Recommended level: Elementary grade 4

Perfect Set

Description

Students make groups and get a deck of cards. They shuffle the deck and get 5 cards each. The rest of the cards are placed face down in the middle of the group.

The group asks the active player the question, and they answer by putting down one of their cards into a discard pile. They then take one of the face down cards.

The students get one point for each unique card they have when time is up. A timer is set for about 5 minutes, but it is hidden from the students (so they can’t ‘run down the clock’ if they have an advantageous hand and want to stall).

Tree Game

Also known as:

  • Tree Game

Description

In groups, students pick 3 out of 6 animals shown at the top of the ‘tree’.

Starting at the bottom square of the tree, the students ask the teacher if they like the vocabulary in that square.

If the teacher says yes, the students go up and one square to the left. If they say no, the students go up and one square to the right.

If the final square has one of the animals they picked, they win one point.

The students change the three animals they want to pick, then the next round starts.

Notes

This can be changed into a production game, by having the students ask a volunteer to give their answer. If so, it is best to give some thinking time each turn, so the groups can decide the answer they want. The teacher then picks one group (by using a dice, pulling a card and so on) to give the answer.

Maze Game

Description

Each student gets a worksheet. The worksheet is a 9×9 grid with a vocabulary word in each square. The students make pairs. Starting in the bottom left, they ask each other question based on the vocabulary of the current square.

Their partner can pick either yes or no for their answer. If their partner answers ‘yes…’, the student moves to the space above the one they were on. If they answer ‘no…’, they move to the space to the right.

When they reach the top or right side of the grid, they will win a certain number of points. They then return to the bottom left space and continue.

Notes

  • There are multiple versions of the worksheet that have different points in different spaces. This way their partner can’t predict what that answer will mean for their partner’s score.

Telephone Game

Description

The students make groups (with as even numbers in each group as possible), and then make a line. The student at the front of the line gets a set of small cards. One member from the back of each group comes to the teacher and listens to them whisper the key sentence. They join the back of their line and repeat (by whispering) what the heard to the group member in front of them.

That student whispers to the group member in front of them and so on, until the student at the front of the line hears the answer. They pick the matching card from their set.

Once all groups have finished, the teacher confirms the answer. The student at the front of the line moves to the back and everyone else moves forward, and the game continues for the next round.

Notes

Ohajiki Zone

Description

Students make pairs and get a set of vocabulary cards. The cards are split into 3 groups. 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, the students check the final vocabulary they said. Any student who has an ohajiki on the card that matches the last vocabulary called wins three points. Any student that has an ohajiki on the same group as the last vocabulary wins one point. The teacher then sets a new random time and the students pick a new vocabulary card for the next round.

Similar Games

Mini Mega Janken

Description

The students make pairs, and each pair gets set of flashcards. They place the flashcards in a line and each student starts at opposite ends. They say the target English that matches the card and move to the next card in the line until they meet in the middle.

They janken, and the loser restarts at the start of the line and the winner continues from where they were. When one player reaches the end of the line, they win one point.

Notes

  • It may be helpful to rotate pairs every few minutes.
  • It is more manageable to make sure the students say their vocabulary at the same rhythm – i.e. they cannot say the next vocabulary until their partner is ready to move on. This prevents one student from going too fast and not speaking clearly, or another getting stuck and losing out.

Similar Games

Super Mega Janken

Description

On the board, each target vocabulary is placed in a horizontal row. The class splits into two groups, and each group makes a line, one on the left side of the board and one on the right.

The first student in each group, starting from the left or right respectively, says each vocabulary on the board and moves towards the opposite side. When they meet the opposing player in the middle, they play janken. The loser goes to the back of their row and the second player in their group starts saying the vocabulary from the beginning until they meet the opposing player once again. This continues until one student reaches the other end of the board. Their team then wins one point.

Notes

  • This game is very hectic and high-pressure for the students. Also, only two students in the class are playing at any given time. It may be best to split the class into smaller groups.
  • It is more manageable to make sure the students say their vocabulary at the same rhythm – i.e. they cannot say the next vocabulary until their partner is ready to move on. This prevents one student from going too fast and not speaking clearly, or another getting stuck and losing out.

Up/Down Numbers

Description

Students get a small card with a number on it. They make pairs and guess a number. If their partner guesses a number below their card, they say ‘up’. If the number is above, they say ‘down’. The first student to guess their partner’s number wins.

Notes

  • ‘Up’ and ‘down’ are not likely to be words the students will be familiar with, so practice them before starting the game.

Order Memory

Description

The students make groups. Each group gets a set of cards for the target English, which they shuffle and place face down. The teacher picks three cards, and assigns them as number 1, 2 or 3. For example, if the target English is animals, they could pick 1 as dog, 2 as cat and 3 as monkey.

The first student turns over one card. All students say the matching target English for the card. If the pick the first order card (for example, ‘dog’), the student can continue and turn over a new card. If the second matches (for example, ‘cat’), they can turn over the next, and so on. If they flip over a card and it isn’t the next card in the sequence, they flip the cards back and the next student tries.

The first student to successfully get all 3 cards in the correct order wins one point. The cards are then all turned face down once again and shuffled for the next round.

Notes

  • The students shouldn’t shuffle cards if they pick the wrong one, only turn it back to being face down. This way the students can try to remember the position of each card.

Evolution

Description

5 different animals are placed on the board in an ascending line. For example, at the bottom you could use ‘rabbit’ followed by ‘cat’, then ‘dog’, ‘monkey’ and finally ‘lion’.

The students all start as the bottom animal – for example, ‘rabbit’. They make pairs and ask each other the question, and answer using either their original ideas or a small card. Once they have both answered, they janken. The winner ‘evolves’ to be the next animal. The students then find new partners to talk to.

Once they ‘evolve’ to become a lion (or whatever top animal is being used), they win 1 point. They then go back to being the bottom animal (e.g. a rabbit) and continue to try and win more points.

Notes

In some versions of this game, the students need to gesture or act like their current animal. This usually isn’t necessary!