ESL Tile-Based Game Examples

 

About This Activity Type

Overview

Different Interactive Builder Kits offer a variety of different functions. 

As we continually add more content, these will range from schedule builders (for weather, school timetables, and travel plans) to tile-based custom vehicle builders.

All of the Interactive Builder Kits are designed to be used for speaking activities with 2 or more partners, who communicate verbally to complete information-gap activities.

 

Activity Presentation Phase Instructions

Methodological Background

These resources are designed for use in information-gap activities.

Information-gap activities are a type of classroom communication practice exercise in both communicative language teaching (CLT) and task-based language teaching (TBLT).

These activities allow teachers and students to complete a task that can only be successfully completed through authentic verbal communication.

Note: For card game-based information-gap activities, please visit the Deduction Card Games page.

 Methological Background

 


 

Family Tree Builder Kit

This kit provides a four-layered cardstock based modular family tree builder, with slots built in for different character tiles to be inserted to create a completed family free. Accompanying the modular builder, is a set of completed family tree cards that can be used in conjunction with the modular builder for information-gap activities that utilize family vocabulary words as well as vocabulary words related to clothing, color, and wearable accessories.

 

Family Tree Builder - 1st Layer

1st (Top) Layer of
5 Layer Builder

 

Family Tree Builder - 2nd Layer

2nd Layer of
5 Layer Builder

 

Family Tree Builder - 3rd Layer

3rd Layer of 
5 Layer Builder

 

Family Tree Builder - 4th Layer

4th Layer of 
5 Layer Builder

 

Family Tree Builder - 5th Layer

5th (Bottom) Layer of 
5 Layer Builder

 

A large collection of "character tiles" is also provided. These fit perfectly into the tile space provided in the modular family tree builder. Each character tile can verbally be described differently than all other character tiles by communicating some combination of information about the characters clothings, accessories, hair color, or facial hair style.

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Girl With
Blue Shirt

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Boy With
Red Shirt

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Woman With
White Shirt

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Man With
Blue Sweater

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Woman With
Yellow Sweater

 

The backs of each "character tile" feature the character's age, which can be used for activities that involve asking questions about age. The age on the back of each tile roughly matches how old the character on the other side looks. 

Every "character tile" has a different age than all of the characters sharing the same gender, so every single tile can be differentiated from every other tile just based on questions about age and gender. This will be useful if a teacher wishes to provide their students with an activity that just uses age and/or gender specific vocabulary words.

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile (Back)

Tile For 5 
Year Old Girl

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Tile For 14
Year Old Boy

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Tile For 41
Year Old Woman

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Tile For 56
Year Old Man

 

Family Tree Builder - Character Tile

Tile For 70
Year Old Woman

 

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Monster Builder Tiles

This printable game includes a set of 20 tiles that can be used to assemble a wide variety of different monster combinations. These allow for a game to be played where one partner verbally communicates what a monster on a randomly chosen card (from a set of accompanying game cards) looks like, and the second partner needs to assemble a matching monster without seeing the actual card.

 

Monster Tiles - Printable Example Pages

Sheet of Printable Monster Tiles

 

Monster Cards

Sheet of Accompanying Game Cards

 

These materials are designed to allow for authentic communication practice of body-part vocabulary and some relevant sentence patterns.

 

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