Some Listening and Speaking games

Listening and speaking games

Simon Says

Each command from the teacher is starts with Simon says. e.g. Simon says put your hand on your head - student does this.

If teacher does not say Simon says the order is ignored.

If the student follows the command without Simon says they are out. Game continues until there is a winner.

Good for reinforcing attentive listening

Listening and speaking games

I Spy

Begin with I spy with my little eye something beginning with---- The letter must be the initial letter of the name of an object in the room.

e.g. I spy with my little eye something beginning with C (Clock)

Students must try to guess the object. Can be lead by either the teacher or the students.

Listening and speaking games

Party Invitations

Class sits in a circle. You tell them it's your birthday next week and they are invited if they bring you a present. They tell you their present and you say come or not. The secret is that to be invited the first letter of the gift must be the same as your names' initial letter. Name Mary, Gift Melon invited, Gift Wine not invited. How many will catch on?

Listening and speaking games

Khun Yai is going to the market

Class sits in a circle. Tell the class that you don't have time to go to the market so K.Yai is going for you, but you don't know what to tell her to buy. Ask the first student to say K.Yai is going to the market to buy ____ and insert the name of something i.e. Rice The next student repeats K.Yai is going to the market to buy rice and __ they add one more item. Each student adds one more item as they repeat, last person must remember everything!

Listening and speaking games

What's In the Bag ?

Place a single item in a bag or box. Make it different An orange, a pencil, a fuzzy toy.

Have the students feel what is in the box without looking and describe how it feels and what they think it is.
Can be done by the students themselves with things they bring from home.

Listening and speaking games

What is it?

Take one student out of the classroom, give them a name of a person, a film, a song or the name of an object. Student returns and using the white board or chalk board they draw clues, not the object or any words. Class mates try to guess what it is!

Listening and speaking games

Swap Seats

Students sit in a circle. In the centre of the circle face down are some cards with words or phrases Have one less chair than there are students. The teacher says SWAP and all students rush to a chair. The standing student must pick up one card and make a sentence with it. Repeat as often as you want. Alternatively ask a question of the standing student.

Listening and speaking games

Numbers Game

Write these numbers on the board and reinforce the pronunciation:

1, 10, 11, 6, 17, 80

2, 20, 12, 7, 18, 90

3, 30, 13, 8, 19, 100 4, 40, 14, 9, 60

5, 50, 15, 10, 50

Have two teams, when you say a number the first member runs to the board and crosses out the number. If correct their team gets a point. Let all students have chance.

Listening and speaking games

Word Association

Prepare two sets of cards noun/verb, adjective noun etc. Shuffle each set and place in two straight lines face down.

Students take turns to point to a card from each set.

Teacher shows the cards, if they form an association the student must make a sentence.

Students earns a point for a correct sentence.

Most points wins at the end. You can divide the students into teams.

Listening and speaking games

Stop or Freeze

Have picture or word cards for vocabulary to be practised. Review vocabulary and tell students if you say STOP or FREEZE they cannot move. Seat them in a circle and place the cards, in a pile, face down in the middle, have them pass a ball (or similar) around the circle. When you say stop the student holding the ball must pick up a card from the pile, the student reads what is on the card. For more advanced students they can make a sentence using the word. Continue until all cards are used. You can award points or have teams.

Listening and speaking games

Fly Swatting

Place word or picture flash cards face up, on the floor or the wall. Students are in two teams taking turns, each team has a fly swat.

You makes a sentence using one of the words on the cards.

Students run and 'swat' the word you used. They must say the word to earn a point for their team.

Older students could be asked to repeat the sentence.

Younger students need only the word not a sentence. A variation would be for you to describe the word or picture.

Listening and speaking games

Miming Game

Teacher starts by miming something, an action or a thing. Students guess what you are miming.

That student then mimes something.

Teacher prompts : What is he doing? Etc. Can have teams and award points.

Listening and speaking games

Hot Seat

One student sits facing the class. Teacher shows a card or writes a word on the board for the class to see.

The class must describe to the one in the Hot Seat what the word is.
Change students and continue.

Listening and speaking games

The bell game

Divide students into two teams. First player comes to the front of the room, on the desk are two bells

Explain you will show a word card, first one to ring and say it correctly will get a point for their team.
Tell them they must know the word before they ring, if they cannot say in one second they lose a point. If not said correctly the other player gets a chance, but if correct they get two points for their team. If neither knows the word ask the class to help, but give no points.

Listening and speaking games

Music Lyrics 1

Give the students the lyrics of the song with some words blanked. Let them listen once without doing anything.

The second time they try to fill in the blanks.

A third listening can be used to confirm they are correct. You might try Karaoke songs where the students can see the words, but when filling in the blanks do not let them see the words. Try to pick a song that relates to what you are teaching. Maybe the students will learn a new song at the same time!

Listening and speaking games

Music Lyrics 2

Write out the lyrics on strips of paper. Divide the class into groups.

Give each group a set of strips of paper mixed up.

Have them listen to the song once or twice depends on their skill level. They try to assemble the lyrics in the correct order.

The group with the least mistakes gets a small reward.

Listening and speaking games

Using these ideas go ahead and make your own games, and don't forget to share with your friends and colleagues.

HAVE FUN