The End of the School Year Every year I get to this point of the school year where the weather has changed, the students are restless and the ideas are running thin on how to keep their attention. Even though I have done this job for 20+ years this crazy end-of-the-year phenomenon still sneaks up on me. This year I have been planning and preparing for this moment and it feels good. So allow me to share with you the ideas I have to re-focus those students and put all that summer energy into constructive use.   Movement and Activities Now, more than ever is the time to get students up and m ..read more

If you’re looking for a fun and interactive way to engage your students in a lesson on communication, descriptions, and deduction, the game “Who Has…?” might be the perfect activity! This classroom game challenges students to describe images in detail, pay attention to what their peers are describing, and use reasoning skills to match descriptions to images. It’s an activity the entire class can play at the same time. Here’s how to play the game and keep students actively involved and learning. What You’ll Need 10 different pictures: Choose images that are easily describable but not overly si ..read more

Incorporating logic puzzles into a world language classroom can provide a unique and engaging way to help students build language skills while developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Logic puzzles encourage students to use the target language in a meaningful context and engage with the language actively. Here are some tips on how to effectively use logic puzzles in your world language classroom. Benefits of Using Logic Puzzles Reinforce Language Skills: Logic puzzles require students to read, view, comprehend, and interpret clues in the target language, helping them improv ..read more

The game “Keep Talking” is a fun and engaging activity that promotes conversation, critical thinking, and collaboration among students. The game can be played with a group of 2-4 students and involves speaking about a given prompt until they run out of things to say. The team that speaks the longest wins. It is an easy, low-prep game that your students will LOVE. Read on to learn more. Why play this game? It improves students’ communication skills It recycles and reuses past structures and vocabulary Encourages critical thinking Allows for spontaneous, unrehearsed language to take place Game ..read more

This game could be called Mastering Vocabulary with The Marker Game. It is so easy and takes little to no prep to get ready. Read on to learn more about this easy, competitive game. Vocabulary acquisition is a crucial aspect of language learning, but it doesn’t have to be boring or tedious. Engaging students in interactive and enjoyable activities can significantly enhance their retention and understanding of new words. One such game that injects fun into learning is The Marker Game. This simple yet effective activity turns vocabulary practice into a thrilling competition, making it an ideal a ..read more

I learned this game from Josua Cabral at the World Langague Classroom. The Die Decides is an engaging game that can be used in language classrooms to practice vocabulary, grammar, speaking, or any other language skills. I like to use it for comprehension questions to spice up plain old worksheets. When to Use The Die Decides To practice vocabulary After a story Reviewing for an assessment or final exams To add repetition to your lesson Materials Needed This is really a low-prep activity. Teachers can do it on the fly or with very little prep involved once you have an answer sheet template ma ..read more

You have heard me talk about March Madness in the classroom and it has nothing to do with basketball. I love using the March Brackets to add in vocabulary repetitions. They are great for anything from music to sports. In the world language classroom, brackets are a valuable tool for reinforcing vocabulary through repetition. Integrating brackets allows instructors to provide contextual cues or alternative meanings for target words, aiding students in grasping nuances and expanding their linguistic understanding. By strategically incorporating brackets into exercises, teachers can prompt studen ..read more

Let’s talk trading cards. Did you love to collect and trade them when you were a kid? Maybe you still do as an adult. They tend to draw in students who are fans of sports. But did you know you can use the idea of trading cards to entice students who love art, who are creative, and who like a bit of a change? Character trading cards give students an alternative way to show their understanding of content and demonstrate their language skills differently. Why should I use character trading cards? In the ever-evolving landscape of language education, educators are constantly seeking innovative met ..read more

Headbandz is a family fun game that can be played in your classroom. It is a fast-paced game of guess what I am. Instead of purchasing this game, I like to use this same concept in my classroom focusing on unit-specific vocabulary the class is working on. If you have never played the game Headbandz you’re missing out. It is a lot of fun and your students will agree. So I am going to show you how to implement a similar version in your classroom to review vocabulary (not teach it). Materials Needed Teacher-created vocabulary cards – small enough to fit on the forehead or prop up onto something ..read more

With the holiday fast approaching the students are getting restless. The closer we get to winter break, the harder it is to keep attention. I think I have come up with a solution to help keep kids engaged, using the language, and having fun! There are a lot of holiday activities for the classroom out there for us to do. They are shared in Facebook groups, on TpT, and teacher-made creations. This card game is one activity you can add to your holiday games and make the students happy. There is a different solution each time you play so you can use it with the same class over and over again…Bonu ..read more