Game Control for Juniors.

[ID19]

Hi All.
I am seeking some advice on the types of games I can utilize for a class of 60 kids all around 14-15. Problem is - the students are all tightly packed in and there are three very narrow aisles through the classroom. Which effectively rules out even playing 'Whispers'. I suppose they could run out the back door and back into the front to write their 'whispers' on the board - although I'm sure the Chinese Teachers would not like the disturbance to the rest of the junior school. To top it off, I have even been advised by my Chinese colleagues not to let them leave their seat, since they have already been 'divided' to discourage friends from communicating.

Anybody experienced this and know of any games (if any) that exist for this environment.

On another note. I just missed out on a fight today. Apparently 8 fourteen year old boys decided to attack another boy in the 2nd break between classes. I was trying to remember if this was normal behavior for 'teens' - I don't think I (we), ever ganged up with mates on just one person. . .gangs yes but not a mob on one person. Is this typical for Chinese Teens - anybody else see this sort of thing.

kind Regards

ID19

[Missi]

Its rare to see a one on one fight going on from what I've seen around here. It always seems to be a gang on one person.

For games, if my students have been really good I try for two
Vocab charades
Or Q&A, One student is facing the blackboard clapping, a ball is being thrown around the room. When the student stops clapping, who ever was last to touch the ball must stand up and answer the question from the student who was clapping. The windows are all open as are the doors. If the ball gets out of the classroom they have to run to get it.

Q&A is fun, it works well in larger class sizes and with smaller spaces. Its really simple, lots of loud voices, and we hardly get much done but its a time for them to use up some energy and a reward for being good. I play it about twice a year.

[George61]

With large classes and no room to move, a variation on Hangman is OK.. Use phrases or sentences from the lesson....not just one word. Girls against Boys...5 seconds to answer..or another line gets drawn on the hanging tree. Keep it fast, and appropriate to the lesson. After the first game, they usually realise where the phrases are coming from, and keep looking in their books to work it out. I change the tense, and other grammar to keep them on their toes. Teach them to figger it out by the number of letters in each word...EG "I wear my gloves on my hands" ..."She wears her gloves on her hands"..............Plenty of latitude, there.
Noise always adds another stroke on the hanging tree, too...either the boys or the girls.

[Lotus Eater]

I am so happy I don't have to play games with the students!! This sounds like way too much hard work for me! Another reason I love universities.

[AMonk]

What about "20 Questions" or "I Spy" _{And anything which is Boys vs Girls is usually a hit.} "Simon Says" is cool, too.

Tip: When you have whole-class responses to lessons, have the kids raise 1 hand/2 hands/hands on their heads/stand/sit/cover their eyes, etc. to show understanding/choice.

[Ruth]

I understand what you mean about the tightly packed classrooms, ID19. I usually make teams out of rows (double desks) when I play games, although the boys vs girls thing works well too.

Varying what George said about hangman: I play a version of Wheel of Fortune. Put lines for a word or phrase (chosen from vocabulary you know they know) on the board. Each team gets to guess one letter in turn. One point for each correct guess. If there are two or more of the letter in the phrase, the team gets one point for each of the spaces filled. I do allow them to guess the entire word or phrase, if they think they know it. To minimize wild guessing, I penalize by subtracting a point for each blank space if they guess incorrectly. At summer camp George taught me a way to make this more exciting. The player rolls a die before his/her guess. The number rolled is the point value assigned. I haven't done this with my classes of 70 - 80 at school, but did at summer camp with 22 primaries. One kid rolled a 6 and there were 5 of the letter she guessed in the phrase. 30 points in one turn!!

[George61]

Correction, Ruth. I think it was Stil with the dice idea. I couldn't get any dice, so I used playing cards...Select all the 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's and one Ace as the Card of Death. Different, but the same. Child chooses a card and gets the benefits of whatever number he/she chooses.

[Non-Dave]

George, Any tips on how to control James Allan Green?

I've got him in a kids class on Saturday afternoons. They other kids in the class are struggling with the basics, he's trying to recite the doctoral thesis he's prepared on particle physics...

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ruth]

Best give credit where it is due. I've seen Stil in full combat mode and I don't want to be on the business end of his super-soaker

ID19, another game you could try is to put a phrase on the board and let students have a few minutes to compose words using the letters in the phrase. I've done this two different ways: 1)Each team gives me a word in turn and I write it on the board. Can't give a word another team has used. 1 point for each letter. 2)Teams choose a student to come to the board and write 3 (or 5) words each. Switch players and do it again. Words common to 2 or more teams don't count. 1 point for each letter. I prefer #1, because I move down the row with each guess which includes more of the students. I do allow students to receive help from others on their team, but the student standing has to say the word for me to write.

I try to ban electronic dictionaries, but it's really hard to do this in such a large class. If they come up with an obscure word I have them make a sentence using the word. If they can't make a sentence they can't use the word. That way they are creating words they know.

[Ruth]

Non-Dave, please tell me I'm not inheriting the infamous JAG in January.

[Dragonsaver]

george61 said:

Correction, Ruth. I think it was Stil with the dice idea. I couldn't get any dice, so I used playing cards...Select all the 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's and one Ace as the Card of Death. Different, but the same. Child chooses a card and gets the benefits of whatever number he/she chooses.

What is the 'card of Death' What does it do???

This game might work with my college level students. They like games and are real competetive. They were able to do the whispers correctly with up to 4 words that sound the same. (how did they cheat??? or did they???)

[Ruth]

George, being the big meanie that he is, uses the card of death as a bankrupt card. Draw this and you bankrupt your team. Same as the Wheel of Fortune. All points wiped off the board.

Me, being the softie that I am, just can't do this to my kids - primary or high school.

[Dragonsaver]

Thanks Ruth!

[AMonk]

NonDave:

What about giving JAG an advanced text/work? Give him a "specialized/individualized" lesson. If you can keep it on the same or similar topic area as the rest of the class, that would be ideal.
Ask JAG (and any other advanced kids) to act as peer-teachers or Teacher Assistant during the independent work stage of class.

[George61]

I was just going to suggest, that Monkey. Dave make him your TA. Get him to translate and give examples of what you want them to do. Work on his pronunciation.