ESL/EFL Game Profile Name of Game: Word Challenge Target Students: Elementary School Target Students: Middle School

Target Students: High School Duration: 15-30 minutes Number of Students: Teams of 4-10 English Skills: Listening English Skills: Speaking English Skills: Spelling Objective: One team says a word and the other tries to spell it Instructions 1. Have students get into teams of 4-10 people 2. One person from each team does rocks, paper, scissors 3. Winner says a word and opponent tries to write the word correctly 4. If they get it right, their team gets a point 5. If they get it wrong, the person who said the word can write it out for a point for their team 6. Have another person from each team play 'Word Challenge' Variations Make an 'arena' in the middle of the class for two students to face off Notes

Students will start to look up difficult words to stump the other team. Remember to to a follow-up assignment for words used, s

ESL/EFL Game Profile Name of Game: Alphabet Card Game Target Students: Young Learners Target Students: Elementary School Duration: 5-15 Minutes Number of Students: Groups of 2-3 English Skills:

Alphabet Objective: Learn the alphabet by arranging alphabet cards in order Instructions 1. Prepare sets of small cards with one letter on each card 2. Divide the class into groups of 2 or 3 (equal ability is desirable) 3. Give each group 2 sets of cards (10 groups = 20 sets of cards) 4. Have the groups scatter their cards face down on the floor or tables put together 5. Students turn over one card at a time to find consecutive letters starting with 'A' 6. Have them arrange the cards in any way they like, such as spirals or other patters 7. If they turn over the wrong card they put it back face down and select another 8. The first team to arrange all the letters first wins Variations Use lower case and upper case card sets Give each team a stop watch to time themselves Instead of playing against other teams they can try and beat their own time Have them arrange the alphabet backwards Notes We have been using scratch paper cut into business card-sized pieces. After a hundred uses they are holding up fine. Name of Game: How Many Words Do You Know? Target Students: Elementary School Target Students: Middle School Target Students: High School Duration: 10-15 minutes Number of Students: Any English Skills: Speaking English Skills: Spelling English Skills: Vocabulary Objective: Write down all of the 2-letter words you know Instructions 1. Divide chalkboard into four equal vertical sections (columns). 2. Make two rows of deskbound students one team 3. Have teams pick a team leader to go to the chalkboard 4. Leaders write all the two-letter words they know on the count of 1, 2, 3, GO!

5. Team members help their leader by shouting out words and by writing words in big letters on paper and holding it up for leader to see 6. Stop with 10, 9, 8,...0, STOP! Variations Three-letter, four-letter words, etc. Words that begin with the letter 'S', 'R', 'Th', etc. Notes

Decide beforehand whether dictionaries, textbooks, etc. are legal or not and rules for what kind of words can be used (ie name

ESL/EFL Game Profile Name of Game: Running Dictation Target Students: Elementary School Target Students: Middle School Target Students: High School Target Students: University Target Students: Adults Duration: 15-30 minutes Number of Students: Pairs or small groups English Skills: Listening English Skills: Reading English Skills: Speaking English Skills: Writing Objective: Remember words and phrases and dictate them to your partner Instructions 1. Break students up into groups of 3-4, or pairs for small classes 2. Put one sentence on a piece of paper for each team 3. One leader from each team goes to the board and tries to remember their sentence 4. The leader returns to their group and dictates the sentence while team members write it down 5. First team to finish correctly gets a point 6. Change words/sentences and switch leaders

Variations Use pictures for children who can't spell and have them draw the picture instead of writing the words Use multiple sentences for more advanced students Place sentences around the room and have each group member do one each. Groups have to put the sentences into the right order before turning in the paper Notes

Make each team's paper different so students don't simply listen to other teams. Leaders are not allowed to take their paper, w What are your variations? Leave comments on other variations below...

Name of Game: Back Writing Target Students: Young Learners Target Students: Elementary School Target Students: Middle School Target Students: High School Duration: 5 minutes Number of Students: At least 3 English Skills: Alphabet English Skills: Spelling English Skills: Writing English Skills: Vocabulary Objective: Practice spelling words by writing them on the backs of other students Instructions Instructions for younger students: 1. Have students sit in a circle for a smaller class or make team lines for a larger class 2. Choose a letter or word from current study and have children trace it in the air together 3. Next, have students trace the letter onto the back of the person in front of them 4. Observe the students and correct where necessary 5. Repeat using new letters 6. Use words or sentences for higher levels Variations

Instructions for older students: 1. Have students sit in team lines 2. Teach these actions: tap own shoulder for 'repeat' and nod for 'OK, I understood' 3. Agree on using capital or lower-case letters, or a combination for names, etc. 4. Show different word card to last person in each group 5. Students pass the message to the front of the line by tracing the message (word or sentence) of the word card on the back of the person in front of them 6. When the messages reaches the first person in line, they write it on a piece of paper 7. When the round is finished have the first person go to the end of the line to change writers Notes The tickling sensation gets the students laughing and engages them deeper than spelling in the air so this would be a good ESL/EFL game to play after warming up with Air Spelling. For older students, points can be awarded for speed or accuracy depending on the complexity of the message. Having students write on each other's back is a good way to stimulate the sense of touch in the lesson and further engages the student. Longer lines make the game harder but shorter lines allows for more opportunity to have everyone be the writer.

-up assignment for words used, such as teaching the class the meanings and having students make sentences with the new words.

they are holding up fine.

nd of words can be used (ie names, acronyms that are accepted as words, etc). Will you count words if students don't know the meaning? A

not allowed to take their paper, write down anything, or yell across the room. They are allowed to return to board to look at their paper as m

with the new words.

don't know the meaning? Also, class gets noisy so make sure to close windows and doors.

to look at their paper as many times as they like. Use words from class to reinforce learned vocabulary and grammar structures.

mar structures.