Engaging ESL Activities: Making Learning Fun for Every Level

Learning English with enjoyment and tangible results is something everyone desires. Evolving language learning methodologies ensure that the process remains engaging and effective, continuously motivating students. The ESL (English as a Second Language) approach is widely recognized and proven to be effective. The teaching methods within this approach emphasize various techniques and strategies to assist English language learners in developing proficiency. At the core of ESL lies the communicative and natural language acquisition technique, diverging from traditional learning that relies on rules and explanations.

For those seeking to diversify and enhance the process of learning English, incorporating games becomes an integral aspect of this journey. These games seamlessly connect past and present themes, contributing to a smoother and more enjoyable learning experience. Here are some ideas for speaking activities and games.

Vocabulary Games

Mastering vocabulary is one of the most formidable challenges when learning the English language. The intricacy lies not only in effectively incorporating new words and phrases into one's own speech but also in discerning them when used by others. The likelihood of successful memorization significantly rises when diverse activities are employed, encouraging learners to employ specific words as frequently as possible.

Here are examples of games and exercises suitable for practically any level and age of students. These games enjoy widespread popularity, increasing the likelihood that you have already engaged in them in your native language. This familiarity makes it considerably more straightforward to incorporate them into an English learning context. Moreover, these activities can be easily customized to align with different proficiency levels and topics.

• Alias

This game is quite popular among teenagers and adults. To play it, you can either buy a set of cards with tasks or find it online. If you want to practise specific vocabulary, you can create the cards yourself by adding the necessary words. The rules of the game are very simple and suitable even for beginners in English language learning. A player takes a card and explains the word or phrase written on it, using synonyms, antonyms for the given words, or, if the proficiency level allows, providing broader definitions and describing situations. The player who successfully guesses the word then takes the next card and provides an explanation. You can set a time limit for explanations at the levels of Upper-Intermediate and Advanced.

• Charades

Unlike «Alias», this game doesn't require explaining the word but requires the use of learned vocabulary when attempting to guess it. A player takes a card with a word and shows it through gestures and actions, while the other participants are trying to guess what he is displaying using synonyms or describing these actions. The game is suitable for lower-level students, and those aiming to practice vocabulary related to basic topics such as professions, animals, hobbies, actions, etc.

• Taboo

The aim of this game is paraphrasing. Participants take turns picking cards and explaining the words on them, but they are forbidden to use «taboo» words. For example, if the word to explain is «winter», and the «taboo» word is «cold», it cannot be used. This type of activity encourages the use of collocations, phrasal verbs, and idiomatic expressions. The game is suitable for levels from Intermediate to Advanced.

• Password

This fun game is appropriate for beginners. The goal of the game is to guess the password chosen by one of the players. The player who comes up with the word mentions several associations regarding the password, and the other players suggest all possible ideas of what it could be.

• Mind Map

The use of mind maps in the process of foreign language learning contributes to the development of various memory types, spatial thinking, and facilitates better assimilation of new vocabulary. When creating such a map, the number of categories and subcategories is determined based on the topic. For instance, when revising jobs, you can establish multiple categories related to different fields of activity (information technology, healthcare, education, art, sports, etc.). Participants take turns adding one word each, representing jobs, to the respective categories. A participant who cannot contribute any words exits the game, and the winner is the one who contributes the most words. Mind maps are most suitable for beginners, but they can also be beneficial for Advanced learners by helping to structure new and existing knowledge.

Grammar Games

• Mafia

For this game, participants are divided into citizens and the mafia (optionally, you can also have a sheriff and a doctor). The game process is divided into two phases – day and night. When the moderator announces that it's night, all players except the mafia close their eyes. When the day phase begins, all citizens wake up and engage in a discussion to identify the potential mafia members, which is followed by a voting process. The most suspicious citizen, who receives the most votes, leaves the game, and the moderator reveals their card and announces the game status. Mafia serves as an excellent game to hone the skill of asking questions and delivering well-reasoned responses utilizing diverse forms of the past tense. It's suitable for participants with Intermediate to Advanced levels of English.

• Never Have I Ever

This game aims to describe specific life experiences using the Present Perfect tense. Each participant has three attempts to keep  playing. For example, the first participant mentions something they have never done, and those who have done it lose one attempt. Players exit the game when they run out of attempts. This game is suitable for students with  Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate levels of English. It's also a great way for participants to get to know each other.

• Interview with a Celebrity

Another way to test knowledge is to conduct an interview. Each participant chooses a famous person they admire and writes ten questions about what they would like to know about this celebrity. Participants then pair up and role-play the interview, imagining that one of them is a talk show host, and the other is the celebrity. You can write down 2-3 grammar forms that participants must use to create questions in order to practice particular grammar. This activity can be modified for lower proficiency levels while being the best suitable for Intermediate to Advanced levels.

• Jeopardy 

You can choose 3-5 recently studied topics or tenses to practise during this game. Participants are presented with a list of topics to choose from. After selecting their preferred topic, they engage in the corresponding task. Each correctly performed task earns the player a certain number of points. The more difficult the task, the more points the participant receives. The winner is the one who accumulates the highest score. Jeopardy is suitable for any level of English proficiency.

• Who Am I?

Players choose a favorite famous actor, singer, or character for their counterpart without disclosing the identity. Taking turns, they ask questions in order to uncover the chosen figure, by employing various grammatical structures within the framework of «yes» or «no» responses.The winner is the one who successfully identifies the celebrity with the minimal number of questions. This game can be played by students starting from the level of elementary.

• If I Were...

This is an excellent way to practice Second Conditional sentences. Participants are presented with several situations, for example, «Would you rather be a happy homeless or an unhappy millionaire?» or «Would you rather have a hamster or a dog?». Alternative questions can be created to suit the participants' language proficiency and vocabulary. Each participant is tasked with making a choice and providing a rationale for their selection. As an added feature, participants have the option to cast votes at the conclusion of the game, recognizing the most unusual and interesting responses.

Fluency Games

These exercises aim to encourage English language students to speak fluently without a specific focus on vocabulary or grammar. To facilitate this goal, design a variety of everyday scenarios wherein students can showcase their proficiency in spontaneous verbal expression, thereby fostering self-motivation. The chosen discussion topics should align with both their personal interests and language learning objectives. For instance,  an activity to solve a conflict situation with a client fits Business English students rather than General ones. Generally, these exercises prove most effective for higher-level students, due to the need for sufficient knowledge necessary to sustain meaningful conversations. However, certain scenarios can be introduced at lower proficiency levels, as they may help students see the real meaning of the language in life.

• Just a Minute

This activity is better suited for students with Intermediate to Advanced levels of English. Prepare a list of questions/topics in advance, depending on the goal, whether related or unrelated thematically. Each student chooses a question/topic (this can be a random selection) and answers within one minute. The speaker is not interrupted. At the end of the exercise, feedback can be provided, pointing out common mistakes.

• Debating Club

Choose several controversial topics such as money, environment, health, relationships, etc., and prepare a few contradictory statements for each category. For instance, «Money makes everyone happy» or «Zoos should be banned».  Then, pair up participants and assign who agrees and who disagrees with the statement. Both sides must provide examples and explain their opinions.

• Videos Talk

This activity combines listening and speaking practice and can be used for higher-level students , but the video is short and the vocabulary is not complex, it can also be applied at lower levels. Choose an appropriate video on YouTube and prepare discussion questions before and after watching it (to get the students ready, assess listening comprehension, and promote fluency).

There are numerous excellent methods for learning English. It's important to understand that mastering a foreign language goes beyond understanding grammar, reading, and writing. but also building a desire to learn and acquire speaking skills through immersion in natural conversational situations.  Given that learning a foreign language is a multifaceted and demanding endeavor, our responsibility is to make the process as enjoyable as possible through the application of engaging ESL methodologies.