problemThe other three students give an The other three students give an advice to solve the problemadvice to solve the problemThe student who have a problem The student who have a problem choose the best advice and give choose the best advice and give the card to himthe card to himThe winner will be the one who The winner will be the one who has the most cardshas the most cards

Shouting GameShouting GamePrepare several picturePrepare several pictureDivide the students into two groupsDivide the students into two groupsAsk one of the members from each group Ask one of the members from each group to go in front of the class to drawto go in front of the class to drawThe two students should face the board, The two students should face the board, they have to listen carefully and drawthey have to listen carefully and drawThe winner is the one who can finish firstThe winner is the one who can finish first

Go FishGo Fish

Go fish is not just a card gameGo fish is not just a card game

It is a collection of pairs of It is a collection of pairs of brightly colored vocabulary cards brightly colored vocabulary cards showing pictures of thingsshowing pictures of things

The students ask each other for a The students ask each other for a card in order to make a pair card in order to make a pair

If they get it, they get a point and If they get it, they get a point and If they don't, they "go fish." If they don't, they "go fish."