| An ESL game (Phonics Level or just after Alphabet) | | | | *Q as in Q. and A. LX: Extra Large |
| After Kindergarten and Introductory Phonetics, small | | | | Bigger Bigger Smaller Smaller Game - ESL lesson |
| children are often put into a Beginners English class | | | | An ESL game (10+ years, builds vocabulary). |
| using books like Let's Go 1. Often they are not ready | | | | Also included: Taste Game, Materials Game, Hotter |
| for Lets Go 1, but need to.... | | | | Colder Game |
| 1. practice use of phonics through games | | | | With students in a circle around a big table or sitting on |
| 2. practice alphabet letter writing and | | | | the floor, point to something small and ask the first |
| 3. build up a basic vocabulary of small words. | | | | student to name it (in English). If they don't understand, |
| I like to use my Small Words Game. The Small Words | | | | then teacher gives an example like a pencil or eraser |
| Game gets them excited about English. It motivates | | | | and asks the student "Something bigger?" or goes to |
| the kids as they already know a large number of small | | | | the next student. Children (not the teacher) ask the |
| words from regular school and the mass media. | | | | same question in sequence in the circle. Say |
| I often divide the class into two teams (they like | | | | "something bigger" (det-der-ro = something, big = |
| competition) or each child keeps his/her score on the | | | | kun-ga in Korean) while acting out big and small with |
| board beside their name. | | | | your hands and arms. Kids will probably say "sky" or |
| You will find in the table below some of the small | | | | "sun". "Universe" is the upper size limit but older children |
| words they write in columns across the board for all to | | | | will also understand imagination (sang-sang). |
| see. The children come up with them not the teacher. | | | | Then we go smaller "something smaller" (small is |
| Teacher may have to start the game by giving some | | | | cha-gum in Korean) and they begin to exchange hints |
| examples. | | | | in Korean and English and thus teach each other |
| Note that there are only two English words with a | | | | smaller and smaller words in English. They often say |
| single letter: a and I. | | | | "ant" and then "baby ant" or "ant egg". With even |
| Get the idea? Children like this very much. They are | | | | smaller objects kids need teacher's help so I scrape |
| not intimidated by small words (easy to spell) and I | | | | my tooth with a fingernail (yucky) to show that |
| accept abbreviations like CD, BBQ, TV, Ok, SOS, TNT, | | | | everybody has bacteria and some kids will later say |
| UN, USA, and UK. In Korea I also accept short English | | | | "baby bacteria" jokingly. Beyond this you have to |
| names of pop-music groups as the kids know these | | | | remind them of virus (gyun in Korean). They already |
| from television: SES, HOT, UN, NRG etc. and TV | | | | know about big computer viruses. And finally sketch |
| stations like MBC, KBS. | | | | an atom, electron etc. etc and talk about electric |
| This game can cover two or three classes and it is | | | | machines, which includes their own bodies! |
| good to post a large table/graphics of short word on | | | | This is a great way to build vocabulary while |
| the class wall in big writing for all to see and use in the | | | | introducing the phrases: |
| following weeks. Kids can make the enlarged words | | | | (Tell me, teach me, give me) something bigger. |
| with markers and paper as a crafts project and post | | | | (Tell me, teach me, give me) something smaller. |
| them on the huge wall-mounted table. This is | | | | A variation is to make it a Hotter and Colder Game. |
| preferable to the teacher doing it. Avoid using too | | | | Another is to make it a Materials Game and ask for |
| many shapes and colors when making the words | | | | something plastic, metal, wood, stone, cement, copper, |
| letters as Montessori has shown this confuses children. | | | | iron, water, gas, leather, cloth, glass, meat, etc. |
| Once we have done the Small Words Game I like to | | | | Another variation is make it a Taste Game with real |
| get kids using these words in the Spelling Circle Game | | | | authentic/concrete examples/foods: salty, sweet, sour, |
| Spelling Circle Game is a strong way to reinforce the | | | | bitter, hot, spice, creamy, oily, fishy, spicy, fruity, meaty, |
| new vocabulary as words are reused/relearned | | | | bland etc. and then ask for examples of various foods. |
| approached in a different way. Children will play the | | | | This can be slow going unless the kids are 12 years or |
| Spelling Circle Game for an hour and will do it in class, if | | | | more. I find it needs to be repeated several times. You |
| there is space, or out doors. They especially like it as it | | | | will have to bring foods in small plastic containers and |
| is kinesthetic and interactive. Students and teacher can | | | | tooth picks for tasting. Coordinate this class with other |
| also make a set of small words flash cards, another | | | | teachers so you can all share the food preparation |
| way to build them into memory. | | | | effort/time. |