Are you tired of having the same dull, grammar-based Foreign Language course? Can you stand teaching/memorising looooooong lists of vocabulary in class? Do you miss more listening+speaking exercises in class? Wait... WHAT? Are you afraid of speaking in class?
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| A student's normal attitude... Me speaking in class? Erm, no thanks |
Thank goodness this situation is changing bit by bit in most Language courses around the world. The new teaching methods include more spoken activities in class. One of the best ways to increase the speaking skills in class is by using games. Now with the Internet and all the ICT resources available, finding games is as easy as it gets. I personally use some of these Internet games and dynamics. However, I tend to be quite realistic in class, especially with the higher levels. Sometimes I look for real-life examples to show in class. So, playing real-life games, why not? If students play the games they play in their lives, they may feel motivated to participate. By playing a game they know, they'll enter into a positive atmosphere, just like they do when playing any game! One of my favourite 'real' games I play in class is Cluedo... the perfect game for a Halloween special session!
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| Happier now? Let's play Cluedo! |
I personally enjoy doing mystery games in class. Cluedo is one of my special games for a Halloween special class. Normally, I use this game for higher levels, as they are normally more eager to speak. Besides, they make perfect use of the past tenses, something we'll need to play this game. Some features we train in this game are the following:
- Review of the past tenses (Past Simple/Past Continuous/Present Perfect/Past Perfect/Past Perfect Continuous).
- Linking words:
- Possibility
- Certainty
- Time
- Making deductions (I think/I believe...)
As I introduced, Cluedo can be played on a very special day: Halloween. I'm sure your higher level classes will have had enough of 'trick or treat' and other cultural sessions. For this day, I introduce Cluedo as a cultural thing we find in the US: creating a murder mystery. A murder mystery is kind of a party/a celebration most American young-adults play on the Halloween Night. This game is played in big groups - although in class it's preferably to have a little number. There's always a topic - a murder. You'll have to give different roles to your different students. You can use the different Cluedo characters for this matter. Actually, most Halloween murder mysteries are based on Cluedo cases. Students will listen to several stories from the case during the session. Then, at the end of the class, students will have to make their own deductions. To make it more fun, students will have to act like their characters (they're provided with a personality file to make their acts).
This activity tends to be fun among students. The main drawback is that in most English courses there's usually a high number of students to play just a six-character game. Despite that, students seem to enjoy this dynamics. This is an unusual way to celebrate Halloween - and they actually seem to appreciate it. Students tend to be more participative if a native speaker (assistant teacher) is present in the class, so, if you have the chance, bring them to class. Besides, if they're American, they'll be able to explain the tradition behind this game!
Do you dare try a real murder mystery for next Halloween?
Enjoy teaching!
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