1.

Words Beginning with a Given Letter

Level: Medium to Difficult
The teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. Then each student must write a word that begins with that
letter. Each student reads out loud his/her word. If a student repeats a word that has already been said, then
he/she is out of the game. The game ends when only one student remains. That student is the winner. In high
level classes students lose if they say a past form of the verb. Example:see-saw. You can increase the difficulty
by adding a timer. Only allow each student 5 seconds to think of a word.
2. Running Dictation

Put the students in groups.

Put several copies of a text on the wall. Normal size text.
One student from each group runs to the text, memorises a chunk/clause/sentence and returns to the
group and dictates.
Students take it turns to do this until everyone has a complete version of the text.

3. Domesticity
Students watch a video and put the events in order. They then do a collocation matching activity using the
items in the events. Finally the students complete a letter using the same phrases. This could be followed up
with a speaking activity: the actor could tell the story that is in the letter to people he has different types of
relation with. For example, he could tell the same story to his girl/boyfriend, to his parents, to his agent, etc. so
as to practice register. Of course, he might elaborate or lie.
4. Tell Me about Myself
Prepare in advance, on an overhead transparency or white-board, a mind map of yourself. Instead of using
sentences to describe your life, use single words, numbers, dates, symbols and illustrations where possible.
For example I include information about my life in England, names of siblings, date of birth, name of hometown
etc. (My hometown is Stoke-on-Trent which I then illustrate with a cup and saucer - the Potteries, and a
football
Stoke
City
FC.
It
keeps
them
guessing.)
I include information about my husband (name and illustration of job) children (names, ages, birthdays). You
can add your shoe size, height, illustrations of your hobbies etc. I draw a needle and thread - sewing, a pair of
skis
I
enjoy
skiing,
and
a
pencil
drawing.
Any kind of information can be included. Use your imagination! I live in Sweden and draw a picture of a
snowman with a cross through it to illustrate that I dont like the winter!
Get your students to tell you what the information means. For example.

July - is that when your birthday is?

Does the cup and saucer mean you drink tea?

Try and get a good mix of obvious and less obvious information. For example, when I drew a fish (to illustrate
that I kept tropical fish) it provoked questions like:

Do you eat a lot of fish?

Do you enjoy fishing?

Is your star sign pisces?

Give them a clue if they are having problems guessing.

To follow up, get your students to take a few minutes to prepare something similar individually, and then work
in pairs guessing what the information means about their partner. Finally, they write a profile.
5. Carrousell

Pupils are divided into small groups.

Each group is given a fl ip chart sheet or an A3 sized piece of paper with a question relevant to a
particular topic at the top. Each piece of paper might have a different question.
Pupils work in their groups within a time limit to write down their responses, thoughts and ideas which
stem from the initial question.
Each group might be given a different colour of pen to allow for easy identifi cation of
responses afterwards.
After the allocated time pupils rotate to another sheet with a different question.
They read the responses of the previous group and discuss whether they agree or
disagree. If they agree, they tick. If they disagree, they could justify this by writing an
explanation.
Pupils then write down their own thoughts on the issue. If their ideas have stemmed from
the previous groups written responses, they could connect the ideas with an arrow.
The carousel could be continued, if time permits, until each group has had the opportunity to see and
respond to each question.
A debrief afterwards is beneficial.
Carousel is also a useful evaluation tool.
6. A great vocabulary revision game

Divide the class into two teams each standing in line at the board.
Give them a topic like food and drink, sports, countries etc (they must be very large lexical sets).
The student at the front on each line runs to the board and must write a word in this lexical set
beginning with A on the board.
She then hands the chalk or pen to the next person in the row (and runs to the back of the line), who
adds a word beginning with B until they reach Z.
If they cannot think of a word beginning with a particular letter they can leave a space, but the team
with most words at the end is the winner.

7. A game of concentration for when the laughter gets too much

Collect around 20 objects ruler, pen, comb etc. Just look around the classroom, teachers room, your handbag
or kitchen for objects that your students know the words for. This game can even be played with 5 or 6 year
olds if you limit the objects and ensure they know the vocabulary.
Place the objects on a desk in the class covered with a scarf or something similar.

Tell the students they will have 4 minutes (vary the time depending on the class) to look carefully at the objects
and remember them.

After 4 minutes cover the objects again and students must write down what they saw. They can do this
individually or in small groups.
The winner(s) is the student who remembers most.
8.Fishing for English
Ask students to collect any English they find in their environment this could include literally collecting some
adverts from magazines that include English or menus from MacDonalds etc or writing down English words or
phrases they notice spoken on local television or even words they and their families use that have been
integrated into their mother tongue. A lovely display could be put together on the classroom wall with this
collection.
9.Circle game
Arrange chairs in the classroom so that everyone is sitting in a circle. Give instructions like:

Everyone who has a sister change seats

If you live in a flat or house with an even number change seats
If you are wearing brown shoes change seats
Everyone with blue eyes change seats
Again instructions can be graded so that even students with little English can play using colours, clothes,
family etc.
Those who fit the description must stand and change seats, the others remain seated. After a few turns,
remove a chair at each instruction, so that one person does not manage to get a seat and they are out they
could then give the next instruction. The last student remaining is the winner.
10.The Washing Line' - teaching clothes vocabulary
This is a good vocabulary activity to use with younger learners.
To teach the names of clothes, have students cut a page of a newspaper in the shape of a hat, gloves,
trousers, etc. Then, label each cloth. After that, using a washing line and clothes pegs, ask students to hang
their projects on the washing line, while telling something about the cloth. Students repeat the names of the
clothes after the teacher. Next, ask them to close their eyes while teacher hides some of the clothes. A few
seconds later ask them to open their eyes and name the missing clothes and then to find them.

E-graphy
https://sites.google.com/site/eltmethodologies/four-skills
http://www.onestopenglish.com/teenagers/skills/games/
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/washing-line-teaching-clothes-vocabulary