Say it - card matching game
This card game is a fun way to teach vocabulary, or just to break the ice for students to speak English in class. I have used it with middle school students all the way to adults, but I think it could easily be adapted for Elementary students too.
card packs:
Media:Say_it_cards_everyday_things.pdf
Media:Say_it_cards_every_day_things_words_and_pictures.pdf
Media:Say_it_cards_xmas_version.pdf
Players: 2-6 (possibly more if you have a larger pack of cards and suitable classroom arrangement)
Aim: Every card has one matching picture (or word). The first to find the matching picture/word and say it aloud wins the card. The person with the most cards at the end is the winner. How to play:
First check everyone knows all the vocabulary. Sometimes it might be easier to make the first round a practice, so students can ask for you to remind them of words, and for you to correct any pronunciation problems.
Set up: Shuffle the cards and place them upside down in a stack. Take a card from the stack and turn it face up on the table.
1. Take a card from the stack and turn it face up on the table next to the previously placed card.
2. Everyone studies the cards and tries to call out the matching word/picture.
3. The first person to call out correctly wins the original card (not the most recently turned over card). Ties can be settled with janken.
4. The winner turns over the next card.
5. play until all the cards have been won!
Note: some students will pick this up extremely quickly, not giving other students a chance to play. If so you can make a rule that winners can't join in the next round.
Bonus: Once all the cards have been one, you can play the game in reverse. This is fun, as it gives students who struggled a chance to win, and can up the difficulty for students who found it easy.
Set up: There might still be one card left on the table, if not have the winner place one of their cards face up on the table. Everyone shuffles their cards, and keeps them face down in a stack in their hand.
1. Everyone places one of their cards face up on the table.
2. Everyone must try to match their own card to the original card.
3. The first to match places their card on top of the original card. This becomes the new card for everyone to match with.
4. The first to get rid of all their cards wins!
