Two Simple & Fun Word Games to Help Students With Vocab
Two Simple & Fund Word Games to Help Students with Vocab
Learning & remembering vocabulary can feel like a tedious chore for students. As an alternative to dull worksheets or packets, I will explain two similar vocabulary-centric games to help students learn/review important terms.
Both of these strategies over game-based learning. Using games to educate students makes the content more enjoyable, and oftentimes more memorable. Creating a point system within these games would also create gamification in the classroom, providing the students greater motivation to learn.
They’re both quick & easy to set up and play!
Talk a Mile a Minute
One strategy is called “Talk a Mile a Minute”. First, students should find teams - pairs or groups of three are ideal. One student on each team, “the talker”, is given a sheet of paper or card that lists six terms (the number of terms on each card is, of course, adjustable). The talker then has one minute to explain the terms, without saying the words themselves. The other student(s) in their group has to guess each term. The first group to finish the card wins! At the teacher’s discretion, bonus points or some sort of award can be assigned, but that is not necessary. The game can be experienced for fun - while also helping students with their vocabulary.
Name That Category
The other strategy is called “Name That Category”. This is designed off of the game show, “100,000 Pyramid”. Again, students should split up into groups. Pairs would work best, but a group of 3 could work as well if necessary. At the front of the classroom, whether on a poster or digitally, the teacher should present a pyramid that looks like this:
On each section of the pyramid there should be a category. Initially, all the categories should be blacked out so the students can’t see them. One student should be faced away from the front of the classroom so that they can’t see the pyramid at all. This student is the guesser. When the game begins, the teacher should reveal the categories one at a time. The guesser’s partner(s) should list as many terms as they can think of that belong to each category until the guesser correctly guesses the category. When a team has completed a term, they should raise their hand. This signals to the teacher to reveal the next category. The teams who did not finish yet are allowed to continue working on the first term, or if they’re stuck, they can progress. As the students work their way up the pyramid, the terms should become more difficult. When a team completes the pyramid, the game is over.
Game Variations & Usage in Different Content Areas
The terms used in these games should relate to the content of the course. Depending on the terms used, any grade level could play these games and have fun doing it!
In a literature course, you might list names of characters in a novel or different archetypes. In a math course, you may list a set of numbers, and the students must come up with an equation to reach that number. In a history course, you could list terms related to World War II or the Cold War. The games easily translate to any subject.
Both “Name That Category” and “Talk a Mile a Minute” can be interpreted and adapted in various ways. The number of terms used, the point system, and the rewards for winning can all vary. The rules can also change. For example, one way of making “Name That Category” more difficult and competitive is requiring all students to move to the next category at the same time. This creates a ticking clock for each category. A variation of “Talk a Mile a Minute” might consist of students trying to guess the category of each card, not just the terms. This would somewhat combine the objectives of the two games.
References
Gamification and game-based learning. Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2021, November 8). Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/gamification-and-game-based-learning
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