Fantastic Language Games for the ESL Classroom

Games are a fantastic way to engage children in their learning without them even realising it. English as a second language lessons can be brought to life with the inclusion of fun activities, and your children will progress more quickly this way. Continue reading for five of our favourite language games.

1.       Christmas Dobble Games

This Christmas Dobble Game is a superb way of practising essential Christmas-related vocabulary in pairs. Simply print, cut, laminate and cut again before use. This is definitely going to be popular in your classroom and used time and time again, so do not dare to use in ‘raw’ form – you will regret it. Place the cards face down onto the table and each player should pick up one each, revealing it at the same time. All cards have one symbol in common, and children should aim to find and name it as quickly as possible. You could challenge your students further by encouraging them to name the symbol in common and then use within a sentence.

  Spooky Taboo Game

This Spooky Taboo Game is fantastic for more advanced ESL learners. Players choose a card upon which an English word and picture relating to Halloween is printed. Below there are also another three words which you are forbidden from using. Working in small groups, the player with the card should attempt to describe the item and get the others to guess correctly. This game allows students to draw on previously learnt vocabulary and dig deep to succeed. So much fun and it does not require a massive amount of prep!

Thanksgiving Board Game

Thanksgiving is just one of many occasions that allow a wealth of new vocabulary to be practised with your ESL learners. This Thanksgiving Board Game offers an exceptionally enjoyable way of doing just that. You could choose to use it as a way of introducing and revising language, warming up the kids’ English brains before starting a lesson or a time filler. This game is so popular that I’ve had children begging to take it home to play with their family members – and why not? It could prove to be your most popular piece of homework yet!

Feelings Go Fish!

A game for between 2 and 4 players, Go Fish is popular throughout the world. This feelings version allows students to practise language linked to emotions, of which we all realise the importance. The cards ask questions, such as Is she angry? If your hand of cards contains the card chosen, you must give it away. So, not only is the person with the selected card practising their spoken English, the others are practising their listening and comprehension skills too.

   I Like, Who Likes?

There is nothing children enjoy talking about more than their likes and dislikes, particularly at the most inappropriate at times. One child just has to comment on the rainbow outside the window and ten other children will be remarking that their Uncle Billy makes rainbows or how much they like their next-door neighbour’s pet goat fell from the end of a rainbow after a particularly bad storm. This I Like, Who Likes? game allows children to talk about their likes in a controlled manner whilst practising their key English vocabulary. Children are given an equal number of cards, and one person starts saying I like plus the word or phrase describing the activity in the picture and then asks Who likes...? along with the description of the activity below. Students should look at their cards and see if they have the corresponding one.