5 Fun Activities for Students of Different Ages
Activities bring your classroom to life. They provide meaningful and fun use of language. Children learn through play and it is how adults learn, too. Acting, moving, having fun help learners effectively participate in the lesson, and retain what is being taught.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Trang M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The following are 5 activities with flashcards in the classroom:
1. Cups and cards (young kids):
Place the 3 cups in a row in front of your students. Tell your students to watch carefully because you are going to hide one of the flashcards in a cup. Start shuffling the cup around, being careful not to let the card fall out. Encourage your students to keep track of the cup that they think the card is in. You will want to adjust the speed at which you shuffle the cups depending on the age and ability of your students. Next, have them choose the cup they think has the card. If they get it wrong, show them where the card is and then try to shuffle the cups again to see whether they can find it. In case, your students find the card, have them tell you what on the flashcard to get a reward.
Please note that if they have trouble finding the card you can use 2 cups instead of 3. If it is too easy for them, add more cups.
Also Read: How much can I earn teaching English abroad?
2. Picture word match race:
To play this game, you need two sets of pictures and word cards. Mix all of the cards and give each team a set of words and pictures. The students then race to match the words and the pictures and place them together. Ask both teams to call out the words at the end so that they get practice at saying the words.
3. Slam:
Let the students sit in a circle and place some flashcards in the middle of the circle. Tell students to put their hands on their heads. The teacher shouts out the word of one of the flashcards and the students' race to touch it. The student who touches it first gets to keep the object. The student who has the most flashcards at the end of the game is the winner.
Also Read: How to Implement TEFL if You're a Non-native Teacher
4. Four Corners:
The teacher hangs a flashcard (4 in total) in all 4 corners of the room. One student is chosen to stand in the middle with his/her eyes closed and counts to ten while the other students scramble to one of the four corners. At the count of ten, the student in the middle shouts "STOP" and picks one corner by naming its corresponding flashcard. The students in that corner are "out" and must sit down. Continue the game until only one student remains; he/she is then "it" (the counter in the middle).
5. Shopping:
This can be used with a wide range of flashcards (food pictures work well). Gather all the students and show them all the flashcards you have. Ask a student "What do you want?" (or maybe "What would you like?" to higher levels). The student should reply (e.g. "a hamburger, please"). The teacher then says "Here you are" and the student finishes with "Thank you". In the end, collect the objects by playing the 'Give Me' game.
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When using activities, a teacher needs to give clear and simple instructions on how to play the activity then have the whole class participate. The teacher has to make sure all students understand clearly the rules if any. Also, naming the activities you play is a good way for students to remember what they are and how to play them so that the students can request them next time and you do not have to explain each time you use these activities. You are suggested to set the time limit on games to avoid your students from getting bored and disinterested. Remember to play along with your class and give them points or prizes to make the activity fun and interesting.
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