This is a game that can be worked into just about any lesson. It can be used to practice writing, speaking, and listening. It's better suited for small classes (<30). I probably got the idea from a Spanish class back in high school.
1. Split the class into about 4 groups. It's better to have groups with one less member than groups with one extra member.
2. Number off each student in each group. (ex: class of 24, 4 groups of 6, number off group members 1-6). If a group has a member missing let the students choose someone to be 2 numbers.
3. On the board write numbers 1-4, spaced out, and put markers/chalk under each.
This is where the game is different based on what you want to practice. I’ll give an example for teaching opposites and an example for teaching comparatives.
4. Tell the class a word (ex: hot) and then a number (1-6). I usually repeat the word a few times before saying the number so the students can quick look up the word or ask their teammates if they don’t know. Then, the student in each group with the corresponding number has to run to the board and write the opposite (cold) on the board. The first team to finish gets 2 points and the second team to finish gets 1 point. The students erase their answers and sit down. This continues until all 6 numbers have been called (I write it down so I don’t miss anybody).
The game can continue this way until you feel they have a good grasp of the vocabulary.
If you want to practice grammar, take it a step further:
Instead of just writing the opposite (ex: hot--cold), make them write a sentence (ex: hot--Hot is the opposite of cold).
For comparatives, during the first round I said an adjective and the students had to write the comparative (tall--taller). For the second round I drew sets of pictures on the board (two mountains, one bigger than the other, and labeled Jiri San and Mount Everest; two people, one taller than the other with a fat body, labeled Lee and Kim; two lines (long/short), an airplane and a jet (high/low; fast/slow)). Then I pointed to a set of pictures (ex: mountains), said an adjective (ex: tall), said a number (1-6) and the students with that number had to run up to the board and write “Mount Everest is taller” (for higher classes: Mount Everest is taller than Jiri San).
To practice speaking: For the third round I said the number first, had the students stand at the front of the class, and the instead of having them write I had them say the answer. Fastest one got a point for their team.
This game can be used in many different ways to teach different things. You can use pictures instead of speaking in order to practice vocabulary (show picture, say number, students have to write the word). Also, if your class has them, you can give a little personal white board to each group instead of using the big white board.
The reason I like this team game better than some others is because every student gets practice, and some students get a lot of practice whether they realize it or not (by yelling answers to their teammates at the board). They love Typhoon, Jeopardy, Pictionary, etc. but I feel like there’s always 1 or 2 dominant students on each team and the other members don’t participate or contribute.
