The following are a series of games that can be played with early language learners :
CLASS ACTIVITIES / 2 TEAMS. v Someone describes someone else in the class – they others try to guess who it is
v 1 minute to name / write down all the items from categories e.g. parts of the body, fruit, countries, meals, cars etc.
v 1 minute talking on a topic e.g. food
v Simon Says ……
v Observation tests – show a picture – take away and ask
questions e.g. what colour…. How many…. What are they doing…. Would you like to be there ?…. What would you say if you met them ?
v Topic for discussion e.g. If I had 10000 birr etc.
v Discuss age – e.g. like about present age,
Like about being younger
Ideal age – why is it ideal
What do you think about staying young / getting old ?
v What does an A do with / need a B ? – have 2 teams who have to give three answers
A – teacher, mother, shop assistant, baby, elephant, crocodile, soldier, farmer, old woman, nurse
B – book, walking stick, plaster, coin, pen, loaf of bread, car, plant, cake, glass of water, safety pin
v Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
GROUP ACTIVITIES. v
GROUP activity – rolled newspapers – make a house
v Familiar objects – different
ways in which they can be used e.g. sock :
Gag, net, purse, bandage, coffee- filter, mask, lampshade
v Written word circles – pass the piece of paper
round and say verbally –e.g. tin, now, wet, top, pin etc
v In
circle – say something e.g. yellow, round, rough etc
v In circle – I am x and I like ……
I’m x and I am a ……..
v Topic on the board –
pairs think of 3 – 6 questions – get into groups and choose the best questions – the other group answers the questions
E.g. of topics : my dream holiday
My ideal place to live
What I would change about my county
Who would I be if I were not myself
Ten great things about Addis
v Pack a suitcase with the alphabet
v I went shopping and I bought ……
v The minister’s cat is an ( e.g. adjective e.g. angry ) cat – go round in a circle
v Stories using the 3 props on the table
v Controversial statements around a theme – e.g. Ethiopia , football – everyone should be allowed to stop work in order that they can watch football – say whether they agree/ disagree and give the reasoning behind this
v Sequencing statements in order of importance – these are non controversial
v Pairs – write down how they are different from their partner in 3 ways and 3 ways in which they are similar – get into larger groups and use as a basis for discussion.
v Pairs – detailed monologues of what they have done the moment they woke up !! – come together and talk about : what was the best / worst thing today – was the time used well etc
v Pairs – give out words ( nouns ) talk about the word for 2 minute without mentioning the actual word – everyone writes down what they think the word is **** can make a class activity by giving out the same word to everyone without them knowing !!!
More summaries about the Langauge games to play