Activity

SOCCER GAME

A 'janken based' pair game useful for practicing many patterns. It is most useful for 'Yes' and 'No' question patterns.

2023 NOTE: I decided to reduce my presence on the site so I've removed most of the variants of my activities. Rather than posting a template or versions for multiple language points I'm just posting a single version. It's not hard to create one's own.

I make copies of each worksheet for each student as well as a blown up (A3) copy for the ALT and the JTE to demonstrate the activity. In some cases I've prepared two matches with different keywords on them. In this case one member of the pair gets the 'match one' sheet and the other gets the 'match two' sheet.

Demonstrating the activity I put the big copy on the board and pair up with the JTE. We decide who will be Brazil and who will be Japan and then we put a colored magnet in the middle of the sheet. Play '1-2-3 janken' and the winner moves towards the opponents goal post one space. The winner then either makes the sentence or asks the question and the loser responds. Repeat. If the same person wins again move another step closer, if they lose then move the magnet towards their goal post. Ask and answer another question and repeat. If the same person has one three times in a row they will get a goal which they record on the sheet and then move the magnet back to the center and continue playing. The game continues until the teacher calls time up. At that point see who won and who tied. If there is time do a second battle with another paper.

Both players get the worksheet so they can do the writing practice but during the game only one worksheet is used. The second worksheet can be used if another round is played.

I've included the versions I've used over the past few years but this is a very flexible activity and can be used for all sorts of language points.

There is space for writing practice but I rarely use it.

4
Submitted by UonumaRobert January 22, 2019 Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes. It is great as a warm-up.
  1. fukutanisan October 20, 2022

    This was an awesome find!! Thank you for your hard work!!!!
    I put them on PPT, grouped everything in an image, saved it, and put as a Jamboard background and then added a circle to act as the ball.
    That's something to consider so we print less and waste less paper. :)

  2. UonumaRobert October 20, 2022

    Cool, I do something like that for the demonstration if you look at the linked activities in the inspired section. If the students have the game on a tablet, something I really want to try to do it as a powerpoint for pairs. Another way to reduce paper use it have the game papers returned rather than written on so they can be reused in other classes. Or I often screen print games like this and shrink them down so they only take up part of the worksheet space.

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