Help students build their vocabulary skills with interactive games.
Developing a broad vocabulary is vital for building fluency in English. Teachers commonly engage students in activities to learn new vocabulary. Learning vocabulary words can become tiresome but teachers can add excitement to the activity by integrating games into their lessons. Through games, teachers can maintain student attention and make vocabulary development a more pleasurable activity.
Dictionary Game
Put a spin on learning vocabulary words by engaging students in a dictionary game. When presenting new vocabulary words, divide the words among students. Assign them to look up their words in the dictionary. Provide index cards and ask students to write their words at the top of the card, followed by four potential definitions, one that they obtained from the dictionary and three that they made up. Ask students to mark the correct definitions with stars.
After students have completed the task, collect their cards. Move through the cards one at a time, reading the word to students, followed by the four definitions. Encourage students to guess which definition is the correct one.
Word Unscramble Challenge
Increase familiarity with vocabulary words by engaging students in a word unscramble challenge. To prepare, type out all your vocabulary words in a large type size. Print four copies of each word on card stock. Separate the copies. Cut each word apart, separating the letters. Place the letters in a manila envelope. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining three copies.
Divide students into four teams. Give each team an envelope containing the cut apart letters. Tell the students they must race to unscramble the letters and form their vocabulary words.
Synonym/Antonym Match Up
Students can increase their vocabulary by pairing words with synonyms and antonyms in a fast-paced matching game. To prepare, write your vocabulary words on the board, leaving room around each word. Draw a line down the center of the chalkboard and divide the words into two equal sets.
Divide students into two teams. Give each team several thesauruses and index cards. Assign half the chalk board to each team. Tell the team to use its thesauruses to write one synonym and one antonym for each word on its list, each on a separate index card. After the teams have filled their index cards, ask them to jumble their cards and give them to the other team.
Select a team to go first and give it a roll of masking tape. Ask the team to look at the cards created by the opposing team and tape the cards onto the board next to the word for which that term is a synonym or antonym. Time the team's effort. Record the time it takes for the team to correctly place all of the cards, then allow the other team to try the task, attempting to best the previous team's time.
Tags: vocabulary words, each word, each team, index cards, their vocabulary, your vocabulary words, copies each