SURVIVOR
This is a fantastic game that students of all ages can enjoy.  I use it primarily for reviewing new vocabulary, verb tenses, and grammar points.

For vocabulary lessons:

I introduce 6 – 10 new words to my beginner and intermediate classes. I usually give my advanced level classes 12 – 15 new words.  After teaching new vocabulary, give the students a few minutes to study the spelling of the new words.

Ask the students to stand up.  Explain that the students must work together to spell a word.  For example:  RED:  Student A says ‘R’, Student B says ‘E’, Student C says ‘D’.

If the word is spelled successfully, the students remain standing.  If someone makes a mistake, they must sit down.  The last person standing is the ‘Spelling Survivor’.

You can impose a time limit.  If a student takes too long to answer, you can ask him/her to sit down.

For grammar lessons:

You can use this game after you have introduced and reviewed a new grammar point in class.

Let’s use, for example, participial adjectives.

A participial adjective modified a noun and may indicate:

• a source (cause of) feeling or emotion
• receiver of feeling or emotion

Ask your students for examples of participial adjectives. For beginner classes, you may want to write these words on the whiteboard. For advanced classes, ask students to listen carefully to each participial adjective.

Ask the students to stand up.  Explain that each student will have the opportunity to create a sentence based on the participial adjective that you give them.

Let’s say that the word you give the first student is amused. The student must create a sentence using the word amused.

An example of a correct sentence would be: “The teacher was not amused when she heard I didn’t do my homework.”

An example of an incorrect sentence would be: “The teacher was amusing when she heard I didn’t do my homework.”

If the student creates a sentence successfully, s/he remains standing.  If a mistake is made, the student must sit down.  The last person standing is the ‘Survivor’.

You can impose a time limit.  If a student takes too long to answer, you can ask him/her to sit down.

Alternate Ways To Play:

Advanced level students will catch on to this game quickly.  You can make it tougher by providing definitions in English for your vocabulary.   You provide each student with a definition and they must come up with the appropriate keyword.

I recommend that you play this game after you’ve spent a significant amount of time teaching new vocabulary.  I usually teach my students and ask them to study keywords and definitions for homework.  Then I use ‘Survivor’ as a warm-up activity for next class.

For example:   Keyword:  DUVET
Definition:  a bed covering

I also use this to review past, present and future verb tenses.