ESL Game 2 - Taboo

This game is called "TABOO." TABOO is a fun gamePeter Parker Mary Jane Web
that helps reinforce new vocabulary and it is a hoot toThe students cannot say any of the words listed
play!above and they cannot make any ACTIONS to help
To play this game the teacher will first divide the classthe student with his/her back to the board.
into two teams. The teacher will then pick a numberWhen the teacher says, "Start" the one team will get
from one to ten. Whichever team guesses the correcttwo minutes to help the student guess the keyword.
number gets to go first.The students may give hints such as these:
After one team has won the right to play first... the"He is a man."
teacher will bring one of the students up to the board."He has an insect on his chest."
The teacher will turn the student so that his/her back is"He has a girlfriend."
facing the blackboard / whiteboard."His aunt's name is May."
The teacher will write the KEYWORD on the board."He wears a blue and red costume."
For this example we will say that the Keyword is"Sometimes he fights Venom, Sandman and the
"SPIDERMAN."Green Goblin."
Spiderman will now become TABOO. And because"He has his own comic book."
Spiderman is Taboo, none of the students can say the"The insect on his chest has eight legs."
word "Spiderman.""He was bitten by a radio active insect and it made
Underneath the Keyword the teacher will then writehim special."
three other words which are also Taboo. This meansIf any of the students say any of the Taboo words,
that the students cannot say these three subhis/her team cannot win a point. But if the student with
keywords either. For this example the teacher wouldhis back turned to the board says, "Spiderman" - his
write three words which the students cannot say -her team will get one point.
because it would give away the main keyword.After the team gets the point or time runs out; the
The three words under the main keyword/taboo wordteams will switch. This E.S.L game is called Taboo. And
will be:if you teach English overseas it is one of the best
Peter ParkerE.S.L. games that you can play because it is fun and it
Mary Janehelps reinforce and teach vocabulary. And on top of
Webthat... the students will have fun while they are learning
The blackboard / whiteboard will look like this:English as a Second Language.
SPIDERMAN