[NIFL-ESL:9857] Re: Classroom games for Adults

From: Jennifer Morrow (jmorrow@jcplin.org)
Date: Wed Feb 04 2004 - 11:27:33 EST


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From: "Jennifer Morrow" <jmorrow@jcplin.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9857] Re: Classroom games for Adults
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Hello again everybody!
I love playing games in my ESL class, too.  BINGO was already mentioned
but I play it every week to review the vocabulary words.  The students
get practice writing because they make their own BINGO cards.  They have
to listen to my pronunciation of the word and read the word on their
card.  I usually play until we have three winners.  Then I write each
winner's name  on a card and have students draw until there is only one
card left.  This person gets a prize.  

Other games that we play in class are Go Fish and Memory (or
Concentration).  These are also good review games.  The students compete
against each other but it is always friendly.  

One of my favorite websites for games is http://www.agameaday.com  There
is literally a calendar with a game a day.  I have never used it in
class but my colleagues and I play a lot.  

This brings up an interesting point that I think could spark some good
conversation.  Each week, I offer prizes for BINGO.  The prizes are
fairly inexpensive (stuff from the Dollar Store or things I have around
the house.) I think it is appropriate because it makes the game more
real and exposes students to American products.  My prizes are always
adult such as soap, lotion, writing tablets, laundry detergent, etc.
How does everyone else feel about this?  I have a co-worker who rewards
her students with stickers.  She thinks it motivates them, I think it is
insulting.  Do any of you give prizes?  What do you think is an
appropriate prize?


Jennifer Morrow
Johnson County Public Library
Adult Learning Center
(317) 738-4677
jmorrow@jcplin.org


-----Original Message-----
From: ra_duffy@comcast.net [mailto:ra_duffy@comcast.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 5:16 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9854] Re: Classroom games for Adults

One game that I have done many times in my ESL classes is tic-tac-toe.
This game is great for any type of review -- vocabulary, grammar, etc.
-- and can be easily adapted for all levels.  My students love it!

--
Ruthann Duffy
ESL Tech Coordinator
Essential Skills Program
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98133

Telephone: 206-533-6624
email: ra_duffy@comcast.net
http://success.shore.ctc.edu/callab
> 
> In a message dated 2/3/04 3:32:27 PM, leenhd78@yahoo.com writes:
> 
> << the wealth of knowledge about
> games to play with adult literacy learners. >>
> 
> Last year, our beginning students gave 'awards' to the teachers:
framed 
> certificates citing each teacher's forte.  I won the 'Queen of Games'
award, so 
> I 
> feel 'highly qualified' to provide some suggestions.
> 
> Many TV/commercial games can be adapted to ESL classes.  Using a
chalk/dry 
> erase board, you can play modified Hangman or  Wheel of Fortune, using
the 
> words/expressions students have already studied.  After the teacher
models these 
> activities a few times, students can play the 'teacher' role. 
> 
> Elizabeth Claire at eceardley@aol.com sells a very inexpensive game
modeled 
> on the old Password game: Just a Minute.  Whoever is 'it' has a list
of 7-8 
> related words and tries to the elicit the right words from his/her
team.  
> Teachers can of course make their own lists, but Elizabeth makes it
cheap and 
> easy.
> 
> Pictionary Junior is another commercial game easily adapted for ESOL.
And if 
> students need work on listening to/pronouncing numbers it's Bingo
time.
> 
> It seems to me, Colleen, that you have really tuned in to your
students' 
> needs, realizing that when it's fun, learning English becomes easier.
Good 
> games 
> should be fun, competitive and challenging, but never, ever, ever
beyond the 
> student's reach.  The idea of these games is to leave students with a
sense of 
> accomplishment, a feeling of success, so that they go home smiling.  
> 
> We find that games are useful at the beginning of a class -especially
if you 
> usually have stragglers.  They'll be so so sorry to have missed the
fun. 
> 
> And at the end of the class, the last 5-15 minutes of a 3-hour class,
games 
> are sometimes so successful that we are begging the students to
please, please 
> go home! 
> 
> There are lots and lots of other ideas in this area, but I hope these
will 
> set you on your way.
> 
> Sue Sandeen
> ESOL, Gainesville, FL
> sandees
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 



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