Fun Last Minute ESL Activities to Finish the Day

Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) is a job that requires diligent planning and a good intuition as to how long it will take to complete a certain activity. I am a proponent of over-planning for my ESL classes so that I have additional materials that I can use at a later date. However, there have been times when I have finished the day's lesson and still have about 10 - 15 minutes of time left over. This is a situation that can panic even the most experiences of teachers, so I have compiled a list of some activities I like to try when there is a little time left to still let the students learn something. Here are some of my favorite activities:

1.Play a quick game of telephone. I write a sentence on a piece of paper, which is generally about the day's lesson and might include a few new vocabulary words. I pass the paper to one student, who in turn has to repeat the sentence to the next student. If you have a large class, hilarity often ensues when the last student has to repeat the sentence. The students are usually shocked to find out the original sentence. You might also use to this opportunity to discuss how the sentence changed meanings as it was passed from student to student. I often notice patterns of words being replaced by similar-sounding words, articles getting dropped, adjectives getting dropped, and so on.

2.Write a short story. Again, I like to base this activity on the day's lesson and encourage students to use new vocabulary words. I write a beginning sentence on a piece of paper and read it out loud to the students. I then fold the paper so that the line can't be seen. The first student will write a sentence that follows the opening sentence; then he or she will fold the paper and pass it to the next sentence. If the students stay on the same topic as the opening sentence, you can end up with a good result. If not, you'll at least have lots of laughs as you see the different twists and turns within the story.

3.Hide an object. I have a volunteer come in front of the class while the other students close their eyes. He or she picks an object from the classroom and hides it somewhere. The other students have to ask questions about the object, and the volunteer has to answer the questions with only a yes or no answer. I keep track of the clues on the board. If a student guesses the correct answer, he or she comes to the front of the room to be the new volunteer.

4.Play vocabulary charades. Make a list of new vocabulary words that the students have just covered. One by one, have each student select a word off the board and act it out. The other students will have to guess which action that the presenter is performing. If you have a small group, this is a fun activity to bring all students out of their shells.

These are just a few of the games that I like to try when I am left with a few minutes in class. All are fun and will at least reinforce some of the material that the students have worked on that day. Plus, playing a quick game will allow the students to relax before leaving class. So, give them a try and have fun!