Games Galore!

[epicbush]

All of these games are good but I will say that Hangman is one of the best games that you can use to engage your students before a lesson - using Hangman allow you to get them to see words for the first time by way of guessing instead of just telling them what vocabulary words you will use.

[BillCosbySaid]

This list is fantastic! I work with varying learning levels and ages throughout the week. These games are definitely applicable for my elementary through high school students, especially if I don't have much technological access in the classroom. Thank you, a thousand times over!

[neliakk]

 :) Wow, thanks so much
This is just what I need, LOW TECH, games, I am afraid I am not very good in using hi tech games and these games are just great
I will try these for my next lesson

[Gwen4god]

Thanks guys
These are all so helpful

[trisha.sue]

Great list! Thanks :) I've spent a lot of time looking at games on eslcafe.com's cookbook, but this is a much better list.  Cheers

[Tommee]

One game I use a lot is like taboo:

Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team stands at the front with their back to the whiteboard and mustn't look. The teacher writes a word or phrase or draws a picture and the rest of the class must describe it for their teammate to guess. The first person up the front to raise their hand and guess correctly wins a point.

Rules are: no actions allowed, no Korean speaking allowed at all, the class must raise their hand to say a sentence in English (otherwise it's easy for them to drop easy hints).
It's easy to enforce the rules by giving a point to the other team when someone breaks a rule.

The students usually get all riled up about this game. 

[tinkerbellmaggie]

@ asabranca

These are absolutely brilliant! I was trying to come up with fillers but my brain was tired and I was ending up doing the same fillers for each level...which could work but I feel that your suggestions, particularly the Elephant game will be nice and challenging! Many, many, many thanks!

[inone98]

This is a Taboo game that I use.

[CellarDoor]

How did I miss this list the whole time I've been in Korea until now?? Nothing is working with my after school classes to get them talking, and my lessons are interesting but woefully above the level of all but maybe one student.

I can't wait to have a whole "icebreaker lesson" using 4-6 of these games.  This, combined with a reward system that does seem to be working reasonably well, might actually get them speaking and less shy around each other.  That would be fabulous.  Thanks to everyone for contributing!

[BriannaMGill]

This is an amazing list. As someone that is new to teaching and to Korea, I can see this coming in really handy! Thanks!

[englishteacherw]

Thank you so much for all the game ideas! I second whoever said they like having low-tech games to play. When the technology in the classroom is not working, I need to have an arsenal of game ideas to have ready, preferably things that don't need a lot of preparation. Thanks again!