ESL/EFL Games or icebreakers... ::.:.:.::...:::..:::

 Hangman Game

Can you beat the Hangman?

In this game you have to guess the English word before you're hanged! For each word you can make 6 wrong guesses. After that, you'll be hanged by the neck.

Hangman is a game that can really help your vocabulary. Don't give up! Keep playing and you'll soon see that you really can beat the Hangman in the Hangman game!

Jumbled Words

The letters of each word are jumbled (all mixed up).

Can you put them in the right order?

Typing Test

How well can you type in English? This is a good way to improve your English. Here, you have to type as fast as possible. Well, that's not so difficult. The hard part is - you mustn't make mistakes! Let's see how you do! (By the way, professional typists can type at speeds of 70 words a minute, with no mistakes!)

1. Choose your level.
2. Press START!
3. Type the text that appears in Box A into Box B.
4. Press FINISH!

( before I forget, this can be very useful when you teach IT)

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True/False Cards

When introducing a new topic to class, distribute index cards to every student. On each of the cards a statement on the topic should be written: some true, some false. Students then must decide which statements are true and which are false, using whatever means they desire: their text, each other’s knowledge base, the Internet, etc. With this method, students get introduced to the topic and clarify any preconceived notions, correct or incorrect, they have on it while interacting with their peers and even doing a little research.

Who Would I Hire?

At the beginning of a unit about jobs and job skills, hand out pictures of people cut from magazines with short descriptions: for example, “Max is 28 and has a degree in business but no experience. He is hard working and organized.” Have students get in groups and create a business that they “run.” They can then look over their pictures of the job candidates and discuss who they would hire for their business and why.

This exercise provides not only valuable group discussion skills and practice with target vocabulary but also provides critical thinking skills as students make a judgment on the best job candidates.

Title Scrabble

Before beginning a reading, write its title on the board and play a modified game of “scrabble” with it: finding as many words within the title as possible. Even a simple title like “Reunion” yields “union,” “run,” and “rein,” etc. Students will also inevitably discuss the title itself, what it means, and what the reading is likely to be about.

In this way students are developing their vocabulary as well as preparing for the reading

Student Polling

To get the class’s opinion on a topic, select students to travel the room and poll others on their opinions and then report the results back. For example, on the topic of same-sex marriage, students can give opinions on whether or not it should be legalized. The job of “pollster” can rotate for a different topic until everyone has had a chance to poll.

This exercise gives students valuable speaking practice as well as primes the student for more in depth discussion on the topic.

Good Morning Warmer

It's a great game activity. It may be used as an ice-breaker or a "getting to know each other" speaking activity. The level in fact depends on you, because you may change the questions. It doesn't require a lot of preparation from you, but gives your students an opportunity to speak without being stressed. My students really loved playing the game.

PREPARATION
- At home prepare some questions or tasks, depending on your students’ level.
In less advanced groups the tasks should be as simple as these:
- smile at a person sitting opposite you,
- shake hands with your neighbors,
- pay a nice compliment to a third person sitting on your right,
- ask a question a second person sitting on your left,
- what is your friend like?,
- what do you do in your free time?,
- what is your favourite book about?,
etc.

In more advanced groups the tasks can be a bit more complicated:
- what was the happiest day of your life?,
- where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?,
- what would you change if you were the headmaster of our school?,
etc.

Write each question or task on a separate strip of paper and put them all into a basket.

PROCEDURE
Ask your students to sit in a circle. Give them a basket with your questions/tasks, play music (it should be a fast piece of music). While the music is playing, they should be passing the basket to a person sitting on their right (so the basket is “wandering” around the circle). Stop the music – the person who is holding the basket should take one strip of paper and answer the question or do the task.
My students really like playing the game and they have great time learning English, getting to know one another and playing at the same time 

 

Criss-Cross

 
A favourite of mine is criss-cross. This only works if the students are in rows though. One column stands up and you ask questions. The first student to raise their hand can answer the question. If they get it right, they sit down. Continue until only one student is standing. The row that intersects with that student then stands up. Repeat until you are out of questions. If you aren't in rows, you can do with a box and ball. Put the questions in a box and have them pass the box and ball to music. When the music stops, the student with the box takes a question and asks it to the student with the ball. For higher level students you can let them make the questions themselves.

 

Qualities of a Good Student

Start the semester off with a writing assignment on what makes a good student. Have students write in class the first day on this topic. They may brainstorm ideas first with each other and teacher. Or they may do a quick write silently and then share their ideas with peers. Often they’re very surprised when their ideas are similar. The final essay on the topic can be due in a week.

With this method students are generating ideas at the beginning of term on how to succeed academically while practicing writing skills.

 

Polar Opposites

When introducing a new topic, such as language acquisition, present on the board two versions of the fact or theory, correct and incorrect: for example “It takes about one year to learn a second language fluently” and “It takes about five years to learn a second language fluently.” Have students discuss with peers and try to guess the correct version before presenting the correct one.

With this strategy, students are not only introduced to the topic but some common misconceptions on it it while practicing speaking skills.

 

More coming up soon ::..:::::..:::..:::..::::..::::..:::