Recommended Level: Elementary grade 3

Pair Dice

Description

Students make pairs. The teacher says the vocabulary in any order, and the students repeat. When they hear the keyword, both students roll their dice. The highest number rolled is the number of points that their pair wins. If both students roll the same number (even if they roll 1 twice), they get 10 points.

Notes

  • It’s easier if students don’t need to repeat the keyword before trying to grab the dice.
  • It’s best to introduce this game after the students are familiar with the regular version of the game.

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Timer Bingo

Description

Students get a bingo sheet, and write the target English randomly in each square (or use small cards). The teacher calls out the target English and the students repeat, until a timer goes off. Students mark the square that matches the last word that was called. When they get a complete line, they get one point.

Notes

Using small cards instead of drawing on a worksheet can help the game run for multiple rounds. The students turn over the matching card rather than check a box.

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Bingo

Description

Students get a bingo sheet, and write the target English randomly in each square. The teacher calls out the target English and the students mark off each square. When they get a complete line, they get one point.

Notes

Using small cards instead of drawing on a worksheet can help the game run for multiple rounds. The students can put each of their cards into a grid, and turn over the matching card when it is called rather than check a box.

Go Janken

Description

Students make pairs. The teacher calls out random vocabulary words and the students repeat. When the teacher calls ‘go’, the students play janken with their partner. The student that wins janken gets one point.

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Keyword Karuta

Description

The students make groups. Each group gets some small cards with the vocabulary on them. The teacher picks a keyword. Students put that card in the middle of their group.

The teacher calls out random vocabulary words and the students repeat. When they hear the keyword, they try to grab the card. The student that grabs it wins one point.

Notes

  • For younger students, it’s best to have them put their hands on their heads while they’re listening, to prevent cheating.
  • If a student makes a mistake, it’s best not to have a penalty so they don’t lose motivation.
  • It’s easier if students don’t need to repeat the keyword before trying to grab the card.
  • It’s best to introduce this game after the students are familiar with the regular version of the game.

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Dinosaur Hamburger

Description

Students make pairs. Each student has one open hand (the ‘dinosaur’) and one closed hand (the ‘hamburger’). A vocabulary word is picked to be the keyword. The teacher or ALT calls random vocabulary words and the students repeat them. When the students hear the keyword they use their ‘dinosaur’ hand to try to ‘eat’ (i.e. catch) their partner’s ‘hamburger’ hand. The student that does this first wins one point.

Notes

  • It may be worth changing the pairs every few rounds, so a slower student is not always paired with a faster student.
  • This game can also be played in groups, where the students stand in a circle. For example, in a group of 3, Student A’s open hand matches with student B’s closed hand, student B’s open hand matches with student C’s closed hand and student C’s open hand matches with student A’s closed hand.

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String Catch

Description

Students make pairs and each hold a length of string in their left hand. The teacher picks one vocabulary word to be the keyword. They call out random vocabulary words and the students repeat them. When students hear the keyword, they try and grab their partner’s string. If they can, they win one point.

Notes

  • It may be worth changing the pairs every few rounds, so a slower student is not always paired with a faster student.
  • This game can also be played in groups, where the students stand in a circle. For example, in a group of 3, Student A’s open hand matches with the hand student B is holding their string with, student B’s open hand matches with the hand student C is holding their string with and student C’s open hand matches with the hand student A is holding their string with.
  • If possible, it may be better to group right-handed and left-handed students into the same pairs to keep things fair.

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Lucky Ohajiki

Description

A set of large number flashcards shuffled and placed face down on the board, so no one knows which card has what number. Large flashcards for the vocabulary are then placed on top of the number cards, face up.

Students make groups and get a set of small vocabulary cards, and one ‘ohajiki’ (a counter/game piece) each. Each student in the group puts their ohajiki on any of the flashcards they like.

The teacher picks one of the vocabulary words, and the students repeat them. They reveal the number card underneath, and any student who picked it with their ohajiki wins as many points as the number on the card.

Notes

  • If students are in pairs and can only pick one card, then there will be a long time for them to wait until they can win any points or see what their partner won while cycling through all the possible cards. It’s better to have them in larger groups, so every round they can either see how many points they won or how many points their partners won.
  • If there are enough ohajiki, students can play the game in pairs and pick up to half of the cards each.

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Ohajiki Time

Also known as:

  • Timer Game

Description

Students get a set of small vocabulary cards. They also get one ohajiki (a counter/game piece) each. Each student puts their ohajiki on one of the cards. The teacher sets a random time on the timer (between around 30 seconds and 2 minutes), but turns the timer away from the students so they can’t see how long the round will be.

The teacher starts the timer, and calls random vocabulary. The students repeat them. When the timer stops, any student who has an ohajiki on the card that matches the last vocabulary called wins one point. The teacher then sets a new random time and the students pick a new vocabulary card for the next round.

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Ohajiki Game

Description

Students make pairs and get a set of vocabulary cards. They also get one ‘ohajiki’ (a counter/game piece) each. Both students put their ohajiki on top of any card they like.

The teacher calls out random vocabulary words from the set currently being studied, and the students repeat them. When the teacher says the vocabulary that matches the card the student placed their ohajiki on, they win one point. They then put their ohajiki onto a new card.

Notes

Students can change pairs between rounds.