Tag Archives: top 5

The Top 5 games I’ve made

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top5Continuing on with the series of Top 5 games posts - today, I’m offering up the top games I’ve created. Games not based on any other concept but what I’ve thought up.

I got into making my own games simply because I saw so much “possibility”. A way for me to be creative in the classroom and prime my own teacher development. There is a lot that goes into making a great game;

1. Engagement. How to keep the students “there” and in the game.

2. Construction. How to make the game visually attractive and simple for a teacher/student to use/play.

3. Content. What to put in the game so it will be valuable for language learning.

Mostly, to make a great game, you have to really have a solid understanding of how students learn. That’s what excited me, to make something that better helped students learn because the game understood implicitly, what kept students ticking and piecing together language in their brains. To me, game making isn’t just Q and A – there is much deeper possibility.

I’m now risking boring you to death! So let the games begin – here are the Top 5 games I’ve made with an example and all available for download through the games folder on EFL Classroom 2.0.

1. One of These Things Is Not Like The Others. This game gets my top vote because of how it focuses and fosters student critical thinking skills while at the same time, keeping things simple. Students are presented with 4 images and must produce sentences stating why one thing is different from the others. Here’s a nice Picasa slideshow version I made (just pause and then use the arrow keys to advance) or try the flash version.

2. Top 5. In this Family Feud styled game, students brainstorm the top 5 words for a category. Then they check and get points depending on the rank of their answer. Worksheet included and check out the video a teacher made using the game. It can get noisy!

3. BAAM. Teachers have gone mad over this game. Possibly because it has templates of different length, possibly because in this game, any team could win right up to the last round/chance! Easy to put in your own content and a very simple concept. Simplicity is its key and strength.

4. What the Wordle. I’m really proud of this game (not really a game but a concept). I saw the power and beauty of Wordle and thought I could use that to make attractive games. The next key was to put it together using PicasaWeb. Bingo. You have a simple game of slides with hours of interaction / learning. See the whole directory here.

5. Lastonestanding. This game is a classic that you play with any audio or song. Students love it and it fosters great listening skills. Always a winner and a team winner!

Honorable Mentions. Transl8it.com / Story Dominoes / Pass the Paper / Bingo Basic

Top 5 blog turn offs (for me)

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Magritte-The_False_MirrorI usually stay FAR away from blogging about blogging. Not that I don’t find this kind of introspection, fun or revealing/engaging. Far from it. I just don’t feel comfortable doing it and if there is one BIG rule when it comes to blogging, it is, blog about what you are comfortable with.

There you go, I’ve started blogging about blogging. LOL.

I decided to share my own “hates” and what I find distasteful on some blogs because I’ve noticed there seems to be a lot of interest in these kind of blogging about blogging posts. Also, a little bit of venting will do any man  or woman some good. So in that vein, here it goes. The top 5 turn offs for me when first arriving on a blog. (and I’ve found my share through the Random ELT Blog Generator ).  Oh yeah, my apologizes in advance to the examples I’ve noted for each. Not that you aren’t probably good blokes and teachers – and I also might be wrong. But this is how I feel.

1.  Selling. Big, bold, buy this pitches that confront your sensibility and make you think you’d best start browsing Amazon. (and this goes too for those blogs selling Amazon stuff). HERE”S AN EXAMPLE.

2.  Selling the reader short. You know, those blog posts that just have a photo and say, “I just got back from the mall and wanted to let you know.” or they just have a link….  In case one, use twitter. In case two, use twitter. HERE”S AN EXAMPLE.

3.  Youtube videos galore.  Like, I want to know what YOU think, not what Youtube thinks. It’s a blog, not the cinema. Great, you know how to embed stuff, but again, what do YOU think? HERE”S AN EXAMPLE.

4.  Tiny print, black and white and no pictures! Especially with 3 columns.  Yes, I’m getting old and yes, I need (deserve)  a little color. If I wanted to read the newspaper, I’d of bought one.  HERE’S AN EXAMPLE.

5.  Lists. The Top “this” and The Best “that”.  Why do we need lists? Can’t we just follow your train of thought? What ever happened to WRITING, it’s a blog isn’t it, not the David Letterman show!  HERE”S AN EXAMPLE.