This is an amazing idea I borrowed from Olha Madylus’ blog  http://www.olhamadylusblog.com/ a few days ago, when I had to revise the sports vocabulary with my 4th graders! I was looking for something different since I prefer playing fun games with  vocabulary! I hate boring dictation and vocabulary tests!

I have used board games a lot in my classes all these years!

I truly believe that board games can be a useful and ready asset for the ESL classroom. Most require no preparation, and with a little patience, our english learners add a new resource to their language studies. On top of that, board games are a fun way to learn new vocabulary and make a change from the normal routine!

Below is the  board game I made to practise sports  vocabulary. Children throw their dice in turn and when they land on a picture, they have to say what it is.I used it   for more complex language, too, e.g. when a child lands on a sport picture, she can say ‘I like / I don’t like cycling’,or  ‘I usually go cycling with my brother , at the park ’, practising adverbs of frequency  etc.

This is the coursebook lesson I had to work on

Olha suggests that “Children can create their own board games by drawing pictures of vocabulary items they have learnt in English and challenging each other. If you laminate the board games and keep them in a box, they are great for fast finishers or as a filler in lessons.

Our mini board game!

Older students can create board games with questions in spaces to be answered when landed on e.g. What’s your greatest ambition? What sport would you like to be able to play but can’t?”

Thank you Olha, once more!! You have been my source of inspiration for so many years!