To complement our recent “5 Best Tech Games” post, we now want to share with you five options that do not require technology. You can keep them in your ETA arsenal for days when technology fails, or for when you just need a break from the computer.
So here’s a list of five games, many pulled off of and adapted from Waygook, and then tested in the classroom by Fulbright ETA’s. I’ve found success myself with each of them in my elementary level classes, and each of the games can be modified to suit different grade levels and topics.
Now go ahead and get your game on!
1.Rows and Columns
The entire class stands. The teacher asks a question, or for the spelling of a vocabulary word, then chooses a student with their hand raised to answer. If correct, they may choose for their row or column to sit. If wrong, another student may be selected to answer. The process continues until everyone is seated. Often, lower level students are left standing near the end, so I usually save easier questions for the end, or allow one of the other students to “rescue” and help them answer if need be.
Skills: Listening, Speaking
2.Fly Swatter Game
The class is divided into two teams, one representative from each team stands behind a line with a flyswatter in their hand. Vocabulary words (or pictures representative of words) are written on the board. After the teacher reads a vocabulary word out loud, the student that “swats” the correct word/picture on the board gets a point for their team.
Skills: Listening, Reading
3.Pictionary
A popular drawing game that can be used to practice key words and phrases; any student can volunteer to draw on any round, and any student in the class can guess on any given round. Phrases and key words are written on slips of paper and chosen at random by the student that will be drawing. The student that guesses correctly gets a point for their group. In small classes with just a handful of students, individual points can be tallied instead of team points, with the drawer and guesser receiving a point on any given round.
Skills: Reading, Speaking
4.Telephone Charades
Students on a team are lined up facing the board. The last person is given a vocabulary word from the teacher. After the signal from the teacher to start, the word is communicated through the chain to the front by tapping on the shoulder of the next student and gesturing. The first person then gives the word to the teacher to get a point for their team. For the next round, the last person moves to the front or vice versa to mix up the roles. Each team is given a different word for each round.
Skills: Listening, Speaking
5.Scrambled Word Race
Groups are each given a list of scrambled words (5 to 10) that are pulled from lesson material. The first group to correctly unscramble all of the words wins. OR set a time limit, and for each word the group finishes a point is earned. Words that are more difficult can have higher point values, and I usually set a time limit of 5 minutes for a list of 10 words for 5th and 6th graders.
Skills: Reading, Writing