Teaching English Vocabulary through Games

Using games is the best way to teach, review and practice vocabulary with ESL learners. I’ve found that playing simple games with my students provides amazing vocabulary retention. The best part is that your students will have a great time while playing! Any teacher can tell you that worksheets and monotonous repetitions of vocabulary in an English language classroom are not very productive. This method has proven to work for all ages. In this blog post, I’d like to talk about some of the various games and activities that can be played in different age groups and some appropriate materials for each of these groups. Let’s start here with a great game for practicing antonym vocabulary.

1.  A1-A2 learners (CEFR) 
2. Common Core Standard L.K.5b / L.4.5c: Demonstrate understanding of frequently  occurring verbs and adjectives by relating them to their opposites (antonyms).

Teaching Vocabulary with Card Games

I’m a strong believer that students in ESL/EFL classrooms love things that are familiar or that they can relate to. That’s precisely why this OPPOSITES CARD GAME is UNO inspired. Come on! Who doesn’t love playing UNO? This card game contains 40 different antonym sets {80 cards total}

Directions are included in the download. The great thing about all of my VOCABULARY and GRAMMAR question card sets is that they are so portable for teachers on the go! A whole set literally fits in your pocket. Once you’ve taken the initial time to print, laminate and cut them out – you can use them forever! Throw them in your bag for an extra activity or supplement the unit you are working on.

Teaching Vocabulary with Flashcards

This comprehensive flashcard set covers basic vocabulary categories taught in most beginning English curriculums. Each of the 16 flashcard sets come in two different versions: image only and image+text.

Use them for/as:

• vocabulary building, drilling

• memory games

• task cards with the NO TEXT version and included answer sheet

• Easy to read font for emerging readers or learners that are new to the English language.

• Included no text version that can be used in any language classroom

• Put them on a key ring for easy storage and to keep the set together

• 40 printable flashcards (8 to a page) -generally there are 40 card however some sets have 28, 35, or 48 depending on the topic).

Vocabulary Flashcard Sets included: 

Only need a few sets? Each set can be purchased individually HERE

1. Alphabet, Number & Ordinal Numbers
2. School and Classroom Vocabulary
3. People: Family & Jobs
4. Clothes
5. Fruit & Vegetables
6. Food Groups
7. Home & Furniture
8. Action Verbs 1
9. Action Verbs 2
10. Animals
11. Telling Time
12. Homophones
13. Weather, Seasons, Holidays
14. Places in a town, buildings, rooms in the house
15. Daily routine
16. Color & Shapes

Teaching Vocabulary by Category

 Name Three Things -Vocabulary Jar

This Name 3 Things Game is one of my absolute favorites! It can be played in large or small groups and really helps build vocabulary. With a total of 100 different cards, the possibilities of new language acquisition are endless. There are 25 different cards for each season, making seasonal vocabulary a big focus! It’s a game that can be used over and over again throughout the year as the language level in your classroom improves. It can also be turned into an individual written activity by assigning each student a few cards at the beginning of the lesson and having them write their answers. Alternatively choose a few cards at the beginning of the lesson. Write down each word on the board for students to transfer to their notebooks as “words of the day”.