Lying Games

These lying games work so well in an English class because they require student to form purposeful questions, while the interrogated student is challenged to use their creativity as well as heroic acts of keeping a straight face. Before playing one of these games, you could set the students this question to discuss in pairs […]

The Categories Game – A Fun Filler For Reviewing Vocabulary

The Categories Game is one of those essential activities that you can pull out of your bag (although no materials are needed) and will nicely fill up a 20-40 minute slot. I’ve played this game with students of all ages and levels and it has always been a success. This team game is based on the popular party game Scattergories and is […]

How to play ESL Taboo plus Ready-Made Game Cards

ESL Taboo is a simplified version of the popular board game. It’s a lively crowd-pleaser and it’s perfect for reviewing and reactivating vocabulary, as well as forcing students into speaking freely without over-analysing their output. See below for some ready-made, printable Taboo cards. Also, check out picture taboo for a twist on this popular activity. […]

ESL Board Games – A Safe Space for Practising Language

ESL board games are a handy way to get students using new language, and are especially useful for practising targeted grammar structures. Students get to ask and answer “realistic” questions and in the process get to know each other a little better, hopefully leading to higher quality interactions and increased speaking opportunities. In fact, some […]

ESL Jeopardy: How to play this staple of the TEFL classroom

ESL Jeopardy is a version of the popular board game. It’s a fun and easy to play quiz game, and it’s great for reviewing vocabulary and certain grammar forms. It ranks alongside Taboo as one of the most played games in the TEFL classroom. It’s a great way to round off the week or to […]