Materials: Small cards

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.

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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.

Lucky Card

Description

Students each get 3 random small cards. They make pairs, ask questions and answer using the target English and one of the cards they have in their hand. They then janken, and the winner can choose which of their cards they will exchange with one of their partner’s cards (also of their choice).

When time is up, the teacher picks a lucky card. Students get one point for each card they have that matches the lucky card.

Notes

The teacher can pick multiple cards to be lucky, certain cards can be worth more points than others, or there can simply be one lucky card.

Unlucky Ohajiki Time

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. All students start with 5 points.

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 loses 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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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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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.

Go Karuta

Description

Students make groups and get a set of flashcards. They shuffle the cards, and place them face up in the middle of their group. The teacher calls out vocabulary that matches the flashcards randomly. The students repeat the teacher. The teacher says ‘go!’ at random. When they hear this, the students try and take the card that matches the vocabulary that was last called out.

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 best to introduce this game after the students are familiar with the regular version of the game.

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