[Pix]

There are a lot of games out there that can be adapted for large groups. If you find a great game, you can do many different things to adapt it. First of all you can enlarge the game board and play with teams (just make a rule that everyone in each group needs a turn before going again). You could also use 5-7 games that work well with smaller groups and set them up as stations in the room. Break down the class into the smaller groups and have each small group go to a different game. If there is time, they might be able to play two or three games in one day or else keep the stations the same for one week or throughout the entire unit so all students get a chance to participate in each game.

Having said that I think that board games only really work with small groups of up to 6 people, otherwise there is just too much hanging around waiting for your turn. And don't forget the logistics of all those games and pieces which you can and surely will lose. So I don't really use board games in my teaching unless I have a small group.

Instead I use games made specifically for large groups which can be played even in a class where you have no room to move. Indeed I did write a special edition of games specifically for that purpose. The Blanket Game and others are available free at the site below if you would like an example. Each game, and examples of how you can apply it are described over several pages so I won't include them here.

You can also use strategies such as having the class whispering while playing rather than talking to keep the overall noise down.