Six Games for the French Classroom

Aydan Ersz
Gazi University (Ankara, Turkey)
Well-chosen games are invaluale as they give students a reak and at the same time
allo! students to "ractice language skills# This "a"er "rovides some sam"le games that
can e used in the language classroom#
Why Use Games
$anguage learning is a hard task !hich can sometimes e %rustrating# &onstant e%%ort is re'uired to understand,
"roduce and mani"ulate the target language# Well-chosen games are invaluale as they give students a reak and at
the same time allo! students to "ractice language skills# Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at
the same time challenging# (urthermore, they em"loy meaning%ul and use%ul language in real conte)ts# they also
encourage and increase coo"eration#
Some Advice
Games should e regarded as su""lementary activities# The !hole syllaus should not e ased on games
only -- even %or young learners#
When choosing a game, the teacher should e care%ul to %ind an a""ro"riate one %or the class in terms o%
language and ty"e o% "artici"ation#
*nce the game has egun, the teacher should not interru"t to correct mistakes in language use#
The teacher should not com"el an individual to "artici"ate# +ome learners may not !ant to "artici"ate due
to "ersonal reasons# (orcing students to "artici"ate usally does not have success%ul results#
A game !hich looks !onder%ul on the "a"er may not !ork in the actual classroom setting# ,% it is tiring or
oring, it should e sto""ed#
Give clear instructions# Unless the learners kno! !hat he is e)"ected to do and ho! to do it, the aim cannot
e achieved, and the game cannot e "layed#
,n order to demonstrate ho! to use games in the classroom, some e)am"les are "rovided elo!#
Game 1: Whisper Circles
Aim- +"eaking (using a !his"er), "ronunciation, listening, grammar (it takes ###to do ###)
Notes-
.# /ivide the students into grou"s o% 0 to .1#
2# &hoose one leader %rom each grou"# Give the leaders the card !hich has the sentence 3,t takes
aout si) seconds %or something you drink to reach your stomach#3 Ask him to memorize the
sentence, go ack to his grou" and !his"er !hat he has read on the card to the "erson on his right#
Each "erson !ill !his"er the sentence to the ne)t "erson and the sentence can e said only once#
The last "erson !ill say the sentence out loud# ,% the sentence is the same !ith the one !ritten on
the card, that grou" !ins#
Game 2: Match and Catch the iddle
Aim- 4eading silently, reading aloud, "ronouncing segmental and su"rasegmental %eatures correctly,
listening selectively, grammar (sim"le "resent tense), linguistic and nonlinguistic reasoning#
Notes-
.# /ivide the class into t!o grou"s- The 5UE+T,*6 grou" and the A6+WE4 grou"#
2# Give the 'uestions to the %irst grou" and the ans!ers to the other grou"#
7# Each student in the %irst grou" is su""osed to read the 'uestion he has aloud and !hoever has the
ans!er in the other grou" reads the ans!er aloud#
8# ,% the 'uestion and the ans!er match, "ut the students in "airs# ,% they don9t, continue till the right
ans!er is %ound# Each student can read his "art only t!ice# When all 'uestions and ans!ers are
matched ask the "airs to read the riddle they have :ust %or %un#
!" Some S#$$ested iddles
%U&S'()NS ANSW&S
What animal is gray and has a trunk; A mouse going on vacation
What animal eats and drinks !ith its tail;
All do# 6o animal takes o%% its tail !hen
eating or drinking#
Why do mother kangaroos hate rainy days;
<ecause then the children have to "lay
inside#
=o! can you tell the di%%erence et!een a can o% chicken sou" and a can
o% tomato sou";
4ead the lael#
Why is an eye doctor like a teacher; They oth test the "u"ils#
Why did the cross-eyed teacher lose his :o; <ecause he could not control his "u"ils#
Why is mayonnaise never ready; <ecause it is al!ays dressing#
/o you kno! the story aout the skunk; 6ever mind, it stinks#
,% a "a"a ull eats three ales o% hay and a ay ull eats one ale, ho!
much hay !ill a mama ull eat;
6othing# There is no such thing as a mama
ull#
What does an envelo"e say !hen you lick it; 6othing# ,t :ust shuts u"#
Why do co!s !ear ells; <ecause their horns don9t !ork#
Why shouldn9t you elieve a "erson in ed; <ecause he is lying#
What is the est !ay to "revent milk %rom turning sour; $eave it in the co!#
Why does a dog !ag his tail; <ecause no one else !ill !ag it %or him#
Game *: Cra+y Story
Aim- Writing, reading aloud, listening, grammar (sim"le "ast tense, re"orted s"eech)
Notes-
.# >re"are sheets o% "a"er !ith si) columns !hich ear the %ollo!ing titles at the to"
W=*;
(a man9s name)
W=*?;
(a !oman9s name)
W=E4E;
W=AT /,/ =E +A@;
W=AT /,/ +=E +A@;
W=AT /,/ T=E@ /*;
2# /ivide the class into grou"s o% A# Give each grou" one sheet o% "a"er# Ask the %irst student to !rite
under the %irst "art and %old the "a"er so as to cover !hat he has !ritten# Tell the student to "ass
the "a"er onto the ne)t "erson# As each "erson !rites, he should only look at his %old# When all
students %inish, one student %rom each grou" !ill e asked to read their story in the %ollo!ing
%ormat# @ou can !rite the %ormat on the lackoard#
############# met ############### inBat ##############
=e said ##############################################
+he said #############################################
And so they ##########################################
Game ,: Missin$ -eadlines
Aim- 4eading silently, reading %or s"eci%ic in%ormation, s"eaking (discussing in "airs)#
Notes-
.# &ut out ne!s items and their headlines %rom a ne!s"a"er# >aste the ne!s and headlines on
se"arate sheets o% "a"er# >hotoco"y them#
2# Ask students to !ork in "airs# Give each "air the "hotoco"ies o% the ne!s and headlines#
7# Ask them to match the headlines !ith the ne!s items#
Game !: Find the .ifferences
Aim- +"eaking (descriing "eo"le and actions), listening, grammar (there isBare#####, sBhe has #######, sBhe
is #######ing, sBhe is C ad:ective)
Notes-
.# (ind or dra! t!o "ictures !hich are the same e)ce"t %or seven %eatures# >hotoco"y them on
se"arate sheets o% "a"er#
2# Ask students to !ork in "airs# Give one co"y o% each "icture to the "airs# The "airs are not
su""osed to sho! their co"ies to each other# >artner A9s !ill descrie their co"y and >artner <9s
!ill listen care%ully and e)amine their o!n co"y to %ind the di%%erences# They can ask 'uestions i%
they re'uire more detailed in%ormation or need any clari%ication# The "air that %inishes %irst !ins
the game#
Game /: 'he Secret Code
Aim- +"elling, guessing y using linguistic clues, reading#
Notes-
.# Ask students to !ork individually# Give each student a sheet o% "a"er !hich has the secret code on
it# Tell them to translate it into English#
2# &lue- the %irst !ord is 9the9D the most %re'uently used !ord in English#
7# When they %inish, ask them to !rite a secret message o% their o!n to their %riend# They can use the
same symols# ,% they need ne! symols, they can create their o!n#
# #O *=#? ?
# #O? . ?#O ?
Concl#sion
Games are highly motivating ecause they are amusing and interesting# They can e used to give "ractice in all
language skills and e used to "ractice many ty"es o% communication# The aim o% this "a"er !as to demonstrate
some sam"le games# Teachers are encouraged to %ind other games !hich are suitale %or hisBher studenets or develo"
hisBher o!n#
0i1io$raphy
<A$*T*, (# Eanuary .FFA# 3=o! to ?otivate $earners o% English3# ,n English Teaching (orum# 78-.
+&=,6GE-$$A6*, $# H 4# 4au%% (eds) .FFA# 6e! Ways in Teaching @oung &hildren# Ale)andria,
IA-TE+*$ >ulications#
U4, >enny# .FFJ# Grammar >ractice Activities# (Fth "rinting)# &U>#
W4,G=T, Andre! et al# .FKF# Games %or $anguage $earning# (0th "rinting)# &U>#
2#st A Min#te
The %irst game is called 3Eust a ?inute3 and it is ada"ted %rom a radio game sho! roadcast
over the <ritish <roadcasting &or"oration (<<&)# ,t !as aired over the <<& many years
ago and !as highly entertaining# This is ho! you "lay the game-
.# /ivide your students into grou"s# Get each grou" to give themselves a name#
2# The o:ective o% each grou" is to get as many "oints as "ossile#
7# The task is to s"eak on a to"ic %or a minute# The re%eree (the teacher) !ill "rovide the
to"ics#
8# The com"etition-memers o% the other grou"s-should try to 3!restle3 the to"ic a!ay
%rom the "erson !ho is s"eaking on it# There are three !ays to do this-
i# =esitation- When a student "auses %or too long a reak, it is considered a
hesitation#
ii# 4e"etition- When a student kee"s re"eating a "articular !ord or "hrase, it is
considered re"etition#
iii# /eviation- When a student digresses, he can e %aulted %or deviation#
J# A timekee"er !ill ring the ell once the minute is u"# The "erson !ho is s"eaking !hen
the ell rings !ill !in .1 "oints#
A# The grou" !ith the most "oints is the !inner#
0# The teacher should determine the to"ics ased u"on the students9 level o% "ro%iciency#
+ome e)am"les o% to"ics are-
?y &hildhood
?y (amily
?y (avourite Things
Ghosts
?y ,deal >artner
Teenagers
A &ountry ,9d $ike to Iisit
?y (avourite (ood
,% , =ad Three Wishes, ,9d $ike # # #
The choice o% to"ics !ould also de"end on !hat is eing taught in the lesson %or the day#
(or e)am"le, i% the teacher is conducting a lesson on descriing "eo"le and "laces, sBhe
could "rovide to"ics such as ?y ?other, +omeone , Admire, A Teacher ,9ll 6ever (orget,
?y =ometo!n, or ?y +chool#
This game is "articularly suitale %or teaching oral communication skills# ,t is also use%ul as
a "re-!riting or "re- reading activity# ,t can e e%%ectively utilised !hen teaching to"ics
such as descriing, narrating, e)"ressing vie!"oints, agreeing, disagreeing, and descriing
"rocedures#
Win3 4ose3 or .ra5
The second game is 'uite a !ell-kno!n one# ,t is currently eing aired on television in
?alaysia, and is called 3Win, $ose, or /ra!#3 @ou can "lay it !ith as many teams as you
like, "re%eraly kee"ing it to a ma)imum o% %our or %ive teams#
,nstead o% giving the students the !ords to dra!, , %ind it even more e%%ective i% you get the
students to concoct the !ords themselves# The !ords should e 3dra!ale,3 not too easy
nor too di%%icult# Give the grou"s aout .1-.J minutes to come u" !ith the !ordsD then the
teacher should go round to the di%%erent grou"s to check out the !ords# Tick out those that
are suitale and try and o%%er alternatives %or those !ords that you consider unsuitale#
Each to"ic should then e !ritten out on a small "iece o% "a"er !hich can e rolled or
%olded u"# Then, collect all the to"ics and "lace them in se"arate o)es in %ront o% you#
The game is then "layed as %ollo!s-
.# /ivide your class into grou"s#
2# +tart !ith the %irst grou"# A memer o% the grou" should come to the %ront o% the
classroom and "ick out a "iece o% "a"er containing a to"ic given y memers o%
the other grou"s# +Bhe then has to dra! the to"ic on the lackoard once the
timekee"er gives the 3egin3 signal#
7# A""oint someone to kee" time# A student has a ma)imum o% A1 seconds to dra!
the o:ect# This can vary according to your students9 ailities#
8# The o:ective is to try to score as %e! "oints as "ossile#
J# The task is %or grou" memers to try to guess !hat the student is dra!ing in as
little time as "ossile#
A# The student doing the dra!ing cannot talk, make any sound, nor act out the !ord#
*nly !hen hisBher grou" memers have guessed the !ord correctly, can sBhe
indicate or gesticulate that they have done so#
0# The teacher has to e alert and listen care%ully !hilst the students try to guess
!hat their %riend is dra!ing# *nce they have guessed the to"ic correctly, the
teacher sto"s the action#
K# The timekee"er announces the time taken and records it on the oard#
F# A%ter this, the ne)t grou" takes its turn# The game can e "layed %or many rounds#
+tudents in each grou" should take turns dra!ing#
.1# At the end o% the game, the scores are tallied# The grou" !ith the %e!est "oints is
the !inner#
This game is suitale %or teaching vocaulary items, ut "hrases or sentences can also e
given# (or e)am"le, 3singing in the rain,3 3a school o% %ish,3 3the %at !oman %ainted,3 3the
ostrich kicked the zera,3 3the s"aceshi" landed on the moon,3 etc# Tenses and sentence
structures can also e introduced through this game#