Middle School EFL/ESL Games

5-20 minutes depending on how many cards are used Groups of 2-4 Review vocabulary words/grammar structures by slapping flashcards

• Use one flash card for each person in the group
  • 2 for pairs, 3 for groups of three, and 4 for groups of four
• You can use alphabet letters for younger children and more advanced grammar structures, such as past tense, 10-word sentences, etc. for students of a higher level

1. Get into groups of two and give each group a set of flashcards
2. Place two flashcards on the table or floor and label them 1 and 2
3. Explain to students that they will shoot rock-paper-scissors (ie Janken in Japanese)
4. Have students shoot 1 or zero fingers instead of rock, paper, and scissors
5. Students add up the thumbs and try to slap the flashcard with that number
   1. Flashcard #1 for one thumb, #2 for two thumbs, and so on
   2. Do it again if everyone shoots fists
6. Whoever slaps the correct card first gets a point if they say the word or sentence on the card out loud

One minute per topic Depends on topic, max. 10 Brainstorming vocabulary relevant to the topic In smaller groups (where it would be easy for everyone to have different answers) then reward one point for answers which are *the same*. Perhaps an additional point if a third person has that answer too, etc.

Tell the students that you are going to give them a topic. Each student is to write down (without the others seeing) an example of the topic.
For example if the teacher says “fruit” then one student might write down “apple”, another “orange”, etc.
They will have only ten seconds.
Once the ten seconds are up, ask the students to, one by one, reveal their answers (if you wish you can now check spelling).

In a large group the aim is for students to all have *different* answers. If everyone in the group has a different answer then they get one point (it can be made competitive by splitting the class into two groups).

20-40 minutes Any Answer questions and try to knock down bottles with a ball

• Keep score as in real bowling
• Use more bottles
• Use other activities such as tossing coins in a hat, etc.

1. Divide class into teams
2. Set up bottles about 10 inches (25.4 cm) apart for form a triangle
3. Ask a question to one team
4. If they answer incorrectly, ask a question to the next team
5. If they answer correctly, one member will get 2 chances to knock over the bottle with the ball
   1. 1 point for 1 ball, 2 points for 2 balls, 3 point for 3 balls
6. When the student finishes bowling ask a question to the other team
7. The team with the most points wins

20-40 minutes Groups of 2-5 Use colored blocks to develop sentence creation skills and review N, V, & Adj

• Have students make the sentences as a team
• Have students make the sentences as individuals
• Have the sentences tell a short story
  • ‘When the little old king saw the monster, he danced and ran as fast as he could.’
• Have the groups select their best story to read to the class

Preparation:

1. Get different colored building blocks or make different colored cards
2. On each green block or card, tape a noun
3. On each blue block or card, tape an adjective
4. On each yellow block or card, tape a verb

Instructions:

1. Review meaning of verbs, nouns, and adjectives from list on board
2. Break class into teach of 2-5 students
3. Give a set of green, blue, and yellow blocks to each team
4. Have each team select 2 blocks of each color
5. Teams use the words on the block to make one or two sentences

5-10 Minutes Any number Review vocabulary words by category

• Use flashcards for younger learners

1. Choose a category, such as animals, sports, etc.
2. Call out a vocabulary word that fits the theme (ie ‘cat’ for animals)
3. Students clap if you call out a word that fits the category
4. Once they are in a comfortable rhythm, say a word that is not in the category
5. Share a laugh when someone claps in the wrong place