TEACHING TIP 1 — Boogle
by Christine Torres
PURPOSE: This activity can be used with teenage (high-school) intermediate level students. This activity allows students to practice their vocabulary and/or put into use possible new words. This activity is very student centered, so I can walk around the class and see how they are doing. I usually do this activity at the end of a lesson so that they can have a bit of fun with the English we have been studying.
TIME: 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size of the group.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Pens or pencils, paper, timer, white board or laptop using the BOOGLE application created especially for my class ( www.starsandstripesenglish.com/boogle )
INSTRUCTIONS:
- If using the application, set up the laptop and the projector so the application can pick between 9 to 12 letters for you.
- If using a whiteboard/blackboard, give students the opportunity to choose between 9 to 12 letters and write them on the board.
- Hand out paper and pens or pencils
- Explain the rules to the students:
- They will have 5 minutes to come up with as many words possible with the letters chosen. WORDS HAVE TO EXIST.
- Tell them not to copy from each other because repeated word will not count.
- They can repeat letters more than once.
- Personal names do not count.
- Set the timer for 5 minutes and let students begin.
- After time is up allow students to read their lists to check that the words are correctly spelt, not repeated and exist.
- Student with most words wins the game.
EXTENSION:
Have students put their words (at least 5 of the words) into sentences to check that they understand the correct use of the words they have written.