SDCCD 2012 Games Workshop

Games in the ESL Classroom
Teacher Training Workshop

Presented by Leah Haeber, Instructor
San Diego Community College District
May 11, 2012
2
Leah Haeber, San Diego Community College Cont. Ed
Leahs Up, Up, Up Picture Game Show

Level: beginning
Time: 15 - 20 minutes
Materials: mini whiteboards or scrap paper, markers and erasers
This is a game designed to help students practice or review English vocabulary using
pictures.

The teacher chooses 10 pictures from his/her folder of pictures. The class is then
divided into groups. The teacher assigns a number to each group and then writes the team
numbers on the board in columns. Each team chooses a writer and is given a mini
whiteboard, a marker and an eraser.

The teacher begins the game by showing a picture and asking the students what is it?
After the teacher has asked the question and shown the picture, the students write down
the answer to the question on their mini whiteboards, for example server. The team
works together to ensure that they have the word written correctly. When the teacher
says boards up, the writers raise their boards and the teacher then checks to see if
their words are written correctly. Each correct word earns 10 points for the team; each
correct word with a spelling mistake/s earns 5 points for the team; and each incorrect
word or blank board loses 10 points for the team. The team with the most points wins the
game and gets a prize.

Variation 1: Have the students write complete sentences or questions.

3
Leahs Up, Up, Up Vocabulary Game Show

Level: intermediate to advanced
Materials: mini whiteboards or scrap paper, markers and erasers

The teacher chooses 15 20 words to be reviewed and then writes their definitions on
small pieces of scrap paper and puts them in a small paper bag. The class is then divided
into groups. Each group chooses a team name. The teacher then writes the team names on
the board. Each team then chooses a writer and is given a mini white board, a marker and
an eraser.

The teacher begins the game show by saying ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Leahs Up,
Up, Up Vocabulary Game Show. Today we have six teams and they are.... (give the team
names). Next, the teacher pulls a word definition out of the paper bag and reads the
definition to the class. After the teacher has read the definition two or three times, the
students must write down the correct word. For example, this person can take care of
plants. The teams discuss the correct word for the definition and then the writers write
gardener on their boards. When the teacher says boards up, the students raise their
boards and the teacher then checks to see if the word is correct. Each word spelled
correctly earns 10 points for the team; each correct word spelled incorrectly earns 5
points for the team; each incorrect word or blank board loses 10 points for the team. The
team with the most points wins the game and gets a prize.

Variation 1: Have the students write complete sentences or questions.
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Scrambled Words

Level: beginning to advanced
Materials: 3 x 5 index cards and paper bags or paper clips.

This game requires a small amount of preparation by the teacher, but once the index cards
are made, they can easily be reused. First, choose 10 words that you would like the
students to practice or review spelling. Write one letter of each word on one index card.
Number each card in the upper right corner with the number 1, 2, 3 etc. Then put one
complete word in a paper bag with its number written on the front of the bag or clip the
index cards together. When you are ready to play, place the bags or clipped cards on a
table.

Divide the class into groups. Ask the groups to choose one person from the group as the
writer. The writer takes out one piece of paper and writes the numbers 1 to 10 on the
paper. The group then chooses a runner. The runner will be responsible for picking up
one bag or one set of clipped cards from the table. They are only allowed to take one and
cannot take another bag or set of cards until they have finished with their first set and
returned it to the table. After the runner picks up a bag, he or she returns to the table.
The group spreads out the letters and forms a word. The writer writes the word on the
paper with the corresponding number. That is, bag number five is written beside number
five on the paper. The runner continues to pick up bags or cards until they have completed
numbers 1 to 10. When the groups have finished ask them each to write one or two words
on the board. Check and/or correct together. Have the students spell the words back to
you.

Variation 1: Make sentences or questions instead of words.
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Running Dictation

Level: beginning to advanced
Materials: two tables with pictures and two tables without pictures.
This game requires a small amount of preparation by the teacher, but once the tables are
made, they can easily be reused. First, choose 24 words that you would like the students
to practice or review. Create two tables with 4 columns and 3 rows. Name the first table
number 1 and the second number 2. Number each box in the table in the upper left or
right corner. Download pictures from clip art or cut out pictures from magazines. Place
one picture in one box and type a sentence below it. Next, make two more tables exactly
the same as above and number each box in the corner. Do not put any pictures in these
tables. Make 23 copies of the picture tables, three of which will be used in the classroom
or hall. Also make 20 copies of the blank tables.

Before class, tape up your two tables with pictures and words either in your classroom or
outside in the hall. For this game the students will work in pairs. One person is the writer
and one person is the runner. Hand out blank tables, one for every pair alternating
between table number 1 and table number 2. The runner makes a note of whether their
table is number 1 or 2. When you say go the runners run to the wall and look at the
first picture in their table (number 1 or 2) and then run back to their partner and tell
their partner what they saw, for example box number 1 mechanic. The writer then
writes the word in the proper box on the table. The runner continues until all the boxes
are completed. The runner is not allowed to write down the words, speak the same
language or write for the writer. Once a pair has completed the game, hand out a copy of
the picture table to the students and have them check their work.
Variation 1: Use pictures only.
Variation 2: Use pictures and words.
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Number 1

1

I am a mechanic.

2

You are a student.
3

She is a cashier.
4

We are receptionists.

5

She is a seamstress.
6

They are cooks.
7

I am a carpenter.

8

You are a mail carrier.
9

She is a gardener.

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Number 2

1

I am a real estate
agent.

2

You are a doctor.
3

She is a nurse.

4

We are librarians.

5

He is a police officer.
6

They are painters.
7

I am a computer
programmer.

8

You are a bank teller.
9

She is a housekeeper.

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Number 1

1

2 3
4

5 6
7

8 9

9
Number 2

1

2 3
4

5 6
7

8 9

10
Pictionary

Level: beginning
Materials: pictures and markers.

Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a number and write their number in
columns on the whiteboard. Ask for a volunteer from group number 1 to come up to the
front of the class. Show the student one picture from your folder of pictures. The
student must then draw that picture on the whiteboard. The first team to guess what it is
wins a point for their team. Continue until at least each student from every group has had
a chance to come to the board and draw. The team with the most points wins a prize.
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Leahs Bingo Game

Level: beginning - intermediate
Materials: bingo cards and beans.

Hand out a bingo card to each student. Have them copy nine of the words you have
written on the board onto their bingo cards. Write those same words on small pieces of
paper and then put them in a bag. Before beginning the game ask the students how they
would like to play. They can play X, O, full, L etc. Begin the game by pulling one word at a
time out of the bag, saying it and then checking the word off on the board. Give prizes to
the students who get bingo.

Variation 1: ABC Bingo.
Variation 2: Picture Bingo.
Variation 3: Question and Answer Bingo.

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Leahs Vocabulary Bingo

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Auction

______________________________________________________________

Grammar: Simple Past
Level: intermediate to advanced
Time: 30 50 minutes
Materials: A gavel
One auction sheet per two students
______________________________________________________________

In Class

1. Ask students if any of them have been to an auction. Ask questions of those who
have. Introduce necessary words like to bid, auctioneer, a bid, what am I bid?,
going, going, gone!

2. Pair the students off and give each pair an auction sheet. Tell them that some of
the sentences on the sheet are correct and some incorrect. They read through
them and decide which sentences are correct and which are incorrect. In the
auction that is to follow they are going to bid for sentences and buy only those
sentences that are correct. Tell them each pair has $30,000 to buy correct
sentences and ask them to write this amount on the budget line on their auction
sheets. They are not allowed to spend more than $30,000 in the auction and they
are responsible for tracking how much money they spend.

3. Before starting the auction, tell the students that you will not accept bids of less
than $500 and that students must bid in increments of $100.

START THE AUCTION
(a) Read out the first sentence in a lively, persuasive way, even if it happens to be
wrong, and then ask for bids.

(b) Keep the bidding moving fast to convey the excitement of an auction room.

(c) When you come to the going, going, gone stage, be ready to accept last minute
bids. When a sentence has been auctioned off make sure students write down
the amount of money they spent in the paid column on their auction sheet.

14
4. Start the auction with the first sentence, but then auction the rest of the
sentences in random order just to keep it exciting.

5. When all of the sentences have been bought ask the students to tell you which
sentences they purchased and how much they spent. The winners of the auction
are the pair with the most correct sentences and the most money left. If students
bought incorrect sentences discuss why the sentences are incorrect and how to
correct them.

Variation 1

Once you have led an auction session yourself, have a student or students as auctioneers
the next time. With a class of 30 you might have three groups of nine students bidding in
three separate auctions, with three separate auctioneers. You will need different auction
sheets for each auction and each auctioneer must be given a key. If you dont have
different auction sheets people in group A will be listening to what is going on in groups B
and C! With nine or ten people per group, bidding should be done individually, not in pairs.

Variation 2

You can auction grammar problems that come up in written homework. Dont mark the
homework. Take out 12-15 mistaken sentences, re-write half of them correctly and mix
them up with the uncorrected sentences so you have a fully student centred auction sheet.
Do the auction in the normal way. Then give back the uncorrected homework and ask them
to find each others mistakes.

This game was adapted from Grammar Games by Mario Rinvolucri

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Auction Sheet

(You need 1 per two students)

Budget: $__________________________
Paid
1. Yesterday Tee Lu Paw takes an X-ray to the lab. $_________________
2. At 1:30 pm Mu Naw put away the linens. $_________________
3. Nye Reh took a patient to her room yesterday. $_________________
4. Naw Ni help a patient walked with her walker last night. $_________________
5. Last Saturday Damber picked up supplies for the hospital. $_________________
6. At 8:45 am an orderly push a patient in a wheelchair. $_________________
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Fly Swatter

Level: beginning to intermediate
Materials: two fly swatters of different colors

Write 12 words all over the board. Divide the class into two teams. Draw two columns on
the board and write the colors of each fly swatter in them. Give each team a fly swatter.
Ask for a volunteer from each team to come up to the front of the class. Say one of the
words on the board. The first student to swat the correct word gets a point for their
team. Continue until all 12 words have been swatted. The team with the most points at
the end of the game wins a prize.

Variation 1: Use antonyms or synonyms.
Variation 2: Use different verb tenses.
17
Tic Tac Toe

Materials: 15 to 20 pictures
Draw a Tic Tac Toe grid on the board. Divide the class into two teams. Draw two columns
on the board; one for each team. Tell the teams that you are going to show them a picture
and that they must say the name of the picture. The catch is that you have to see all of
their lips moving and hear all of their voices at the same time. If the students name the
picture correctly all at the same time, they can choose where they want to put their X or
O on the Tic Tac Toe grid. When a team has Tic Tac Toe, give them a point. The team
with the most points at the end of the game wins a prize.

Variation 1: Hand out mini pictures of jobs to the students. Each student has one or two
pictures. The teacher names one of the jobs. The student who shows the correct picture
first gets an X or O on the grid.

Variation 2: Spell job names and the first team to say it correctly gets an X or O on the
grid. Do this for half the game and then write the word on a mini whiteboard and the first
team to read it correctly gets an X or O on the grid.

Variation 3: Give the students a scrambled word and have them put it in order and then
spell the word out in order to get their X or O.

Variation 4: Give the students a scrambled sentence and have them put it in order and
then read the sentence out loud in order to get their X or O.

18
Memory Game

Materials: 5 sets of Memory Game cards

Divide the class into groups of four. Hand out one set of memory game cards to each
group. Have the students place the cards face down on the table in a grid pattern. One
student begins the game by turning over two cards. The student says the name of the
picture and reads the sentence out loud. If it is a match the student keeps the pair and
goes again. If the cards are not a match the student must put the cards back in the same
place they drew them from. The game continues until all of the cards have been matched.

Variation 1: Use pictures only.
Variation 2: Use pictures and words.
Variation 3: Use sentences only for example, He is a mechanic and He can fix cars.
Variation 4: Use questions and answers for example, What does a mechanic do? and A
mechanic fixes cars.

19

I am a mechanic.

You are a doctor.

We are students.

He is a police officer.

They are painters.
20

He is a carpenter.

You are a gardener.

She is a housekeeper.

They are cooks.

She is a cashier.

21
Roll the Dice Conversation Practice
Roll the dice once; find the category below. Roll the dice a second time,
and find the specific question # in that category. Talk about the question.

1 Feelings
1. What kind of weather do you like? Why?
2. What do you enjoy doing when you have
spare time on the weekends?
3. Talk about a moment recently when you felt
especially happy. What happened?
4. What makes you feel frightened?
5. What do you do to handle stress?
6. Talk about a moment recently when you felt
thrilled, excited, or especially happy. What
happened?
2 Leisure Activities
1. Describe your favorite meal.
2. What is your favorite restaurant?
3. What is your favorite kind of music? Do
you listen to different types of music
depending on your mood?
4. What is your favorite place to go in your
city? Why?
5. What is your favorite movie? Why?
6. What is your favorite television program?
Why?
3 Friends & Family
1. How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Where do they live?
2. Who was the most influential person in your
life when you were a child?
3. Who is your favorite relative? Describe this
person.
4. Do you have any friends from other cultures
or other countries? Describe one of them.
6. Describe your hometown. What is something
you really miss about it?

4 Education
1. Why did you decide to enroll in classes
here? How did you learn about this school?
2. How often do you speak and listen to
English outside the classroom? In what
situations or with whom do you speak?
3. What is a future educational goal that you
have?
4. What is a future work-related goal that you
have?
5. Would you rather practice grammar or
vocabulary during English class? Why?
6. How often do you read and write English
outside the classroom? Where do you do that?
5 Decisions
1. Talk about a time recently when you had to
make an important decision.
2. Do you have any bad habits that you would
like to quit or give up? Explain.
3. Do you plan to live the rest of your life in the
U.S.? or would you like to return to your native
country someday?
4. Do you plan to stay in this city? What is a
benefit or advantage to living in this city? What
is a disadvantage of living here?
6 Work &Travel
1. Would you rather visit Alaska or Hawaii?
Why?
2. Would you rather have a part-time or full-
time job right now? Explain.
3. Would you rather live in an urban area or in
the suburbs?
4. Would you rather visit New York City or
San Francisco? Explain your choice.
5. Would you rather live near the ocean or in
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5. What is a big purchase you plan to make?
6. Why did you decide to come to this city?
the mountains? Explain.
6. Would you rather work with people or
machines? Give an example of your ideal job.
Adapted from Beth Bogage

Questions Board Game
Procedure:
1) 2-4 students put markers on the start. In groups, take turns rolling the die.
The person with the highest number begins.
2) Roll the die again. Student moves the marker to the correct place. Student reads the question
out load and answers it.
3) Student gives the die to the person sitting on the right. The person who gets to the finish first
wins
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START

What do you like to
do in your free time?

How many cups of
coffee do you drink a
day?

What do you like to
watch on TV?

How often do you go
to the cinema?

How often do you
have English classes?

Where do you eat
your breakfast at
home?

Where do you go for
walks?

Where do you go
shopping?

What do you like to
eat?

Where does your best
friend live?

Where do you go
during the weekends?

Where do you go for
holidays?

What do you do on
Friday nights?

How do you get to
school?

How often do you
wash your hair?

What clothes do you
like to wear for
school?

How often do you see
your friends?

What time do you get
up on Sunday
mornings?

How many hours do
you work every
day?

FINISH

Where do you work?

Where do you go to
relax?

How much time do
you take to do your
homework?

From 50 Stimulating Classroom Activities

24
Board Game Template

START

FINISH

25
Useful Phrases

Your turn.
My turn.
I'm next. You're next.
I agree.
I don't agree.

How do you spell ____________?
What does ________ mean?
I don't understand.
Please speak more slowly.
Please repeat.
Could you repeat that?

Thank you.
You're welcome.

It was nice talking to you.
See you later.
See you soon.
See you tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend.

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References

Clark, R.C. (Ed.) (1982). Index Card Games for ESL. Brattleboro: The
Experiment in International Living.

Rinvolucri, M. (1999). Grammar Games. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.

Websites
50 Stimulating Classroom Starters:
http://ce.sbcc.edu/class_startersCATESOL.pdf
Icebreakers: http://www.icebreakers.ws/
Variety of games: http://www.group-games.com/games-by-type
Games, puzzles, worksheets, templates:
http://www.suelebeau.com/freetools.htm
Different games every day: http://www.agameaday.com/
Worksheets, puzzles: http://www.theteacherscorner.net/printable-
worksheets/
Icebreakers, what to do on the first day:
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teacht
ip/teachtip.htm
Word search, crossword puzzles:
http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/

Other Resources
A Course in Language Teaching. Penny Ur, Cambridge University Press
Cathy's Cards, Kathy Diaz, Alta ESL
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Conversation Inspirations, Nancy Zelman, Alta ESL
Cooperative Learning, Spencer Kagen, Kagen Publishing
Five-Minute Activities, Penny Ur and Andrew Right, Cambridge University Press
Learner Persistence, from NCSALL Student Circle Guide, John Comings
Ventures, Books 1, 2, 3, 4, and Teacher's Toolkit CD-ROM in the Teacher's Edition
K. Lynn Savage, Gretchen Bitterlin, Dennis Johnson, Donna Price, Sylvia Ramirez
Zero Prep, Laurel Pollard and Natalie Hess, Alta ESL

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