As a teacher, our aim again is to be engaging and provide entertainment for the students so that as a consequence, they learn English. As a teacher, everything that exists in the world is yours to utilize in the classroom – literally: magazines, CD’s, clothes, foods, drinks, books, technology, art, toys, toy weapons etc. Anything and everything can be utilized for the classroom.
This includes board games such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Jenga, Dominoes, Rummy Cube, Chopsticks, Chess and almost every other game that exists. Cards can also be used in the class, games such as ‘liar’ and ‘snap’ can be played fitted to suit your topic of the day. Ring of Fire (or King’s Cup) is one of my favourite drinking games that can easily be adapted for the classroom (see higher level games). Cards are of course not just restricted to a classic deck of playing cards, but you could also use Uno or Top Trumps.
In short, what I’m trying to convey is to never be afraid of trying something new with your students, they’ll love you for it. And if it fails – never mind, either don’t do it again or see where it went wrong and try to improve it for next time. Go to supermarkets, look in the toy and games section for your younger kids. Go to a game store, look online for games. Hell, I’ve even played solitaire on the computer in class – my excuse was that I was practising ordinal numbers: each column had an ordinal number, and students had to say the ordinal number of the columns they want to move the cards to e.g. 6th Q to 3rd K.
When it comes to the classroom – if there’s a will, there’s a way. Be creative! Even make your own board games with your own rules, the sky is the limit. Now you’re a teacher, an entertainer, an anthropologist and a game designer!
The only strict rule however is – the students cannot speak their native tongue!! Whichever game you’re playing, if they speak their native tongue, simply punish them in accordance with the rules of that game.
