Providing opportunities for group work is crucial for language learning. This might seem obvious, but students need to practice speaking English as much as possible. If students become used to collaborating with others as part of their daily routine, they’ll be less intimidated by group work. Students can provide support and encouragement to one another as they experience similar challenges. Group work may also encourage bonding and friendships. Let’s check out 26 effective group activities that you can use in your ESL classes!
1. Describe It
Students will work in teams to describe the 8 words on their cards. The team that can identify all the words first wins. The word cards are included in this resource and can be printed or used in a digital format.
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2. Phrase It
This fun game will help students improve their vocabulary. It focuses on words that may be difficult or confusing for those learning English. Each player will receive 5 cards. When a card is flipped, they will describe a situation related to the card.
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3. Conversation Cards
For this activity, split students into pairs. They will practice holding conversations by using conversation cards. The cards include common phrases and questions that are used as a guide for verbal communication.
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4. Hot Potato
The ESL version of the classic game, hot potato, is a lot of fun. Students will start by passing an object around while music plays. When the music is paused, the student holding the object will answer a simple question.
Learn More: YouTube
5. Fruit Salad Game
First, prepare a fruit salad. Students will then taste different kinds of fruit while blindfolded. They can practice using adjectives by describing the taste of each fruit and guessing what it is.
Learn More: Busy Teacher
6. Rotten Apple Game
Rotten Apples is a fun game for English Language classes. Students will be assigned to be a shopper or stall owners. They must use common grocery store expressions. The teacher will call out an item that is “rotten” and everyone who bought that item must then discard it.
Learn More: Busy Teacher
7. Hi, My Name Is…
Students will take turns introducing themselves to classmates. They will go around the room and see how many people they can interact with in one minute. Students will have to introduce themselves, ask their partner how they are doing, and close with “bye” or “see you later”.
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8. My Robot Activity
Students will work together to design a robot. This activity prompts them to expand their vocabulary to include terms about machinery. You can include the words button, gear, switch, click, and more. Encourage students to be creative and come up with a job for their robot.
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9. 20 Questions
The teacher will think of a specific item. The class will work together to guess what the teacher is thinking of. Students may ask 20 “yes” or “no” questions like “Is it bigger than a shoe box?” “Is it fluffy?” “Does it fly?” to figure out the answer.
Learn More: Jimmy ESL
10. Categories Game
Students will come up with 6 categories. They will each write the categories down on a piece of paper. The teacher will give them a random letter and they have to write down a word that relates to each category that starts with that letter.
Learn More: Jimmy ESL
11. Time’s Up
This is a game that competitive students will enjoy. Divide the board in half and write the same 4 topics on each side. Two students will go up to the board and race to see who can fill in all the words the fastest.
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12. 12. Name 3 Things Board Game
This is a fun activity that both beginner and advanced students will enjoy. They will roll a die and move the number of spaces as they roll. Then, they will land on a spot and have to complete the task, such as “name 3 pets”, or “name 3 cities”.
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13. Giving Directions Game
Divide the class into teams. Students will take turns using direction words. The start point and end point can be predetermined or can be selected by the students. The goal is to get through the map successfully by using verbal directions.
Learn More: Making English Fun
14. Show and Tell
Students bring in a special item to share. There are benefits to show and tell at every age and development stage. It allows students to connect with one another through common interests and conversational vocabulary.
Learn More: Making English Fun
15. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
This activity requires students to find specific items around the classroom. They will count how many of each item they can find and record their answer on the worksheet as they search.
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16. Themed Bingo Games
This Bingo game is perfect to teach students the names of food. When the teacher calls out a food item, students will mark it off on their board. The first student to get a full line wins the game.
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17. Tic-Tac-Toe
Tic-Tac-Toe is an awesome icebreaker activity. Students will play the traditional game but will have to read the words or use them in a sentence in order to place their symbols. You can adapt this game to highlight any vocabulary word list or lesson theme.
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18. Would You Rather?
This game encourages students to talk and enjoy learning about one another. Students will ask each other questions such as, “Would you rather live in a castle or a mansion?” Conversational language is key to improving language fluency.
Learn More: TPR Teaching
20. Four Corners
Four Corners is a game that encourages movement and self-expression. Students will be asked a question and will move to the corner of the room that corresponds with their answer.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
20. I Have, Who Has
This interactive game is awesome practice for students learning English. Each student will have various objects. This resource includes cards that guide students through the activity. A student may have a card that says, “I have a paper clip. Who has an eraser?” The goal is to find a match.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
21. Interactive Stories
Interactive stories are excellent practice for speaking and listening. Students can also be creative! You will first provide a writing prompt to lay the foundation of the story. Then, students will work together to add to the story. Students will take turns until the story is complete.
Learn More: Sticky Ball ESL
22. ESL Trivia
Students are sure to learn something new by doing their best to answer a set of random questions in this trivia game. You can use the template provided or develop your own. You’ll be impressed to learn all the fun facts students know!
Learn More: Sticky Ball ESL
23. Charades
Charades is a game that is both entertaining and educational. Students will receive a card with a picture. They will be expected to act out the picture without saying what it is. Classmates will guess as quickly as they can to figure out the answer.
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24. Apples to Apples
This game includes red cards that contain various nouns and green cards that contain adjectives that describe the nouns. Each team receives 5 red cards and will be given one green card. Students have to decide which noun works best with the adjective.
Learn More: Teaching Nomad
25. Guess Who?
Students will each pick a card with the picture and name of one character. They will be given a game board that has all the characters facing up. Students will ask each other questions to narrow down their best guess as to the character their opponent selected.
Learn More: We Are Teachers
26. Call My Bluff
Students will be given a word that they may not know the definition of. They will have a set time to come up with 2 or more definitions of the word. They will present the definitions they created to classmates.
Learn More: Enchanted ESL
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