ESL MAGIC GAMES. FOR KINDERGARTEN. Jenny White

students say «ten», the standing students should stop moving and stand in a line and the teacher should quickly take one standing student and make him or her turn back to those sitting. The flashcard is no longer visible to anyone.

      Ask a question: «What is missing?» and point at the student standing his or her back to the players. It will be really difficult for the students to make out what card is missing because the objects are in a different order now (the standing students changed their position). The first who names the object correctly will play instead of the student who was holding this card.

      Play the game again with different flashcards. If this variant is too difficult for your students, you can limit the number of cards by four or five. If it is too easy, you can give 2 flashcards to every standing student. Don’t forget to praise the standing students as well for their good behaviour.

      Two Chairs

      AIM: building connection between the image and the word

      LEVEL OF ENGLISH: students should know at least 20 words

      TYPE OF EXERCISE: name the picture

      NUMBER OF STUDENTS: suitable for a group of 7—25 students

      MATERIALS: at least 20 flashcards

      TIME: 5 min.

      PREPARATION

      Choose 20 flashcards you are going to revise. Ask your students to sit in a semicircle. If there are desks in the classroom, they can sit at their desks but make sure they are not too far away from you in order to see the flashcards. Put two chairs in front of them.

      INSTRUCTIONS

      Explain that one chair in this game will be for the class. If they name the object on the cards correctly, you will put this card on their chair. The other chair is for the teacher. If students make a mistake, you will put this flashcard on the teacher’s chair.

      PROCEDURESay «What is it?» and show a flashcard to the students but do it very quickly. You can wave it and shake it to make it more difficult for the students to make out what it is. The students should shout out loudly the word as soon as they understand it. Try to make them do it together and really loudly.

      Make a disappointed face if they don’t and ask them to name the word one more time. If they are right, repeat the word, praise the students and put the card on the students’ chair with a prominent look saying «Ok, this card is for you». If they are silent or make a mistake, show the card again, pronounce the word yourself and put it with a self-complacent look on the teacher’s chair saying «This one is for the teacher».

      It is very important to get the students emotionally involved. You can be nasty and bossy when you win and you can pretend being angry when you lose to make them want to win. They should start competing with you. When the cards are over, ask one of the students to count the cards on the students’ chair. Then count the teacher’s cards, intentionally making a mistake. If there are only five cards, say that there are twelve.

      When the students disagree, ask them to check. Ask more than one student. It will make them revise numbers as well. Finally, when the number of cards is calculated correctly, praise the students and give them a reward like stars on the board or a high five.

      Say «Hello» to…

      AIM: revision of names of animals practice saying «Hello!»

      LEVEL OF ENGLISH: students should know names of 5—6 animals or toys

      TYPE OF EXERCISE: find and interact

      NUMBER OF STUDENTS: suitable for a group of 2 – 15 students

      MATERIALS: 5—6 flashcards of animals or toys

      TIME: 5 min.

      PREPARATION

      Before the lesson starts put 5—6 toys anywhere in the classroom or stick flashcards with animals or toys onto the walls. Your students should be seated in a semicircle on their chairs. Say «Hello, students!» and wave your hand or give high five. Make sure they answer «Hello!» in return together and one by one.