Jazz up Your Lesson

Imagine you find yourself with a new class. It might be the start of a new school year, or you replace a teacher, who is out at the moment… Anyway, you need to get acquainted with your students. Let’s step out from the traditional calling of names, making mistakes in stresses of the surnames and so traditional tell-me-something-about-yourself stuff. Here are some ideas which create fun at the first lesson.

Game 1:
“Guess who!”

Material needed:
– sheets of paper
– pens

How to play:
You ask your students to sign their papers and answer seven questions about themselves. Then collect the papers, read the answers out loud and let the students guess the authorship! Ask the students not to look at each other’s sheet.
Here are the questions:

1. What is your favourite color?
2. Do you have a pet?
3. What is your favourite country?
4. What is your favourite book?
5. What is your favourite film?
6. Who is your best friend?
7. What is your dream?

Game 2:
“Snowball of names”

How to play:
The first person tells his or her name. The next one repeats the name of the previous person and adds his or hers and so on. The last person has the most difficult task – to repeat the names of all the people, plus give his or her own. (Hint: You will make students fall in love with you if you are the last to recite all the names and without making a single mistake =)

Game 3:
“Name + …”

How to play:
Let your students give their names and any country/city/animal/bird/flower/writer/poet/movie character, etc. (choose what you consider more appropriate to your class) that starts with the same letter as their name.
Example:
Peter – Peru – Paris – pig – pigeon – etc.

Game 4:
“Build a line”

How to play:
Let your students stand up. Then give them 15-30 seconds (depending on the size of the group) to mix up and arrange themselves in each of the following lines:
a) in alphabetical order by their first names;
b) in alphabetical order by their surnames;
c) in alphabetical order by the metro stations they live at;
d) by age;
e) by date of birth starting from New Year = January, the 1st;
f) by color of hair – starting from the darkest and finishing with the fairest.

Then all together sit in a circle and discuss what they have learnt about each other. (Hint: for you, as a teacher, it is a perfect chance to see your class from the inside – you will learn who tends to be the leader and who prefers to keep silent and stay in the shade; who is a quick and active learner and would rather go slowly, lacking enthusiasm.)