People to People

Materials: none
Description: This is a good game to review body parts. You need lots of room for the students to walk around and mingle, without desks in the way. To play the game, everyone stands up and walks around the area. The teacher then yells “People to People,” and everyone partners up with the person [...]

Reverse Team Pictionary

Materials: whiteboard and markers, pictures
Description: Create or find pictures to use. This game is best if there are several things in each picture. As an example, I’ll use teaching prepositions of place. The pictures can be unrealistic and fun, as long as the students know all the words. In one picture, show a big elephant [...]

Spelling Race with Cards

Materials: a set of alphabet flash cards for each team playing (either cards sent from the states, or you can make them here)
Description: Break the class into teams. Word to the wise: you might want to spread the teams out as far as possible to avoid accusations of cheating. Each team is given a set [...]

Telephone Numbers

Materials: Small scraps of paper, pens
Description: To begin, you need a lot of phone numbers. If your students have their own numbers that they’d like to learn in English, you can use those. Otherwise, make up a bunch of phone numbers. Whether you’re using real or fake numbers, you need to write each number twice [...]

This is a What?

Materials: Two (or more, if you’re feeling bold) random, small objects, such as a marker or comb.
Description: Students stand in a circle. You, the leader, show the group one of the objects and tell them what it is. Let’s say it’s a marker. You then turn to the person on your left (“Person1″) and prompt [...]

Teaching with Lyrics

Materials: 5-10 copies of lyrics to a favorite song, depending on the size of the class (if you don’t have access to a printer, I guess you could write the lyrics by hand) , scissors, whiteboard/blackboard, markers/chalk, speakers, cd player (I used my ipod, and brought in my computer speakers)
Preparation: Cut the lyrics into strips. [...]

Dinosaurs and Humans

Materials: a white/black board, four or five pictures of people (like stick people), three or four pictures of dinosaurs, tape, dice
Descriptions: To set up, draw a grid on the board – the smaller the grid, the quicker the game, but shoot for about 6×6 or 7×7. Attach tape to the backs of the people and [...]

Simon Says

Materials: none
Description: Tell all students to stand up. One person (usually the teacher) is Simon, and the rest of the class has to do what he/she says. Simon begins all instructions with the words “Simon Says,” and then gives a command, like “touch your head.” The class must do as Simon says to, and touch [...]

Hide the Keys

Materials: a set of keys (or any other small object recognizable by touch), a scarf or blindfold
Description: One at a time, students are blindfolded, while the teacher places the set of keys somewhere in the room. I usually write the key vocabulary on the board (turn left, go straight, turn right) and the rest of [...]

Classroom Map

Materials: paper, markers
Description: When teaching directions (turn left/right, across the street, between, opposite, etc…), it’s fun to turn the classroom into a map.  I give some students certain words such as library, bank, park, market, museum, etc, and then they go stand somewhere around the room.  Then one student stands at a starting point, and [...]

Infomercials

Materials: items found in the classroom
Description: Students will create a clever, short infomercial. What is an infomercial? They have them in Bulgaria. Discuss what makes them successful (limited time offer, extra bonus, phone number to call, unique features of bland item, cheerful voices, looks of amazement, etc.) Students should work in pairs, choose something [...]

Celebrity Interview

Materials: none
Time: 10 or 15 minutes to prepare interviews in pairs, 15 minutes to perform interviews for class (interviews are only 1 minute in length)
Description: Students work in pairs. Choose a celebrity (anyone famous – sports star, author, movie star, etc.) Create a short interview of three questions and three answers. Without saying [...]