ESL Games - 2 Games That Are a Must in the ESL Classroom

ESL Games are an absolute must in the ESL classroom. If you are teaching ESL and not including games in your ESL lesson plan, then you are totally missing out on some serious enjoyment and your students are most likely not picking things up as quickly as they could. ESL games put fun in the lesson and if it formatted to the lesson at hand, it is beneficial to the entire classroom.

Below are 2 games that have proven invaluable to many teachers. Either game could be played immediately after the lesson has been taught, whether it is just vocabulary, review or a phrase pattern. These games will make you a hit with the students!

Game #1 - Slap N Say

Divide the class into two or three teams.

Taking turns; one student from each team stands and waits for the teacher to say the name of one of the picture cards.

As soon as the teacher says the word, the students standing race to the picture cards and slap the correct one with their hand and say the word.

They then race back to their team and the entire team repeats the word.

The winner's team gets points.

Make sure that you lay down the ground rules of no hitting another student with the bat and no hitting the floor with extreme force or you will not have the bats for long. In China, I just went to the toy market and it was easy and inexpensive to purchase the blow up bats/hammers/etc...

The students NEVER tired of playing this game.

Game #2 - Slap N Say Relay

This game is very similar to the above game in that the student runs up to the board, slaps the picture card or word card with their bat and runs back to their team.

The variation is as follows:

The students are divided into 2 teams and they are sat against one wall. The two children in the middle where the two teams meet, stand and everyone moves in one seat so that the only vacant seat is on the outside ends of the row of chairs.

Then the teacher calls out a word/phrase and the students race to the board, slap the word or phrase, say the word or phrase then run to the outside vacant seats. He/she then sits down and passes the bat to the next student, then the next, etc... until the bat reaches the last student in their team. At which time all the students jump up and say the word or phrase. The first team to do so, gets the points.

Try to get the students to chant the word or phrase while they are passing the bat to the center for added vocal practice. Also, an important rule! Make sure that the bat gets passed to EACH STUDENT! No passing by 3 or 4 students at a time. That is considered cheating.

Both these games are very much loved by the students once they get the hang of it. Your students will be asking to play it after you have shown them how to play.

Including games in your arsenal of teaching tactics will give your class more benefit than you can imagine. Your students will be more attentive, eager and willing to participate freely. Is that not enough reward for a little fun in your classroom?

If you are REALLY interested in teaching ESL overseas then you owe it to yourself to check out ESL For All [http://eslforall.com]. There is VERY IMPORTANT information there to help make your decision one you won't regret. Check out ESL For All [http://eslforall.com] today!