Round up activities

Many lessons at the end of a school year or course involve a summary of what has been covered. Revision activities are useful as they remind students of what they have done and reinforce a sense of learning.

The most effective revision:

  • Uses an informal task-based approach
  • Involves all students working together to pool their knowledge
  • Includes an element of challenge
  • Can be adapted up or down a level and/or used in mixed groups
  • Is fun for even the most bored student


Snakes and ladders revision

  • Draw a blank snakes and ladders board.
  • Complete some squares on the board with standard instructions like: make a sentence with the verb ‘to remind ’or ‘ move 2 spaces’
  • Write challenges in all the other squares (depending on the language you have covered): Tell your partner something about your parents or ask your partner about his family.
  • Photocopy the board and paste on cardboard (optional)
  • Remember to ask students to bring dice and use coins as counters.
  • Play in pairs or small groups.


Language dice
You need some dice to play this game for small groups/pairs but it can be played with the whole class in 2 teams.

  • Prepare question cards/sheets for each number on the dice.
  • Divide the questions into categories (themes like hobbies, family or categories like grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation), for example: if you throw a 6 you have to answer a grammar question, if you throw a 1 you get a vocabulary question.
  • Students answer the questions based on the number they throw.

Use a points system for each correct answer. Limit throws. For example, to 3 throws each. Keep the game short and sweet. They can then swap partners to play again or the 2 class teams can play another round. Pairs and small groups will need question sheets with the answers on the back so they can play without you.

Noughts and Crosses
This can be played with the whole class and then pairs or small groups can play alone.

  • Draw a noughts and crosses grid on the board.
  • Put a topic or category in each square of the grid. For example: geography/ history/maths or themes from the units in their textbook: travel/entertainment.
  • Prepare questions on each topic/category in the grid. This should involve language covered during the year e.g new words, common errors (to be corrected by students) or restaurant language, geography, social English.
  • Ask students to prepare questions using your models, if appropriate to their level.
  • Play noughts and crosses in 2 teams. Teams take turns to choose a category square on the grid. They answer a question in that category.They can put a nought or cross in the square if their answer is correct.


Manual Links

Dealing with mixed ability p19
Setting up pair work p20
Games Unit 9
Sources of games p129-30, p135-6
Recycling the textbook p99-100

 

By Clare Lavery

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