How To Teach Vocabulary Using Playing Cards - Easy ESL Games
3 Card Hold'em is a fun and easy way to get your class using newly learned vocabulary and target language right away! It's extremely simple to use and 3 Card Hold’em is guaranteed to be fun for your whole ESL/EFL class.
The Details About 3 Card Hold'em:
- 3 card hold’em is vocabulary review.
- The only materials required are some vocabulary cards.
- I usually teach 7 cards at a time using the 2-1-0 method. You can easily play 7 rounds of this game within 2-3 minutes.
In this example we are teaching School Supplies as our topic. And "Do you have a book?" as our Target Language.
Here's How To Play 3 Card Hold'em:
- After pre-teaching 7 vocabulary cards using the 2-1-0 technique, secretly select 3 of cards.
- Place the remaining cards face down on the table so your students can’t see what it is.
- Fan the 3 cards out in front of you. Your students should not be able to see the images or words on the cards.
- Point to one card and ask, “What do I have?”. Next, model the response you’re looking for “ Do you have a pencil? “ Do you have a ruler?
- When someone guesses correctly, hand them the vocabulary card and repeat the game until you’ve practice all 7 of the newly learned words.
- Repeat until you've practiced all of your newly learned vocabulary items.
Example:
S1 -Do you have an eraser?
S2 - No, I don’t.
S3- Do you have a book?
S2 - No, I don’t.
When someone guesses correctly.
S1 - Do you have a computer?
S2 - Yes, I do!
3 Card Hold'em:
- It’s an effective and interesting vocabulary review.
- It’s very quick.
- It’s an easy way to bridge the gap between teaching new language and using it later on in your lesson.