Recycling Vocabulary
Quick vocabulary revision games:
Groups recall
Put the students into groups of four or five. Ask them to recall as many words and expressions as they can from the last lesson on the topic of……. The group which can remember the most words is the winner.
Clap out a beat in a circle
Remind the students of the topic and ask them all to stand up in a circle if possible. Clap out a beat and say One, two, three, followed by a word on the topic. After the next three beats the next student in the circle gives a word related to the topic and so it continues. Anyone who can't think of a word or repeats a word already given has to sit down and it's the turn of the next person. The winner is the last to remain standing.
Mime the word !
To revise occupations write the words doctor, hairdresser, truck driver, etc on cards and get the students to mime the job . The person who guesses correctly does the next mime . This can be done in front of the whole class or in smaller groups.
Guess what's on your back !
This revises occupations with higher level students. Attach a label, with an occupation written on it, to the back of each student : lawyer, politician, engineer, etc. Ask them to mingle and ask each other questions until they guess the word on their back : for example, Do I work with people? Do I wear a uniform? Is it a well-paid job? Would you like to do this job? Etc. (It also, of course revises the present simple.)
Changing places
This game revises the vocabulary of appearance and clothing. It is fun but can be a bit wild as you could see by yourselves. Seat the students in a circle. Start by saying “ All those wearing jeans/with fair hair/ who wear glasses etc., change places. After a few goes give a command and then take one of the chairs away, leaving a student standing in the middle of the circle. This student must then give the next command and find a seat when others change places. The student who cannot find a seat gives the next command.
1. ASCCOCIATIONS CONNECTED WITH THE TOPIC
It's gathering of a huge number of different words around the basic one. The teacher shows the first word and student's task is to produce associations connected with this word.
2. CHAIN ASSOCIATIONS
The teacher or the student gives the first word and then someone in the class gives a word that she/he associates with the first one (e.g. JUICE - it makes me think of FRUIT). This word becomes a stimulus for the next one(FRUIT - it makes me think of …) and in this way students create a kind of chain. They have to listen to each other very carefully because they usually don't know who will produce the next word.
3. IMITATION
The teacher writes a certain number of words on the board and reads them aloud. Students should repeat after the teacher; firstly as the whole class, later in smaller groups, in pairs and finally individually. If students have problems with pronouncing a word (because it's long or complicated for them) it is advisable to repeat it starting from the end e.g. examination, -ation, -nation, -mination, examination.
4. NAMES
This exercise is the easiest way of producing simple sentences with an unfamiliar word. The only condition is that the name of a particular person should begin with the same letter as the word. Students can create sentences that are not complicated e.g. I like… or I don't like… - when they talk about their preferences or I've got… - when they talk about their families.
5. KIM ACTIVITY
The teacher writes 10 words on the board and student's task is to remember as many as possible (they have 30 seconds for it). Later the teacher removes the words and students try to recreate them. It is also possible to do this exercise in smaller groups or in pairs.