[little sage]

Here is one of my favourite games. I learned it from a friend during my TEFL course and have been using it regularly ever since. It's a great fast-paced review of new vocabulary or words taught a few lessons ago that students may have forgotten.

Materials Needed: 1 game board (see downloadable attachment, below), 1 big stack of vocabulary cards (words or pictures), an eraser or coin or something else to act as the "soccer ball", at least 2 students.

Method:

1) Explain the object of the game: to advance the soccer ball into the net by answering questions faster than your opponent (correctly, of course).

1) Divide students into 2 groups- it doesn't matter if the groups are unequally numbered- and have them make two lines, facing you. Try to balance the teams by pitting same-level students against each other.

2) Flash the first students in line a card. The first one to read it gets to advance the soccer ball toward the net where they will score.

3) If both students answer at the same time, quickly flash them another card. This is when the game gets exciting.

4) After one student has come out the winner, these students move to the end of the line and the next students in line have a turn.

5) Repeat.

VARIATIONS:

A) Instead of the printable board, you can use a sketch of a soccer field on the white board. The disadvantage is that you have to erase the soccer ball each time a team moves.

B) Large classes: Demo the game with a few students, then designate some leaders and give them vocabulary cards and a game board each, break the rest of the students into groups and have them play for a set time. After say, 3 minutes, have the students with the vocabulary cards change and go to play with 2 different groups.


This game can get very noisy, but it's great fun. If your stack of vocabulary cards is thin, students repeat words so many times that they sometimes begin correcting each others pronunciation, aiming at perfection.

Since it is something like a drill, it's best to keep the game fast and short: over 10 minutes and everyone can lose interest. Again, keeping it fast does involve pitting students who are similar in level as well as vocal range against each other. Setting either a time limit or a score limit "first team to 3 points wins" also helps to keep up the pace. Enjoy!