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A1 A2 Food Present Simple Primary Secondary Speaking writing

Food with likes and dislikes conversation activity

What’s it for?

This activity is to promote closed repetitive oral practice of food with likes and dislikes. Not just focusing on ‘like’ and ‘don’t like’, but also introducing degrees of preference with real, usable language so that students can then apply that to other subjects where they want to talk about their preferences.

This activity can take from 2 to 4 one-hour sessions to complete, depending on class ability and size.

How to use it

The first conversation worksheet allows for the students to survey up to 9 other classmates. In the first, left-hand column they write the names of all their classmates, or 9 of them, if the class is a lot bigger. In the other columns they ask their friends “Do you like (salad)?” for each of the food items, and then draw the corresponding emoji for the response. So, if their classmate replies with “I can’t stand salad” then they will draw the emoji that represents ‘can’t stand’.

As the teacher, you need to model the target language and activity with the best student first and carefully monitor the class interactions at this stage to make sure students are saying complete sentences and not just one word, nor using their L1, if it’s a same-L1 group. I tell my students that I am listening and I will give a point to them each time I hear an incorrect sentence or a word that’s not in English, with the person that gets least points winning a prize of some sort, whether that be a better mark, or an actual prize like a sweet or extra free time. This usually does the trick.

Once the conversation activity has finished, then you can either use the same worksheet and tell them to write sentences using the information gathered, about their friends’ preferences. I have included two other differentiated worksheets that you can use for lower-level learners or younger children that need scaffolding for writing.

 

Expansion activity

You can then talk in class about other preferences so that they can see how the language is transferrable. For example, as someone that plays football, then someone that you know doesn’t – “Do you like football?” to elicit responses such as “I love football” and “I can´t stand football”. Or ask about spiders and cats!

Download it here : https://classroomgames.net/product/food-with-likes-and-dislikes-conversation-activity/

Categories
A1 A2 Adult Games Materials Present Continuous Primary Secondary Speaking

Present Continuous Conversation Game

What is it?

This is an engaging communicative game based on the concept of the popular children’s game, who’s who. It can be played in pairs or larger groups to practice the present continuous tense. It has been made in pictorial form, so theoretically it can be used for any language.

How to play

Just print off one copy of the game sheet for each student.

Start with the teacher picking a name. Students then have to asked closed questions (with yes or no answers) to discover who the teacher is thinking of.

Once students guess, then one of them can take a turn choosing the next name.

Play as many times as you like.

Example:
  • “Is it a girl?”
  • “No, it isn’t”
  • “Is he playing football?”
  • “No he isn’t”
  • “Is he listening to music?”
  • Yes, he is”
  • “Is he wearing a green shirt?”
  • “yes, he is.”
  • “Is it Simon?”
  • “Yes.”

Gender neutral names have been used in most cases, so it can be used in the inclusive classroom.

Get it here: https://classroomgames.net/product/present-continuous-conversation-game/

Categories
A1 A2 Crafts Materials Primary Secondary

Infinite Christmas Card

This Christmas card folds infinitely from a Christmas tree, to a present, which you open to reveal a photo of the child. It’s a really lovely and very different craft for any classroom, not just the ESL one.

I adapted the original idea from Tiktok creator, @creationsbylynzb79, and created this downloadable template to make life easier for any not-as-creative teachers that want to do something a little more interesting in class.

If you visit my own Tiktok profile, @islaidiomas, you will find videos explaining my materials, as and when I release new stuff. Please like and follow me if you’re on that social media platform, as I post new stuff on there when I upload it.

Many thanks, and enjoy!

Infinite Christmass Card Template download

Categories
A1 A2 Adult B1 Games Materials numbers Primary Reading Secondary Time Treasure Hunt

QR Code Time Treasure Hunt

This is a fun activity to practice telling the time in English. You could translate it for other languages and vary the level depending on your students.

This is a fun and engaging way to motivate your students, giving them a real reason to tell the time! It’s based on reading and understanding skills, so even if students aren’t that good at writing and spelling, they can still take part.

How to use it

Just download and print out the document and cut out the QR codes. Stick them around your class or school, or any other safe area you can use, and give each student or team one of the answer sheets.

Each answer sheet has a start time and an end time. Students scan the QR codes using a mobile device and have to draw the correct time on the clocks. There is a penalty for each incorrect answer. You can decide how much you want the penalty to be, I tend to use 10 seconds. This encourages accuracy!

The winner has the shortest time after all penalties have been added.

Important stuff

The document is in DOCX format and has lots of extra QR Codes so that you can change the quiz if you like and adapt it to your students’ level before printing it out.

You will need a mobile device with a QR code reader for each student or team participating. Most phones these days have one in the camera, but if not, there are many free ones on the Apple and Google Play stores. Make sure you prepare this in advance though, if they need to have it downloaded.

Let me know if you use this activity in your class and how it goes!

Download it here : https://classroomgames.net/product/qr-code-time-treasure-hunt/

Categories
A1 A2 Adult Games Present Continuous Primary Secondary Speaking

Present Continuous Conversation Game

What is it?

This is a fun game that you can use to practise the Present Continuous tense in positive, negative and question forms with either one-to-one classes or with groups of students.

It has been made in a pictorial form, so it is not necessarily just useful for English teachers, and can be adapted for any language classroom.

How to play

Print off one copy of the worksheet for each student playing.

Students take it in turns to select one of the names without letting anyone know whom they have chosen.

Other students ask present continuous questions to guess the person.

You can practice using He, She and They pronouns as many names are gender neutral for inclusivity.

“Are they wearing a shirt?”
“No, they’re not.”
“are they wearing a skirt?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Are they reading?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Are they wearing glasses?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Are they wearing socks?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Is it Blake?”
“Yes. It is.”

Where can I get it?

Download the game from the shop for free for the next 6 months using this link:

https://classroomgames.net/product/present-continuous-conversation-game/

Categories
A2 Adult B1 B2 Escape Games Family Games Materials Primary Secondary Speaking Vocabulary

Family Escape Game

Written to practice vocabulary relating to family and family relationships, you can play this Escape Game with students from about 11 years old upwards, depending on their level.

It utilises in-laws, so you will have to make sure the required vocabulary is pre-taught. Students solve a series of puzzles. After each puzzle they enter their answer into a google docs form. After entering each answer, they receive a part of the final puzzle.

There are 5 puzzles in total, they need to solve the puzzles in order. You will need access to a device connected to the internet for each team in order to input the answers and also for puzzle 3, which utilises the website, what3words.com.

The PDF is free for personal classroom use and download for 6 months from the posting date, so go and get it today and don’t forget to subscribe to my TikTok and Instagram to receive updates when I upload new materials.

Download

https://classroomgames.net/product/family-escape-game/

Categories
A1 A2 Animals Games Materials Primary Reading Review Secondary Treasure Hunt writing

Animal Treasure Hunt

Our third treasure hunt is an animal-themed one. It pretty much follows the same sort of idea as the other 2 I’ve posted, but all the clues describe animals.

You can use it to review animal vocabulary, as part of an animal unit, CLIL science lesson, etc.

What to do

Download the PDF at the end of this post.

Print and cut out the clues and stick them up around your space. It can be a classroom, playground, wherever.

Each animal has it’s corresponding clue in the text underneath, so you can easily stick them back-to-back and laminate them if you want to reuse them.

There are 2 different circular treasure hunts. The left column is one hunt, the right column is the other. So you can have two teams if you wish, or even several staggared teams. You can start with ANY animal. When you arrive back at the same animal you started with, you have finished.

How to play

Give each player/team an answer sheet. They write their name and start time at the top.

Students follow the clues, writing the names of the animals in order on their sheets.

When they finish, write the finish time and calculate their total time. Fastest wins.

There are penalty points for misspelled answers, wrong answers and if the animals aren’t in order, you know they have cheated, or made a mistake.

You can decide how much time you want to add for each penalty, but I tend to give 5 seconds for a misspelling, 20 seconds for an incerrect answer and a minute if the answers aren’t in order. I explain this at the start to discourage cheating.

Download

Download the PDF of the Treasure Hunt here : https://classroomgames.net/product/animal-treasure-hunt/

 

Categories
A2 Back to School Games Primary Review Secondary Vocabulary writing

QR Treasure hunt for teens

Another treasure hunt, but this time for older primary and teen learners that have a A2 level minimum and can read English reasonably well.

What you need

Print off the PDF at the end of this post and then cut up the QR codes. You can stick them around your class, school, playground… wherever you choose.

Each player or group will need a mobile phone that can scan QR codes. The codes are in text form, so an internet connection isn’t needed. I would do a test first though, to make sure your device works. If not, there are plenty of free QR reader apps that you can download.

How to play

Give each player, whether that be an individual student or group, one of the answer sheets and get them to put their name, or teamname on the sheet.

Write the start time on the sheet. This enables you to have staggered start times, if you wish.

Students can complete the questions in ANY order. They just scan a code and answer the question. Writing the answer on their sheet in the corresponding numbered space.

When they finish and return their sheet to you, write the finish time.

The winner completes all questions the quickest.

You can add time penalties of your choosing for spelling, wrong answers, etc. For example, I add 5 seconds for each misspelled word and if an answer is incorrect, I will add 20 seconds. This encourages players to put what they think are correct answers, rather than just filling in anything.

Download

Download a PDF of the QR Treasure hunt here : https://www.classroomgames.net/materials/treasure-hunt-2-qr.pdf

Categories
A1 A2 Games Materials Review Uncategorised Vocabulary

Treasure hunt for reviewing vocabulary

I often do treasure hunts around my classes and sometimes in the open air, either on a playground or open safe space with my younger learners.

I thought I’d share this one I made a couple of years ago that I use now and again as it’s easy to print, cut up and use.

How to use it

Simply stick all the clues around your chosen area not in any order.

You can have 2 diffent groups, or use it twice, as there are two versions.

Both versions have the same number of clues.

You could tell students to write down the answers, if you want to have multiple groups playing.

Download

The PDF can be downloaded here : https://classroomgames.net/product/treasure-hunt-fo…ewing-vocabulary/

Please support my page by checking out my TikTok videos and giving them a like, or follow… or comment telling me how you have used my resources. I love to see them being used!

Categories
A1 A2 Adult B1 Games Materials Past Simple Present Perfect Primary Reading Secondary Speaking Uncategorised Vocabulary writing

Verbo! An irregular verbs card game based on Uno.

I developed this game to practise irregular verbs and help students learn which verbs go with which.

What to do

Download the printable PDF at the end of the page. Print it off and laminate it. There is a card reverse included in the PDF to print the cards double-sided.

How to play

Students are dealt 7 cards each to start, the rest are left in the centre of the table.

Just as with uno, a student must follow the top card with either a card from the same verb, or a card of the same colour. You could make it more challenging by getting students to define the verb, or use it in a sentence…

If a student can’t put a card down, they must pick one up.

If a student puts down a card from the wrong verb group, they must take it back and pick up two extra cards.

The +2, +4, change direction, change colour and miss-a-turn cards are all the same as the original version.

When the student has 1 card left, they have to shout ‘verbo!’ if they don’t before the next person takes a turn, they must pick up 4 cards.

Pick-up cards can accumulate, just as with Uno.

Download

Download the printable PDF here : https://classroomgames.net/product/verbo-an-irregular-verbs-card-game/