More Controlled Practice Games for CK and CL

"Two-Touch Soccer" ~Good game for CL classes~

Preparation: Set up a soccer goal against a wall in the class using two items to function as the goal posts (such as two dice, a dice and a hammer, or anything else in the class). Make the goal about 3 - 4 feet wide, and limit the height of the cross post by showing the kids where it is. Make two spots on the floor. One for the teacher, and one for a student.

How to Play: All students ask 1 student a question. The one student responds. The teacher then passes the ball to the student, the student is allowed to "two-touch" it. "Two-touch" means that the student can stop the ball (touch number 1), then shoot the ball at the goal (touch number 2). The student cannot let their foot touch the ball more than two times.

*Both boys and girls like this game. Be sure to give the kids a good pass. If the teacher gives a bad pass, don't worry about it. Just try again. Have fun! The kids like to score goals.

*Be sure to allow enough space for this game. If you have to move desks, do it!

Fun Variation: Make the goal wider, and allow another student to be the goalie. It's hilarious. Many of my games are designed so that the kids can just execute them and hopefully enjoy watching each other play them. There's an "audience" aspect to the games, which keeps kids attention and increases the positive energy in the class.

"One-Touch Soccer"

This game is great for speaking sentences or practicing words.

How to play: All the students stand in a circle. The teacher presents a sentence such as "I want to eat _____." or "I like ______, but I don't like ________." After a about 30 seconds of collective brainstorming of the possibilities for these sentences, students will raise their hands and want to say something. The teacher just goes around the class until each student has spoken the target language.

Then, this passing game begins. The students can only touch the ball once, and they have to pass it to everyone in the class. If all students can pass it with only one touch, the class collectively wins. It's fun.

Language Variation: Change the above sentences to the third person singular or third person plural. Change any sentences from the present tense into the past tense. Make a sentence longer with "and" so the kids will speak more. This trick work great because they are minor variations on what you've just practiced, and the kids are hearing and speaking something new. It builds their knowledge base in the midst of a game.

Fun variation: The teacher can pass the ball with his or her hands like a "hot potato" game. In "Hot Potato," kids act like the ball is a hot potato and they have to pass it as quickly as possible.

"Stand on Chairs and Say"

This game is similar to the "One-Touch Soccer" game. It's fun for the kids.

How to Play: All kids stand on chairs or desks that are scattered across the room. The teacher presents a sentence such as "I want to eat _____." or "I like ______, but I don't like ________." After a about 30 seconds of collective brainstorming of the possibilities for these sentences, students will raise their hands and want to say something. The teacher just goes around the class until each student has spoken the target language.

Then, using a ball or another silly thing, each student has to throw the ball to another classmate. It's a throw-and-catch game, essentially. The kids like to throw and catch the ball, and the gimmick is that everyone is standing on chairs all around the room. It's funny when kids drop the ball, or it hits a kid in the head, or when the throw isn't even close to the intended target.

Continue with "Language Variations" that are mentioned above.

Fun Variation: At the end of the passing sequence (if the students as a class can do it), create a basket or a goal for the final student to throw at.

"Erase the Stars For Points Game"

Not long after I started teaching at Shane, I discovered that kids love to erase the board. This game is a blast for CK and CL kids.

Either make teams or record points for individual students.

Preparation: The teacher and the TA write about 12 stars on the whiteboard, spacing them approximately 15 inches apart. Each star is worth 100 points. To mess around with the general pattern of stars, put a couple stars very high so the students will have to jump for them. It's hilarious for everyone to watch them jump to erase them.

How To Play: Lead the students in a Controlled Practice exercise or drill. As a reward for saying the target language, give the student an eraser. The student has 5 seconds to erase as many stars as possible. The teacher counts down, "5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Beeeeeep!" The student stops, and the teacher and TA tally the points and add more stars to the board for the next round.

The kids LOVE this game.

"Dice Manipulation Game 1" ~Great for CL classes and *some* CK's~ [CK success for this game depends on the students' personalities. You have to have at least a few exhibitionists and a few extroverts for it to be successful in CK.]

There are many versions of this game. I'll explain it theoretically and practically, and then teachers can alter it in any way they like.

Shane has awesome big foam dice in every class. This presents the possibility of random selection, which is a fantastic way to select target language, students, or antics. My favorite "Dice Manipulation" game is played as follows:

Preparation: Set up a basket in the class, and mark 4 different spots in the class from which the students can shoot a ball (number the spots 1 - 4). Then, far from the basket, designate a starting line for numbers 5 and 6. 5 means the students have to "sing to the basket" (the student sings as she approaches the basket and dunks the ball). 6 means the students have to "dance to the basket." (the student goes to the starting line and dances as she approaches the basket and dunks the ball). The teacher models 5 and 6 in order to show the kids that they can do any silly stuff they want.

How to play: Lead the students in Controlled Practice (all students ask and 1 student answers) or Free Practice (2 students complete a dialogue together). Then, the student throws the dice and does whatever the dice tells them to do. If it's 1 - 4, they shoot the ball from that spot. If it's 5 or 6, get ready for very funny times in class.

This game is great because it plays to the different personalities in the class. Kids who are more extroverted will hope to get 5 or 6. Kids who are more shy will hope for 1 - 4. Kids who like basketball will try to get a number far from the basket. Kids who don't like basketball will hope for a number closer to the basket. Another reason it's a successful game is that it's a game for the audience. The kids enjoy watching each other shoot the ball and do antics to the basket.

Fun variation: Create different antics for different numbers such as: do kunk fu to the basket, crawl to the basket, be a snake to the basket, cry to the basket, laugh to the basket, be angry to the basket, etc. Ask the kids for their suggestions, too. They love to participate in creating the games.

"Dice Manipulation Game 2" ~Great for CP and CK classes~

Mark the floor 1 to 6 and place vocab cards under each number. One student throws the dice, and then ALL say the word 3 times. Continue as a choral repeat exercise.

Fun variations: A) Have the kids throw the dice into the basket. B) Have the kids throw the dice at the teacher's butt. C) Divide the class into teams, then conduct the game as described. After all students have said the word or short sentence 3 times, multiply 100 points to the dice value and award points to the student's team. For example, a student rolls 4. All students say the language from the card next to the number 4. Then the teacher gives 400 points to the student's team.

"50 / 50 lines Drill in 3 Steps"

Divide the students in half and have them make two lines - one line in front of the teacher, and the other half in a line in front of the TA. The teacher gives the TA half of the vocabulary cards.

Step 1) Students say two words or phrases on the cards, then go to the back of the line.

Step 2) After a couple of minutes, the teacher and the TA trade cards. Repeat just like step 1.

Step 3) Students make one big line and say 2 cards each, then run to the back of the line. Kids can slap the card or give the teacher a high five after they say the word.

"Over and Under Quick Drill" ~great for CL and Higher CK classes~

Ben taught me this game yesterday. It's similar to the "50 / 50 lines game."

How to Play: All students stand in a line. The teacher gives the student a card. The student says the word or phrase on the card, then passes the card over his head and behind him to the next student ("over"). The next student says the word, then passes the card beneath her legs and behind her to the next student. The students continue by saying the word, and passing it behind them "over" their heads and "under" their torsos (between their legs and behind them). It's a fun, physical drill!

Fun Variation: Have the last student run to the front and smack the teacher with the card on the leg. The teacher acts injured, then limps back to the line and gives the first student in the line another vocabulary card. Continue.

nice drills