Flashcard Activities

Air Writing - B

Put six flashcards on the board. Choose one word and 'write' the word in the air. Turn round so that you are facing the same way as the class when you 'write' the word. Children work out the word and say it.

Alphabet Shout - CBR

Split the class into three or four teams. Revise the alphabet by showing them the letters one by one or singing an alphabet song. Stick the picture cards from one lexical set on the board and then hold up a letter from the alphabet while saying it out loud. The first child to call out the name of one item of the selected lexical set beginning with that letter gets the picture card for his/her team. The team with most cards is the winner. At the end of the game you can ask the children with the picture cards to stand up at the front of the class holding up their cards in alphabetical order.

Alphabet Soup - RM

Place some letters in a bowl. Divide flashcards by their beginning letters. Each student draws a letter from the bowl and then finds the flashcards associated with that letter.

Alphabet Wave - R

Divide flashcards beginning a-z among all the students. Put students in a line and play an alphabet song. As it plays each student must hold up their corresponding flashcard.

Alphabetical Order Race - FCR

Take six flashcards and give one each to six children. Children have to look at the item on their card and line up in alphabetical order. You can also turn this into a team game. Divide children into groups of six and give each group a different set of flashcards. The first team to line up in the correct alphabetical order is the winner.

Backs to the Board Game - FCB

This one is good for higher level learners. Make two teams and stand one student from each team in front of the board, facing away from it. Place a flashcard on the board (e.g. "hamburger") and the students have to explain that word to their team member without saying it spelling it (e.g. you can buy it in McDonalds, it's got cheese and ketchup in it). The first student out of the two standing in front of the board to guess the word wins a point for his/her team.

Ball Game - BRM

Have ready a soft ball. Stick 8-10 flashcards on the board, Children stand in a circle. Hold up the ball, say one, two, three… and name one of the flashcards on the board e.g. Cinema! As you throw the ball to a student in the circle. The student who catches the ball repeats the procedure and names another flashcard. The game continues in the same way until all the flashcards on the board have been named.

Basketball - FCRM

Students take a shot at the trashcan/box/etc with crumpled up paper. First show a flashcard to student 1. If s/he answers correctly then s/he can have a shot at the basket. If the student gets the ball in the basket then s/he wins 2 points. If the student hits the basket without going inside then s/he wins 1 point. The person who gets the most points is the winner. This can also be played in teams.

Blow Fish - CM

Cut out 2 pictures of very simple fish and fold their tails so they stick up a litte. Lay flashcards on the floor at one end of the room. Have two students behind a line a couple of meters away from a line right in front of the flashcards. Teacher tells the two students "Get me a ____ and a ___". The two students then race to blow the fish across the line and grab the two correct flashcards. Make this productive by having them say the words when they give you the flashcards.

Board Pelmanism - BRM

Stick a plain card on the reverse side of the 8-10 flashcards you are using. Stick the flashcards in jumbled order on one side of the board, so that students can’t see the pictures, and number them. Do the same with the word cards on the other side of the board. Invite one student to choose a flashcard e.g. Number two, please and, as you turn it round to show the picture, to say what it is e.g. (It’s a) mint ice cream. Invite the same student to choose a word card in the same way. If the flashcard and word card match, remove them from the board. If not, turn them both round so that they are in the same position but facing inwards again. The game proceeds with different students choosing a flashcard and word card in the same way, trying to match them from memory until they are all removed.

Board Race - FCB

Stick four flashcards on the board in a row, low enough for the students to reach. Divide the class into two teams. Call out one of the flashcards and the first two students from each team run to the board. The first student to touch the correct flashcard and shout the word wins a point for his/her team. Continue with the other flashcards.

Charades - FCR

Have a student come to the front of the class and show a flashcard or whisper a word to that student. The student then acts out that word and the first student to guess can be the next player. This works very well with action verbs. Variation: divide the class up into teams - the first student to guess wins a point for his/her team.

Clap Hands - F

(Receptive) Hold up a flashcard and say a word. If the word is the same as the item on the card, the students clap their hands once. If the word and the flashcard item are different, they must keep silent.

Classify the Words - BM

Draw two or three large circles on the board and write topic words at the top of each one e.g. rooms, shops. Children take turns to come to the front of the class, either individually or in pairs, read a word card that you give them and stick it in the correct circle.

Clever Parrot - FR

This is a Variation of 'Clap Hands': Hold up a flashcard and say a word. If the word is the same as the item on the card, the students repeat the word. If the word and the flashcard item are different, they must keep silent.

Crouching Game - R

Ask the class to make four lines. Give each line a flashcard. When you call their flashcard, the whole line should crouch down. When they hear a different flashcard, they should stand up. Make it a productive activity by having students also shout their word when it is called.

Disappearing Flashcards - B

Put six flashcards on the board. Point to them one at a time and students say the word. Remove a card. Children say the words again, including the card that has been removed. Repeat the process until students are chanting all the words with no picture prompts.

Dynamic Drilling - R

Hold up a flashcard and say the word. Ask students to copy you. Say the word again, this time very softly. Children repeat the word softly. You can say the word in lots of different ways, e.g. loudly, slowly, quickly, sadly, angrily. Each time students must copy the way you say it.

Flash! - FR

Stick a plain card on the reverse side of the flashcards you are using so students cannot see both pictures. Show each flashcard to the students very quickly by holding it at the sides between your thumb, index and second finger and turning it round very quickly. Children look and guess what it is.

Flashcard & Word Match - BM

Stick flashcards on the board. Give out word cards to individual students. Children take turns to stick their words by the correct flashcard. Alternatively, you can stick the word cards on the board and give the flash cards out to students.

Flashcard Bingo (1) - CB

Stick a set of picture cards on the board and the corresponding text cards below the picture cards. Ask the students to choose six cards from the board and write them in a grid on a piece of paper. Then you call out the words from the set in random order. The children cross off their words as they hear them. The first student to cross off all their words and shout Bingo! is the winner.

Flashcard Bingo (2) - CB

Use at least twelve flashcards. Stick the flashcards on the board. Children draw a grid with six squares and write the name of one flashcard in each square. Remove the flashcards from the board and shuffle them. Hold up the flashcards one by one and say the names. Children write a cross on the word if it is in their grid. The first student to write a across on all six words in their grid calls out Bingo! And is the winner.

Flashcard Board Game - BRM

Stick eight or nine flashcards on the board in a circle. Draw arrows from one flashcard to another. The children take it in turns to throw a dice and move along the flashcards as if they were the squares of a board game - they can draw a circle with the same number of circles as there are flashcards on a piece of paper. When they land on a flashcard they should draw an X on their paper and name it. If they cannot, they go back to where they were on the last go.

Flashcard Chain - R

Stand or sit in a circle with the students. Pass the first flashcard to the student on your left and ask a question e.g. Do you like chocolate ice cream? Yes, (I do)/ No, (I don’t). The student then asks the question and passes the flashcard to the next student and so on around the circle. When the first flashcard is about three students away from you in the circle, introduce another one by asking the student on your left a question in the same way.

Flashcard Collectors - FCR

Hold up a flashcard and elicit the word from a student. Students can win the flashcard if they answer correctly. The student with the most flashcards at the end is the winner.

Flashcard Hangman - B

Use the alphabet flashcards to play this. Think of a word the students know and draw dashes, the same width as the flashcards, for each letter on the board. Children suggest letters to go in the word. If a letter is correct stick the corresponding flashcard in the correct place in the word. If the letter is not correct, stick the flashcard on one side of the board and start to draw a line to the hangman figure. Children win the game if they guess the word before you complete the picture.

Flashcard Instructions - B

(Receptive) Stick a set of flashcards on the walls. Divide the class into groups. Give each group instructions in turn e.g. Group 1 Walk to the kitchen. Group two. Jump to the dining room etc.

Flashcard Pelmanism - CR

You need 2 sets of flashcards for this game. Place both sets face down on the floor. Students take turns turning over 2 cards (saying the cards aloud). If the cards match then the student keeps the cards. If the cards are different the cards are turned back over again in their original places. The student with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner.

Flashcard Roulette - RM

Put some flashcards, facing up, on the floor so that all of the students can see them. Ask a student to throw a coin or counter. When the counter falls on or near a flashcard, the student tries to name it.

Flashcard Story - R

(Receptive) You will need to invent a very simple story with relevant flashcards. Give out flashcards you are going to include in the story to the students in pairs. An example may be of a house and a character from your book; One day Mr Macaroni loses his watch. (Use mime to convey meaning). He looks in the bedroom but he can’t find it. He looks in the bathroom but he can’t find it, etc. (name all the rooms). Then Mr Macaroni goes into the garden to play football. Suddenly, he sees his watch under the tree. Mr Macaroni is very happy. Children listen and hold up the corresponding flashcard when they hear the word in the story.

Grab & Say - CR

After drilling the appropriate vocabulary, line the students up in teams at one end of the classroom (this activity works better if you have a large classroom). The teacher then places the flashcards on the floor in random order. The teacher then calls out the vocabulary on one of the cards, e.g. "rabbit" and then a student from each team (at the same time) races to find the correct flashcard. When the student finds the appropriate card they then give it to the teacher and say the appropriate word or sentence. Emphasis here is placed equably on their correct pronunciation, as it is on recognizing the word. Then a point is awarded.

Go Blow Fish - CM

Before this game you need to have the students in pairs draw and cut out a picture of a fish. While they are doing that put 2 parallel lines of tape on the floor a few meters apart. Have students play in twos - each student behind a different line. The teacher shows student 1 a flashcard and asks what it is. If the student answers it correctly, s/he can blow once to propel the fish forward. Next, the teacher asks student 2. The student who blows the fish over the tapped line is the winner.  

Guess the Card - FR

Choose a flashcard without letting students see it. Children ask closed questions to guess the word e.g. 'Is it made of plastic?' Answer 'Yes, it is/ No, it isn't' as appropriate until students guess the word. Once they understand, continue with a student at the front answering the questions.

I Spy - FBR

Stick the flashcards from a lexical set e.g. animals on the board (or around the room). Start the game by saying “I spy with my little eye something big/grey/beginning with G”. The students guess by saying “Is it …?” The first student to guess which card you have chosen is the winner. Then appoint a student to take your role.

Is it a... ? - FR

Hold up a card for students to see without looking at it yourself. Guess what the picture is. Say: Is it a (banana?) Children answer Yes, it is! or No, it isn’!. Repeat the activity with students at the front.

Jumbled Words & Flashcards - BM

Stick flashcards and word cards on the board in the jumbled order. Invite students to the board in turn and get them to draw lines to join the flashcards and words.

Karuta - C

Lay flashcards on a table or the floor, picture side up. Teacher calls out the word/phrase/etc. and students compete to be the first person to grab or touch the card. If they touch it, they repeat the word or answer a question, and keep the card. The game continues until all the cards have been picked up.

Kim's Game - FCBR

Split the class into three or four groups. Stick eight or ten flashcards on the board and ask the students to look at the cards for one minute. Remove all the cards, take out two and put up the rest of the cards in a different order. The first group to guess which cards have been taken out is the winner.

Letter & Picture Match - B

Choose between 6-10 alphabet flashcards and stick them in different places on the walls. Have ready a selection of magazine pictures or flashcards showing known vocabulary. Divide the class into two teams and give the students in each team a number. Give students with the same number from each team a picture of flashcard. The students race to stand by the alphabet flashcard that shows the initial letter of the picture of flashcard they have been given.

Lip Reading - FB

Put six flashcards on the board. Choose one and mouth the word without making any sound. Students look at your lips as you mouth the word and say what it is.

Little by Little - FR

Choose a flashcard, cover it with a piece of card and hold it up for the class to see. Ask 'What is it?' Move the piece of card so that you reveal a bit of the flashcard beneath. Keep revealing a bit more of the flashcard until students guess what it is.

Make the Alphabet - B

Give out the alphabet flashcards in random order to different students. If there are fewer than twenty six in the class, give some students two flashcards showing consecutive letters. Children take turns to come to the front of the class and stick their flashcards in alphabetical order on the board. Alternatively, the students stand up, hold up their flashcards and arrange themselves in alphabetical order in a line.

Memory Card Game - CBR

Stick a set of flashcards (up to ten different items) on the board. Point to each card and encourage the students to say the items. Split the class into two teams and ask them to look at the cards for two minutes. Put the cards face down in the same order. In turn, ask one student from alternate teams to touch a card, say the item and then turn the card over. If he/she has guessed correctly, he/she can keep the card for his/her team. If not, he/she puts it back in the place it came from. The team who guesses the most cards is the winner.  

Mime - CBR

Seasons, animals, or sports flashcards can be used in this way. Split the class into four or five teams and fix the cards at the front of the class. Ask one team to mime the appropriate scene from a card, e.g. playing football/It’s cold. The group who guesses the correct card first wins a point. This group then mimes another card. The group with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Mime the Flashcard - F

(Receptive) Hold up flashcards in turn and say the words or phrases, which correspond to the pictures. Children mime in response e.g. they can pretend to do a different activity or sport.

Mix & Match - BR

Stick (small) flashcards and the corresponding text cards from a lexical set randomly on the blackboard. In small groups, the students match the text to the picture cards by drawing lines. When all the cards have been correctly matched to the words, rub out the lines and put all the picture cards in a pile. Put the class into two teams and ask the students from each team, in turn, to take one card from the pile and stick it next to the corresponding text card. The team with the most pairs matched correctly is the winner.

Musical Chair Alphabet - CR

Place chairs in the form of musical chairs with alphabet flashcards placed on them. Start the music when the music stops the students pick up their flashcards and have to read the sound on the flashcard. The student who is unable to read is out of the game. 

Musical Flashcards - FCM

Students walk around some flashcards in a circle as some music is playing. When the music stops, the teacher shouts out a flashcard and the students must race to grab  that card. The first student to grab it keeps the card (1 point) and the game continues.

Noughts & Crosses - CB

Draw a 3 x 3 grid on the board and stick a flashcard in each square. Divide the class into two teams, 0s and Xs. Each team takes it turn to name one of the flashcards. If they do so correctly, draw a 0 or an X in the corresponding square. The aim of the game is to get three 0s or Xs in a row. 

Numbers- BR

Put a set of six flashcards on the board and write a number from 1-6 beside each one. Say one of the flashcards e.g. pizza, and students say the corresponding number, e.g. 4. Alternatively you can say the number and students say the corresponding word. You can turn this into a memory game by listing off a few numbers and having the student list the words back.

Odd One Out! - FR

Take a lexical set of flashcards, e.g. animals or food. Include one card that is not in the same lexical set as the others. Hold up each card in turn and students say the name of the item. When you show the card that is not in the same lexical set, students call out 'Odd one out!'

Ostrich Game - CR

This game is really good fun. You need some clothes pegs. Pair up students and peg a card onto each student's back. Both students face each other with hands behind backs waiting for the teacher to shout "Go!".  At this point they must try to discover his/her partner's hidden flashcard without letting their partner see theirs.  When a student finally sees his/her partner's card s/he has to shout it out to become the winner. The students look like ostriches when playing this game.

Pairs - RM

Put a pile of picture flashcards and a separate pile of matching text cards face down on the table. Each student takes a picture or text card. (There must be at least one text card to match each picture card. In larger classes there could be more than one text card per picture card.) The students walk around the room finding the players with the equivalent text/picture card using appropriate language, for example, What card/colour have you got? Have you got a …? etc.

Pass & Say - R

Sit the students with you in a circle. The teacher holds up a flashcard or object and says its name (e.g. "Pen").  Teacher passes it on to the next student who also says its name and passes it on to the next student.  Variations: change directions, speed rounds, have many objects going round at the same time.

Pictionary - FCR

Good for reviewing vocab. Pick a student and show him/her a flashcard picture or whisper a word into his/her ear. The student draws the picture on the board and the first student to guess the picture gets to draw the next picture. This can also be played in teams with a point system. 

Picture Recognition Game - R

Have all the students stand at one end of the room and the teacher in the middle. Hold up one picture flashcard and students come forward and whisper the word in the teacher's ear. If correct, they can go over to the other side of the room. Students can have as many guesses as they like.

Please Give Me... - F

You can use flashcards or realia. Elicit the different flashcards you have, then place them all around the classroom. Once the students have collected the flashcards (they'll probably do their best to hide them in their pockets, etc.), teacher says "Please give me a (bus)".  The student with the (bus) flashcard should approach the teacher and hand it to him/her: "Here is the (bus)".

Point (Receptive)- B

Put six flashcards in different places around the room. Say a word, and students point to the relevant card. Make this productive by having students repeat you.

Point (Productive) - B

Stick a set of flashcards on the walls. Hold up each one and students say the names as you do this. Give instructions e.g. Point to the supermarket! Children listen and point to the correct flashcards as fast as they can and say the word.

Quick Peek - FC

The teacher holds a flashcard with the picture facing towards him/her. Teacher quickly shows it to the students for a quick peek. The student who guesses the card wins a point.

Race Track - CRM

Lay out the flashcards like a race track with a start and finish line. Students play in pairs or teams. Student 1 rolls a dice and moves a counter along the track. The student must say the flashcard landed on and if wrong must move back to the original position. Variation: put in some 'throw again' cards (e.g. brightly colored cards) and nominate a 'crash' number on the die (e.g. if students throws a 6 they crash and must stay where they are and miss a turn).

Relay Dictionary - CR

Split the class into two teams. Show student A in each team a flashcard. They say the first letter of the item on the card to the next student who writes the letter on a piece of paper, when they have done this correctly they are shown the flashcard and they say the next letter of the word to the next student who writes down the second letter on the paper. This continues until the word has been completed. The first team to complete the word wins the game.

Repeat if True - BR

Stick a set of flashcards on the board. Point to one of the flashcards and say the name. If you have said the correct name, students repeat it. If not, they stay silent. This activity can be made more challenging if you say sentences e.g. It’s a lemon ice cream.

Rope Jump - RM

You need a rope for this one! Have students stand behind each other in a line. Hold a rope (have a student hold the other end) at a height that the students should be able to jump over. On the other side of the rope spread out some flashcards or objects and a box. Call out the name of one of the flashcards/objects to the first student. S/he has to jump over the rope, pick up the correct flashcard and put it in the box. For other rounds you can hold the rope down low, so students have to crawl/roll under. 

Shopping - R

This can be used with a wide range of flashcards (food pictures work well). Gather all the students and show them all the flashcards you have. Ask a student "What do you want?" (or maybe "What would you like?" to higher levels). The student should reply (e.g. "a hamburger, please"). The teacher then says "Here you are" and the student finishes with "Thank you". At the end collect the objects by playing the 'Please Give Me' game.

Slam - C

Sit the students in a circle and place some flashcards in the middle of the circle. Tell students to put their hands on their heads The teacher shouts out the word of one of the flashcards and the students race to touch it. The student who touches it first get to keep the object. The student who has the most flashcards at the end of the game is the winner.

Slow Motion - FC

The teacher holds a pack of flashcards with the pictures facing towards him/her. The last card should be turned around so it is facing the students but is hidden as it is behind the pack.  Slowly pull the flashcard up inch by inch so the students can only see part of the flashcard. As the picture is slowly revealed students try and guess what it is. The first student to guess correctly keeps the card (for 1 point). Variation: To make it a little more difficult turn the flashcard upside down.  

Slowly, Slowly! - FR

Choose the flashcards and have ready a plain piece of card the same size. Hold up each flashcard in turn covered completely by the card at first. Pull down the card to slowly reveal the picture and encourage students to guess what it is.

Snap - C

You need 2 sets of flashcards all shuffled together. Sit the students in a circle and deal out all the cards to the students. Student 1 places down a card in the middle of the circle and says the word aloud, followed by student 2 placing his/her card down to form a pile. At some point 2 identical cards may be placed on top of each other and the students race to slam the pile and shout "Snap!". The student who slams last takes the pile. Students should try and lose all their cards. The last student left with all the cards is the loser.

Spell it Right - R

"Give out the alphabet flashcards in random order to different students. Say words from vocabulary the students know one at a time. Children who think they one of the letters from the word you say come and stand in a line at the front of the class and hold up their flashcards to spell the word. The rest of the class check the spelling. Note: It is important to choose words that only have one of each letter e.g. lunch, hamster etc."

Spelling Game - BR

Divide the class into two teams, A and B. Put a flashcard on the board. Choose a student from Team A to come and write the word on the board next to the card. Award one point if the student identifies the object correctly, and one point for the correct spelling. Then choose another flashcard and ask a student from Team B to come and write the word. The team with the most points at the end is the winner.

Spin the Bottle - FRM

Sit students in a circle with a bottle (or pencil) in the middle. The teacher Spins the bottle. When it stops spinning, the student it is pointing to is shown a flashcard and asked to say what it is. If the answer is correct then that student can spin the bottle.

Stand Up! - B

(Receptive) Divide the class into two teams. Stick four or five flashcards on the left of the board for one team and four or five flashcards on the right of the board for the other team. Say the words in random order. Children stand up as fast as they can if the word belongs to their team.

Stop (Receptive) - FR

Take six flashcards. Say a word and then show students the flashcards one by one. As soon as they see the card which matches the word you said, they call out Stop! 

Stop (Productive) - FR

Stick a flashcard on the board and elicit the name. Hold up word cards one by one. Children read silently until you hold up the world card, which matches the flashcard. They call Stop! And read the word out loud. Repeat with different flashcards.

Text & Flashcard Pelmanism - RM

Spread a set of picture cards and their matching text cards face down in two separate piles, pictures and text. The students take turns to pick up two cards, one from each pile. If the cards match, the student can keep them; if they do not, they must be replaced exactly where they came from. The winner is the player with the most matching pairs

Threes! - C

Stick a plain card temporarily on the reverse side of the flashcards you are using. Sit in a circle with the students and divide them into two teams. Lay three of the flashcards out in front of you and elicit it the names. Turn the flashcards over so that the pictures are hidden. Change the positions of the flashcards on the floor so that they are no longer easily identifiable. Invite a student from one of the teams to name one of the three flashcards. He/ She then tries to find this flashcard by choosing one of them and turning it over to reveal the picture. If it isn’t the flashcard they named, the three flashcards are turned over and move around again and a student from the other team has a turn. If it is the flashcard they named, they keep it for their team. You then introduce another flashcard to make up the three in the game. The game continues in the same way with the students on each team taking turns. The team with most flashcards at the end wins.

Tic-Tac-Toe - CM

Place 9 flashcards (representing words, phrases, questions, etc) face down and numbered (or letters of the alphabet) on a large grid taped on the floor. Students call out number or letter to see flashcard. A student or team with correct response claims that space with an X or O.  

Tornado! - CBM

Supplies: flashcards (pictures or questions on one side, numbers on the other), 'Tornado Cards' (flashcards with numbers on one side and a tornado picture on the other). Stick the numbered cards on the board with either pictures or questions on the back (depending on the age group) facing the board. Also include 6 Tornado cards and mix them in with the picture cards. Students then choose a number card. If they answer the question correctly then their team can draw a line to draw a house. If they choose a tornado card then they blow down their opposing teams part drawing of a house. The first team to draw a house wins.  

Touch the Flashcard - B

(Receptive) Place flashcards around the room and have students run around the classroom touching the flashcards that the teacher orders them to (e.g. "Touch the car" "Touch the bicycle" "Touch the bus").

True or False Line- M

(Receptive) Put a line of tape on the floor and designate one side "True" and the other "False".  Hold up a flashcard or object and say its word. If students think that you have said the correct word they jump on the True side, if not they jump on the False side. Incorrect students sit out until the next game.

Uncover - FR

After the vocabulary has been thoroughly taught, sit and slowly expose a flashcard until someone can guess what it is. Reward everyone as they will tend to guess at the same time. 

Up & Down - R

You need 2 sets of flashcards for this game. Give each of your students a flashcard from one set. The teacher keeps the other set. Arrange the students so that they are all sitting down. The teacher holds up one flashcard and the student with the same flashcard stands up and says the word and then sits down again. Play the game at a fast pace so that students are standing up and sitting down rapidly. Variation: Give each student 2 or 3 flashcards.

Vanishing Flashcards - FCR

Place a number of flashcards in front of the students. Give them a few moments to memorize the pictures and then tell them to close their eyes. Take away one of the flashcards and then tell the students to open their eyes again. The first student to guess the missing flashcard can win that flashcard (for 1 point) and take away a flashcard in the next round.

What do You See? - R

Take a piece of blank card a little larger than the flashcards and cut out a small hole in the middle. Move the hole over a flashcard and ask the students to guess what the picture is. Alternatively, put two flashcards face to face. Use one of the flashcards to gradually reveal the picture on the other flashcard. The students try to guess what the picture is.

What's Next? - CR

Take a set of six flashcards and place them in a pile face down in front of you. Choose a student and ask What's next? The student has to guess the card before you turn it over. You make a guess too. Then turn over the card to see who was right. You can play this as a game with the class. If you guess correctly, you score a point, and if the student guesses correctly the class score a point.

What's the Difference? - FBR

Put ten flashcards on the board. Ask students to close their eyes. Swap the position of two of the cards. Tell students to open their eyes and ask 'What's different?' Children say the two cards that have changed position. This can also be used to practice use of prepositions of place (e.g. 'The shoe is on the left of the car').

What's Your Card? - R

Take five or six lexical sets of flashcards, e.g. food, clothes, animals. Give each student in the class one card and explain that they must find students with cards in the same lexical set as their own. Children walk around the class asking each other 'What's your card?' When they have found all the members of their set they sit down. You can make it more fun by setting a time limit

Whispers Race - FC

Put some flashcards face up on a desk. Divide the class into two teams and ask them to sit in rows. The first two students in each team come to you and you whisper an instruction, for example, Give me a doll please. These students go back to their teams and whisper the instruction to the next student. This student then whispers it to the next, and so on, until the last student in the team runs to the desk, takes the flashcard and gives it to you. The first student to give you the flashcard wins a point for his/her team. The student who was at the front of the line then goes to the back.

Who's got the Flashcard? - R

Have music ready. Children stand in a circle with their hands behind their backs. One student stands in the middle of the circle. Show a flashcard and elicit the name. Explain that when you play the music, students pass the flashcard round the circle behind their backs. When the music stops, they stop. The student in the centre has three chances to find out who’s got the flashcard by asking questions e.g. Have you got the hamster? Yes, (I have)/ No, (I haven't). If he/ she finds the student with the flashcard, that student has the next turn. The game continues using a different flashcard and with a different student in the middle of the circle each time.

Word Chains - R

Split the class into teams of five or six students. Take the flashcards from a lexical set and give them to one team, so each student has one card. The first student in the group holds up his/her card and says the item. The second student says the first item, holds up their card and says their item, and so on until the last student has to say all the items. To help the students remember, ask each student to keep holding up his/her card. Every student that says all the items correctly wins one point. Each group does the same with their lexical items. The group with the most points when each team has finished is the winner. You can also ask the students to start the lists of items with a specific sentence, for example, I've got a head. I've got a head and two eyes etc.

Word Race - FB

Stick a selection of alphabet flashcards in jumbled order on the board. Divide the class into pairs or groups and give the students a time limit to make words of two or more letters from the flashcards on the board. Explain to the students that they can include words in their list where letters are repeated e.g. green, dinner etc. After five minutes, check the words and find out how many the class has collectively managed to make.