Shoot 'em Up

Stick the FCs on the walls around the classroom, just like with the This, That game. The students gather in the centre of the room. The teacher calls out one of the FCs. The first student to point to that FC wins a point for their team.
　You’ll need a quick scoring system for this game in order to keep the pace going. See Association Drill and Hit for examples.
　As you’re playing, you can optionally encourage the students to make gun shapes with their thumb and fingers so that rather than just pointing to the FCs, they are shooting them. It is also fun to name the student who was first to shoot the FC each time, thus offering encouragement, etc.
　As a follow up to Shoot ’em Up, I often get the students to go round in pairs, pointing to each FC on the wall, asking and answering target language questions. For example if the FCs are for colours, the students could be going round in pairs saying, “What colour is it? “It’s [blue].” If the FCs are for food, they could be asking, “Do you like [Lasagne]?” “Yes, I do.” Or if the FCs are for animals (plurals), they could be asking each other, “What are they?” “They are [giraffes].”

Loser Stays On

A set of flashcards are put in a line along the floor. One student from each team stands either side of the first FC of the line. The game must begin with the two #1 students playing first.

WHITEBOARD

                                TA                                                           TB

                                FC                          

#2s                           FC                           #2s

#3s                           FC                           #3s

#4s                           FC                           #4s

#5s                           FC                           #5s

#6s                           FC                           #6s

                                                        #1s   FC   #1s

Saying each flashcard in turn, the two #1 students progress to the end of the line. I.e. they slowly say the FCs together (each time saying aloud the FC they are standing next to) as they move to the final FC nearest the whiteboard.

Once they reach the final FC they do a paper scissors stone. The winning student can sit down while the losing #1s must go back and play again against the other team’s #2s. Again a paper scissors stone once they reach the end of the line and the winner returns to their seat while the loser has to go back and do it again, competing against the next student from the opposing team. The first team to have all its members play and win is the winner. The game can then be played again with the #6s playing first.

This is a good review game, and a great way to get the students to say all of the target FCs individually. They have a little help from the student they are competing with (often the two students will say the FCs in unison). If a student mispronounces one of the FCs you can make them say it again, helping them with pronunciation.

Ball and Basket

This is a drilling game. I.e. a game in which the students are repeating the new vocabulary as a class, now and then taking a break between drills to do an exciting activity. Ball and Basket is an example of what that ‘exciting activity’ can be.

Two balls (preferably basketballs) are placed in the basket/box, which is put about a metre in front of the whiteboard, as shown in the diagram. One ball belongs to team A, the other belongs to team B. A line is drawn on the floor at the other end of the classroom (again shown in the diagram).

WHITEBOARD

                                                        basket/box

                                TA                                                           TB

#1s                                                           #1s

#2s                                                           #2s

#3s                                                           #3s

#4s                                                           #4s

#5s           __________________                 #5s

#6s                                                           #6s

The teacher calls on “[#1]” students (i.e. the student from each team who has been allocated the number [1]) to compete in taking their ball, bouncing it along the classroom floor, then when they get to the line they can take a shot at getting their ball into the basket/box (with a well guided throw). If their ball misses the basket/box, they must try again; bouncing the ball along the classroom floor, turning around when they get to the line and throwing once more. If the ball lands in the basket/box, they return to their seat – the first student to do this is the winner and is awarded points for their team.

After this you go back to drilling the flashcards and after another half minute or so you repeat the game, this time calling on a different pair of students, e.g. [#3] students.

New Introduction

Now that TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is to be published, I have found that, for copyright reasons, I am no longer able to post those FC games (included in the book) on my blog.

So there is only one thing for it – write a whole new set of games and post those!

The challenge is: can I come up with enough new games to continue posting on a regular basis? We will see. 

The activities in my TEFL Flashcard Games book are ordered to be progressively more challenging. Primary drills are used for the first time the students come into contact with the vocabulary (look, listen and repeat); then things became more student-centred: following games test how well students can remember the FCs (matching games); work on individual pronunciation, and finally there are games for using the new vocabulary in a language context.

In this blog I have decided to be less strict with the ordering of the games. I am, after all, simply posting up a new game when I think of one.

I hope that these posts can be of help to all TEFL teachers - and for more games you can of course click on the 'Buy the Book' page for the Amazon link (and a free look inside).

Guess Who?

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

True or False?

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click  here for the link.

Dangerous Card

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Run and Touch

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Jump

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Hit

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games is now available. Click here for the link.

Association Drill

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Fruit Salad with FCs

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

This, That

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Random Card

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

The Basic Drill

So unfortunately I’m going to have to take this post down because TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners will soon be published on the kindle. I’m all for free sharing but rules are rules and if I leave it up here it’s a breach of contract.

In time I may decide to post a few new games that are not included in the book. But as for now, well, thanks for reading, and if you found the blog useful and would like to read more then you don’t have long to wait. Details of the kindle release to follow shortly …

UPDATE: TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners is now available. Click here for the link.

Introduction

A flashcard is a laminated card with a picture of a vocabulary item. For example a picture of a cat. The teacher points to the picture and says, “Cat.” The student understands what the sound “cat” means and associates it with the picture. Flashcards usually have the picture with the word written underneath.

Ninety-nine percent of TEFL teaching for young learners involves flashcards (FCs). Even if you prefer to draw your own pictures on the whiteboard, you are still following the same basic principle. From lower levels (“cat”) to higher (“travel around the world”) flashcards are used. Often for higher levels the flashcard picture must be explained and concept checked before the repetition of the vocabulary item commences.

Students will have textbooks to fill in during class time, homework to do; and grammatical structures, spelling, free speaking practice and many other areas of the language learning will be taught within a lesson. This blog, however, aims to solely deal with the teaching of picture flashcards as vocabulary items. It is aimed at new TEFL teachers but can also serve as a handy reference for experienced language instructors in search of some fresh ideas.

The activities in this blog will be ordered so that they are progressively more challenging. Primary drills are used for the first time the students come into contact with the vocabulary (look, listen and repeat); then things become more student centred: we test how well they can remember the FCs (matching games), work on individual pronunciation, and finally the students are given the chance to use the new vocabulary in language context.

Although this blog is wholly concerned with different ways of teaching flashcards, there are techniques discussed that can be applied to other areas of language teaching.