Barcelona 4th ELT ConferenceBarcelona 4th ELT ConferenceAdapting free online games for English Adapting free online games for English

language Learninglanguage Learning

Do you teach English as a foreign Do you teach English as a foreign language?language?

Do you teach young learners?Do you teach young learners? Do you want to use online computer Do you want to use online computer

games in class to engage your learners?games in class to engage your learners?

Then you have come to the right place.Then you have come to the right place.

You can use online computer You can use online computer games for all kinds of different games for all kinds of different

skills work.skills work. SpeakingSpeaking ReadingReading Writing Writing ListeningListening

You just have to figure out how to adapt You just have to figure out how to adapt them.them.

Here’s a really basic Here’s a really basic example for really young example for really young

learners.learners. www.pacman.netwww.pacman.net

Have you ever Have you ever played this game?played this game?

I use Pacman to drill ‘(turn) I use Pacman to drill ‘(turn) left’, ‘(turn) right’, (go) up’, left’, ‘(turn) right’, (go) up’, and ‘(go) down’.and ‘(go) down’.

You don’t look at the screen.You don’t look at the screen. Your learners shout out the directions.Your learners shout out the directions. You listen and use the keyboard.You listen and use the keyboard. Don’t forget to use the ‘pause button’!Don’t forget to use the ‘pause button’!

How do you keep score?How do you keep score?

Use the game as a warmer at the start of Use the game as a warmer at the start of a class and learners beat their previous a class and learners beat their previous class score.class score.

Put the class into teams – the team with Put the class into teams – the team with the highest score wins.the highest score wins.

Record other class scores and set Record other class scores and set different classes up against each other.different classes up against each other.

If that was a little chaotic If that was a little chaotic for you try this game:for you try this game:

www.gamebalance.com/www.gamebalance.com/games/orbox.htmlgames/orbox.html

You still practice up, down, You still practice up, down, left and right but you can left and right but you can take your time.take your time.

How to playHow to play

Use the arrow keys to Use the arrow keys to guide your square to the guide your square to the red square. Be careful red square. Be careful you don't fall into space. you don't fall into space. Press the Space Bar to Press the Space Bar to restart a level if you get restart a level if you get stuck. stuck.

That was fun wasn’t it?That was fun wasn’t it?

Would you like to play some more?Would you like to play some more?

Would your learners like to play and Would your learners like to play and learn some more?learn some more?

How good are your How good are your learners with their . . . learners with their . . .

AA BB CCs?s?

This one’s a good oneThis one’s a good onefor . . . spelling,.for . . . spelling,.

www.miniclips.com/games/es/www.miniclips.com/games/es/

Here’s how my learners Here’s how my learners played the game . . .played the game . . .

If you want a lesson If you want a lesson plan you’ll have to go plan you’ll have to go here . . . here . . .

http://tiny.cc/pT938http://tiny.cc/pT938

How about colours?How about colours?

www.miniclip.com/www.miniclip.com/games/sveerz/en/games/sveerz/en/

Choose:Choose: Play onlinePlay online Play the arcade versionPlay the arcade version

What’s this game like?What’s this game like?Remember these games?Remember these games?

For this game put your For this game put your learners like this:learners like this:

They watch and They watch and repeat the colours in repeat the colours in the game.the game.

You listen and click You listen and click the mouse on the the mouse on the coloured balls.coloured balls.

Of course this is only Of course this is only for the colours for the colours redred, , greengreen, , yellowyellow and and blueblue

Why not let one of your Why not let one of your learners take your place?learners take your place?

Now I’ll show you a great Now I’ll show you a great reading activity.reading activity.

This practices:This practices:

ColoursColours ClothesClothes Parts of the bodyParts of the body

Here’s the text:Here’s the text:

He’s got spiky red hair, big blue eyes, big ears and a mouth like a clown. He’s got a nose that looks like a cat’s nose.

He’s wearing a long green coat with a purple waistcoat underneath and red trousers. He’s not wearing any shoes.

He’s got a friend. His friend is a dog called spot. His name is spot because he’s brown with two white spots. One spot is on his back and the other spot is over his eye. Spot is standing up on two legs.

Here’s the website:Here’s the website:

And here’s how you set And here’s how you set up your class:up your class:

Pin the text on the Pin the text on the wall (top left green wall (top left green line).line).

Learners are in pairs.Learners are in pairs. Taking it in turns they Taking it in turns they

go read the text.go read the text. They dictate the text They dictate the text

to their partner who to their partner who makes the heromakes the hero

If all goes well they should If all goes well they should get something like this:get something like this:

Why not show them it and talk Why not show them it and talk about how many differences about how many differences they can spot between this one they can spot between this one and theirs.and theirs.

Hero machine can generate Hero machine can generate quite a bit of language with quite a bit of language with your learners.your learners.

I like this one. . . I like this one. . .

. . . because . . .. . . because . . .

I used to play this as a I used to play this as a kid:kid: www.toptrumps.comwww.toptrumps.com

The Rules:The Rules: All learners have a card. The starting player All learners have a card. The starting player

selects a category from the top card and reads selects a category from the top card and reads out its value. Each other player then reads out the out its value. Each other player then reads out the value of the same category from their cards. The value of the same category from their cards. The best (usually the largest) value wins and the best (usually the largest) value wins and the winner takes all the other cards and places them winner takes all the other cards and places them at the bottom of their pile. That player then looks at the bottom of their pile. That player then looks at their new topmost card, and chooses the at their new topmost card, and chooses the category for the next round.category for the next round.

If there is a draw, the cards are placed in the If there is a draw, the cards are placed in the middle and a new category is chosen from the middle and a new category is chosen from the next card by the same person as in the previous next card by the same person as in the previous round. The winner of that round gets all of the round. The winner of that round gets all of the cards in the middle as well as the top card from cards in the middle as well as the top card from each player.each player.

Players are eliminated when they lose their last Players are eliminated when they lose their last card, and the winner is the player who obtains the card, and the winner is the player who obtains the whole pack.whole pack.

I’m sure your learners will I’m sure your learners will too when they make their too when they make their own cards.own cards.

Bye for now.Bye for now.

Look out for more slideshows covering Look out for more slideshows covering different language areas and skills work.different language areas and skills work.

If you liked thes games If you liked thes games why not visit these:why not visit these:

http://kylemawer.wikispaces.com/http://kylemawer.wikispaces.com/