This email contains a really fun listening game with variants for large and small classes. If you are possibly planning to order the games and bonuses then do make the most of the current bargain price. I recently raised the dollar price and can do so again at any moment. So many people who have ordered my resources tell me they are such good value they cannot say no to them! Well I do want to offer
you great value, and I also have to cover all my costs at my end, and save to develop new products to help teachers. If you are not using my games and do not think you will, please unsubscribe easily by clicking the link at the very bottom of this email.
LISTEN
Class size : Small group and classroom variations
Level : Ideal for beginners to lower intermediate
Age : 4 to 12
Materials : None required, some optional ideas for props
1. How to Play
This game is excellent for practising new vocabulary, or for revising large amounts of known words.
A. Small Group Variation:
Stand in a space with the children all around you and close to you. The children should either be touching you with an outstretched hand, or you can tie scarves around you and each child holds onto the end of a scarf. The younger children love this kind of prop, but it is optional. Another optional prop is to stand on a square of coloured paper. The children must all have one foot on that square.
The children must stay touching you, or holding the scarf until you say a specific word. When you say that word you can try and catch one of the children and they have to escape before
you do.
As I have said before, with the very young children it can be necessary never to catch them as it can make them cry.
So for example start by telling the children the magic word, it could be "summer". You now start to say words such as spring, winter, autumn, sun, rain, etc. When you say, summer, the children must run off and you try and catch one of them. You do not necessarily have to chase after the children, you can just try and touch one of them before he or she has let go of you, without you actually moving from the spot. If you like you can make a rule where you are allowed to take one step only.
You can add great variety to this game by changing the way you say the words. Sometimes you can use a flat monotone for several words and then suddenly say a word with great enthusiasm. This alone can make some children let go of you even though you did not say the magic word.
You can also add variety by changing the set up. For example you may have the children seated around you on the floor. When they hear the magic word they must get up and move away to safety. You can also use ideas such as having the children balance on one leg while they listen out for the magic word and then clap and run away when they hear it. If a child cannot balance, or forgets to clap before running away he or she is out.
Instead of having children who are out sit around getting bored and restless, let them just sit down for one turn and then join back in again, or have them do a forfeit. There are plenty of fun forfeit ideas in my e-book of games. If you have a strong group member you can let them take your role in the game.
B. Classroom Variation:
To use this idea in a classroom situation where you have desks and chairs plus too many students to play the small group version you can adapt the game as follows: Use the magic word idea as described above but this time the children must clap when they hear the magic word and the last one to clap is out. Or the class sit down on hearing the magic word, and last one seated is out. Use any action you fancy that suits your classroom situation.
2. Language ideas to use with this game
This game lends itself to any vocabulary. You may also use short sentences by way of revision, or in preparation for introducing those phrases properly later in the lesson, or in the next lesson. For example you could have the word train as the magic word and say, I like buses, I like cars, I like planes, I like trains! Replace the phrase I like with more or less anything that you would like to practise. For example if you want to teach the past continuous then the magic word can be reading and you say sentences such as I was driving, I was walking, I was reading! If your children are too naughty then use a quiet version of the classroom game and have a rule where any noise and the child is out, or loses a point for his or her team.
I hope you enjoy using this game with your pupils soon.
Shelley Vernon
P.S. From Anthony Bennet in South Korea, who has these games and the preschool games and stories:
"Your resources are already saving me heaps of time and lessening the anxiety from having such a hectic and
mixed teaching schedule. I'm teaching 4 kindy, 15 elementary and 50 middle school students."
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