My kids absolutely loved this game! I used it with my primary class and my middle school class and both loved it equally. It's great for stressing the importance of correct verb tense as well.
When I first read this, I wondered about a few things: for example, once students see which square is the typhoon square, won't they just pick it all the time to knock off the other teams?
If it's a 6x6 grid, the way a volunteer from a group could be given a word is to let them roll a die twice (or two dice), making the game a mix of some luck and some skill too.
I'm also thinking of putting completed sentences up on the projector screen alongside the game board, so that completed sentences will not be repeated. If the word is "dogs" and someone says "I like dogs", we should not use the same thing for pizza --> "I like pizza." We'll have to think of something new for it.
Well, the students wouldn't know which squares are typhoons, because all the squares are covered with word cards. They're essentially choosing blindly; not knowing how many points each word is worth or if it's a typhoon. I do like your idea about making students create varied sentences. I think I'll try that with my students.
I teach middle school and my 3rd graders liked this game. It didnt go too fast and it wasnt too slow either. I made an adjustment. Instead of one team losing all their points I made it so the points get cut in half. I also made it so that the team who picked the typhoon square not only got to cut a teams points in half but also got to keep them.
This game was great for encouraging good writing, and the kids loved the "typhoon" twist! Thank you!
Note: I required sentences to be seven words or more for my middle/high school ESL kids. I also put a time limit on how long they had to create a correct sentence, one minute. After that one minute, the next team could also submit a correct sentence!
This was a great game for encouraging my middle/high school students to write good sentences! The kids liked the new "twist!" Thank you!
Note: I required that the sentences be seven words or more. I also put a time limit on creating a sentence, one minute. After that minute, the next team could also try to win the points.
I played this game with my middle school classes this week to review for an upcoming exam. I used a couple variations. For example, instead of a single word on the card (my classes do not do a lot of vocabulary, instead, we focus on better using the vocabulary we already have), I typed various questions including basic grammar questions as well as questions that require them to use the target grammar structures and such. For example, some questions included how often do you go to school on weekends, or name 5 words that tell how often you do something. Then I also made it so that typhoon means you can steal another teams points. The students loved the game and were really well behave in order to play the game. Great idea!!
You can also have the word cards laminated and write the points on the back with magic marker. This works well if you teach at more than one school and need to be able to set up class quickly.
This is my favorite ESL game. I used a variant with the usual T for Typhoon but also an L for Lightning Storm. Lightning storm gives 5 points to the team and erases all other teams' points. I put this points scheme in for the T and the L because I've had games end with no winner because they wiped each other out. I've also seen games end with a last second Lightning storm that leaves one group cheering wildly the other groups mad as hell.
My personal favorite situation is when groups (especially boy vs girl) groups negotiate with each other to avoid getting typhooned. A few times these temporary alliances fall quickly apart due to betrayal. But hey, all's fair in love and war...
Thanks a lot. This game is awesome. I am definitely trying this and all the variants tomorrow. It works perfectly basically anything you can think about.
I use this game with elementary, middle school and high school students and the all love it. Instead of making a grid on the board I write the points on small cards so they can pull the card after they have answered correctly. I find it works well in classes of one student as well where the teacher gets to draw a points cards if the student makes a mistake or doesn't know the answer. I also found that by using large number for the points (6, 400) etc.... the students get the extra practice of saying large numbers. This is a great game for older students! Thanks!
I enjoy this game very much but I play it with a slightly different scoring system. I use the normal point scores, typhoon, lightning and tsunami (maybe I will have to change this to something else after the March 11th earthquake). When the groups get points they are written down on the blackboard but not addeded together. The typhoon will whipe out every teams highest score (for example if a team socred 10 points, 20 points, 10 points and 40 points the 40 point score would be erased). The lightning can be used to steal one score from another team and the tsunami erases the highest score from one group chosen by team that turned over the card in the first place.
Comments
My kids absolutely loved
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
My kids absolutely loved this game! I used it with my primary class and my middle school class and both loved it equally. It's great for stressing the importance of correct verb tense as well.
Typhoon ESL Game
Submitted by I on
Thanks for the review of this English game!
Thanks!
Submitted by Jonny (not verified) on
This is a great idea, that can be adapted for any grammar or vocab exercise! Brilliant!
how to choose the words
Submitted by Mark MacKinnon (not verified) on
When I first read this, I wondered about a few things: for example, once students see which square is the typhoon square, won't they just pick it all the time to knock off the other teams?
If it's a 6x6 grid, the way a volunteer from a group could be given a word is to let them roll a die twice (or two dice), making the game a mix of some luck and some skill too.
I'm also thinking of putting completed sentences up on the projector screen alongside the game board, so that completed sentences will not be repeated. If the word is "dogs" and someone says "I like dogs", we should not use the same thing for pizza --> "I like pizza." We'll have to think of something new for it.
Well, the students wouldn't
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Well, the students wouldn't know which squares are typhoons, because all the squares are covered with word cards. They're essentially choosing blindly; not knowing how many points each word is worth or if it's a typhoon. I do like your idea about making students create varied sentences. I think I'll try that with my students.
I teach middle school and my
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
I teach middle school and my 3rd graders liked this game. It didnt go too fast and it wasnt too slow either. I made an adjustment. Instead of one team losing all their points I made it so the points get cut in half. I also made it so that the team who picked the typhoon square not only got to cut a teams points in half but also got to keep them.
This game was great for
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
This game was great for encouraging good writing, and the kids loved the "typhoon" twist! Thank you!
Note: I required sentences to be seven words or more for my middle/high school ESL kids. I also put a time limit on how long they had to create a correct sentence, one minute. After that one minute, the next team could also submit a correct sentence!
This was a great game for
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
This was a great game for encouraging my middle/high school students to write good sentences! The kids liked the new "twist!" Thank you!
Note: I required that the sentences be seven words or more. I also put a time limit on creating a sentence, one minute. After that minute, the next team could also try to win the points.
Typhoon Game
Submitted by Teacha Teacha (not verified) on
I played this game with my middle school classes this week to review for an upcoming exam. I used a couple variations. For example, instead of a single word on the card (my classes do not do a lot of vocabulary, instead, we focus on better using the vocabulary we already have), I typed various questions including basic grammar questions as well as questions that require them to use the target grammar structures and such. For example, some questions included how often do you go to school on weekends, or name 5 words that tell how often you do something. Then I also made it so that typhoon means you can steal another teams points. The students loved the game and were really well behave in order to play the game. Great idea!!
You can also have the word
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
You can also have the word cards laminated and write the points on the back with magic marker. This works well if you teach at more than one school and need to be able to set up class quickly.
great tip!
Submitted by I on
great tip!
Wonderful game
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
This is my favorite ESL game. I used a variant with the usual T for Typhoon but also an L for Lightning Storm. Lightning storm gives 5 points to the team and erases all other teams' points. I put this points scheme in for the T and the L because I've had games end with no winner because they wiped each other out. I've also seen games end with a last second Lightning storm that leaves one group cheering wildly the other groups mad as hell.
My personal favorite situation is when groups (especially boy vs girl) groups negotiate with each other to avoid getting typhooned. A few times these temporary alliances fall quickly apart due to betrayal. But hey, all's fair in love and war...
Great feedback on this ESL
Submitted by I on
Great feedback on this ESL game and I like the lighting :)
Typhoon Game
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Thanks a lot. This game is awesome. I am definitely trying this and all the variants tomorrow. It works perfectly basically anything you can think about.
Typhoon game
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
I use this game with elementary, middle school and high school students and the all love it. Instead of making a grid on the board I write the points on small cards so they can pull the card after they have answered correctly. I find it works well in classes of one student as well where the teacher gets to draw a points cards if the student makes a mistake or doesn't know the answer. I also found that by using large number for the points (6, 400) etc.... the students get the extra practice of saying large numbers. This is a great game for older students! Thanks!
Slightly differenty typhoon
Submitted by Anonymous4679 (not verified) on
I enjoy this game very much but I play it with a slightly different scoring system. I use the normal point scores, typhoon, lightning and tsunami (maybe I will have to change this to something else after the March 11th earthquake). When the groups get points they are written down on the blackboard but not addeded together. The typhoon will whipe out every teams highest score (for example if a team socred 10 points, 20 points, 10 points and 40 points the 40 point score would be erased). The lightning can be used to steal one score from another team and the tsunami erases the highest score from one group chosen by team that turned over the card in the first place.
Great twist!
Submitted by I on
Great twist!
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