0% found this document useful (0 votes)
366 views6 pages

Engaging English Games for Teens

The document provides instructions for several games that can be played in an English classroom with teenagers to help practice and review vocabulary, grammar, and language skills. Some of the games described include a variation of tic-tac-toe using questions to fill in the squares, vocabulary games where students race to write down words starting with each letter, and memory games where students match vocabulary cards. Suggestions are also given for mime games, circle games where students change seats based on prompts, and an activity where students create sentences using cut-out words from a magazine. The games are meant to make language practice enjoyable while reinforcing key concepts.

Uploaded by

Teacher Auni
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
366 views6 pages

Engaging English Games for Teens

The document provides instructions for several games that can be played in an English classroom with teenagers to help practice and review vocabulary, grammar, and language skills. Some of the games described include a variation of tic-tac-toe using questions to fill in the squares, vocabulary games where students race to write down words starting with each letter, and memory games where students match vocabulary cards. Suggestions are also given for mime games, circle games where students change seats based on prompts, and an activity where students create sentences using cut-out words from a magazine. The games are meant to make language practice enjoyable while reinforcing key concepts.

Uploaded by

Teacher Auni
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Noughts and Crosses Game
  • Concentration Game
  • Vocabulary Revision Game
  • Fishing for English
  • Memory Game
  • Mime Games
  • Circle Game
  • Sentence Creation Game

Games to play with teenagers in the English classroom.

How to play

1. Draw a noughts and crosses grid on the board. Write number 1– 9 in the
corner of each square. Download a ready-made grid from the bottom of this
page.

2. Divide the class into two teams. One team is X and the other O.

3. Decide on the topic of the questions you will ask – they could refer to the
previous unit in the course book, be general questions about English, be on
general knowledge or on subjects the children study in their own language at
school – on anything at all.

4. In turn each team decides which square they want to nominate.

5. Teacher asks a question. If the team get it right their symbol is written in that
square.

6. The first team to get a line of three symbols in any direction across the grid is
the winner.

You can play this game any number of times and keep score.  

Anchor Point:1Worried about running out of questions? Get the students to write
them for the opposing team – great practice in question formation.

[Link]
[Link]
A great vocabulary revision game:

1. Divide the class into two teams each standing in line at the board.
2. Give them a topic like food and drink, sports, countries etc (they must be very
large lexical sets).
3. The student at the front on each line runs to the board and must write a word
in this lexical set beginning with A on the board.
4. She then hands the chalk or pen to the next person in the row (and runs to the
back of the line), who adds a word beginning with B until they reach Z.
5. If they cannot think of a word beginning with a particular letter they can leave
a space, but the team with most words at the end is the winner.

A quiet game of concentration for when the laughter gets too much

 Collect around 20 objects – ruler, pen, comb etc. Just look around the
classroom, teacher’s room, your handbag or kitchen for objects that your
students know the words for. This game can even be played with 5 or 6 year
olds if you limit the objects and ensure they know the vocabulary.

 Place the objects on a desk in the class covered with a scarf or something
similar.

 Tell the students they will have 4 minutes (vary the time depending on the
class) to look carefully at the objects and remember them.

 After 4 minutes cover the objects again and students must write down what
they saw. They can do this individually or in small groups.  

The winner(s) is the student who remembers most.

_________________________________________________________________________

Memory game

The pairs version of this is quite well-known. Students have a number of cards in
front of them upside down and they must take turns turning over two. If they get a
word that matches the picture they keep the cards. The student with most pairs at
the end is the winner.

This version is more challenging and I have had classes of teens thoroughly enjoying
the challenge.

The version below is based on lexical sets, but you could choose the three parts of
the verb (go, went gone, drink, drank, drunk etc).

Prepare cards like the ones below:

[Link]
Table Desk Wardrobe
Kitchen Bathroom Toilet
Peach Orange Banana
Mexico Spain Australia
Red Green Pink

 Cut up the cards, ensuring you cannot read the words when the card is upside
down. Spread them on the floor upside down and mixed up.

 Divide your class into up to five teams. Each team must nominate a secretary
who will choose the cards.

 One at a time each secretary will ask the teacher to turn over three cards
(great for ‘on the right’, ‘that one near your foot’ etc).

 The team only wins the cards if the words are all in the same lexical set.

 Otherwise the teacher turns them over again in exactly the same place as
they were.

 The teams with most ‘threes’ at the end is the winner.

Students really focus on the position of the cards and think carefully about meaning
of words and how they connect.

___________________________________________________________________
Fishing for English

English is everywhere these days:

 in advertisements
 menus
 the media

To raise awareness of this, set the following homework – over a weekend perhaps.

Ask students to ‘collect’ any English they find in their environment – this could
include literally collecting some adverts from magazines that include English or
menus from MacDonalds etc or writing down English words or phrases they notice
spoken on local television or even words they and their families use that have been
integrated into their mother tongue. A lovely display could be put together on the
classroom wall with this collection.

_________________________________________________________________________

[Link]
Mime Games

Some students love mime and others are not so keen. Adolescents can get very self-
conscious and embarrassed, so don’t push it upon them. Students between 8 and 12
usually love them. I have had many adult students who liked them too.

Prepare slips of paper with instructions like these:

You’re knitting on a fast train.


You’re eating spaghetti with chop sticks.
You’re sweeping leave outside on a windy day.
You’re washing a big, angry dog.
You’re a clumsy waiter.
You’re a drunk tightrope walker.

These can be relatively easy or very complicated linguistically depending on your


students.  

 Give a slip of paper to one student with the instructions that she is going to
mime the activity and the others must guess what she is doing. No words, in
any language, can be spoken.

 The first person to guess – in English what she’s doing is the winner and gets
the next slip of paper. (If the same students always guess, let others have a
chance to mime).  

Once they get the idea of the game, get students to write similar instructions on slips
of paper. This can get incredibly funny.

_________________________________________________________________________

Circle Game

Arrange chairs in the classroom so that everyone is sitting in a circle. Give


instructions like:  

 Everyone who has a sister change seats


 If you live in a flat or house with an even number change seats
 If you are wearing brown shoes change seats
 Everyone with blue eyes change seats

Again instructions can be graded so that even students with little English can play –
using colours, clothes, family etc.

Those who fit the description must stand and change seats, the others remain
seated. After a few turns, remove a chair at each instruction, so that one person
does not manage to get a seat and they are out – they could then give the next
instruction. The last student remaining is the winner.

Be careful with boisterous classes – there may be some overenthusiastic pushing.

[Link]
___________________________________________________________________

Find an English magazine or newspaper and cut out about 40 words ensuring you
have a balance of parts of speech and stick them onto a sheet of paper in no
particular order something like this:

Give out copies of the sheets to students in groups of up to four. Print this set of
words. 

They have seven (depending on level and complexity of task) minutes to create: one
sentence with three words, one sentence with four words etc depending on level.

Sentences may be like this:

3 words - Radio is free.

4 words - Most parents are happy.

5 words - Cows enjoy politics in April.

This game encourages creative use of language and after the sentences are
produced, the students could choose one and write a story or newspaper article that
this sentence is a title or headline to.

[Link]

Common questions

Powered by AI

Customizing difficulty levels in classroom games improves outcomes for diverse learners by catering to the varied abilities and language proficiencies within a classroom. By grading instructions and challenges, teachers can ensure that all students are both challenged and supported, fostering inclusivity and maximizing learning potential. This approach enables students to engage with material that is aligned with their individual skill levels, resulting in improved confidence, participation, and language acquisition .

Team-based lexical games support collaborative learning by involving students in a shared goal where cooperation and communication are essential. Such games require teams to strategize, remember positions of cards, and match words from lexical sets, promoting deeper understanding through discussion and shared knowledge. This cooperative approach not only builds collective problem-solving skills but also strengthens social relationships, as students must rely on each other to succeed, leading to a more cohesive learning experience .

Engaging students in memory games based on lexical sets provides cognitive benefits by challenging their memory recall and reinforcing their understanding of word categories and associations. It requires them to focus and strategize, enhancing their mental agility. Socially, these games promote teamwork and collaboration, as students often work in groups and must communicate effectively to succeed. This interactive format encourages friendly competition and builds social bonds among students .

Educators can ensure question formation games are effective by providing clear structure and guidance while allowing creative freedom. Strategies include modeling examples, offering varied question topics, and using peer feedback to refine language skills. Encouraging students to collaborate on crafting questions for opposing teams ensures engagement and accountability. Additionally, integrating these games with curricular goals and reflecting on mistakes as learning opportunities can enhance their educational value and language skill development .

Mime games benefit English language learners, particularly younger students, by encouraging non-verbal communication and comprehension. The activity allows students to express meaning through gestures and mimicry, which can enhance their understanding of English phrases without the pressure of speaking. It also fosters a fun and engaging learning environment that can reduce anxiety and build confidence, especially for those who may be self-conscious about verbal expression .

Circle games in a classroom setting offer educational advantages by promoting inclusivity and interaction among students. They encourage physical movement and listening skills, as students must pay attention to instructions and respond accordingly by changing seats. This activity aids in developing quick thinking and decision-making skills while reinforcing understanding of specific vocabulary, such as family or clothing terms. The interactive nature of the game fosters a sense of community and healthy competition among students .

The concept of 'Fishing for English' promotes awareness by encouraging students to actively seek out English in their everyday environments, such as advertisements, menus, or television. This task not only helps students recognize the prevalence of English in global contexts but also integrates learning into their daily lives, making English more relevant and practical. Compiling these findings into a classroom display can further enhance collective learning and appreciation of the language's applications beyond the classroom setting .

Integrating English language games into lesson plans boosts students' motivation and engagement by transforming the learning process into an interactive and enjoyable experience. Games provide a break from traditional lessons, stimulating interest and participation through dynamic activities. This playful approach to language acquisition engages students emotionally and intellectually, leading to increased attention spans, motivation to learn, and enjoyment in using the English language .

Vocabulary revision games facilitate language learning in teenagers by providing dynamic and engaging opportunities for word recall and application. By organizing students into teams and having them write words related to a large lexical set on the board, such activities enhance their lexical retrieval processes and reinforce learning through repetition and challenge. These games also cultivate vocabulary expansion as students are encouraged to think of words within specific categories, contributing to better retention and recall .

The noughts and crosses game in the English classroom can enhance students' language skills by encouraging active participation and collaboration. It requires the students to recall and apply knowledge by correctly answering questions to mark their symbols on the grid, thus reinforcing prior learning. Additionally, when students write questions for the opposing team, it provides practice in question formation, enhancing both their grammatical skills and creativity .

You might also like