Using Bingo to Teach Irregular Verb Forms in the ESL Classroom

English as a Second Language, or ESL, is an exciting field for teaching professionals. As an ESL instructor, I spend a lot of time trying to think of ways to make learning more exciting or rewarding for students. During this past semester, I noticed that my students were having trouble remembering the past tense forms of irregular verbs. Even though we had gone over drills and completed worksheets, the students often relied on their textbooks to find the correct answers. So, to change the pace of class a bit, I decided to try a popular activity that many teachers use to acquire new vocabulary words: Bingo! The Bingo card provides the students a chance to use their vocabulary skills along with having fun; in fact, my students became very competitive while playing!

To start, I made my own Bingo sheets using a blank Word document. I used the "insert table" feature to make a five-by-five grid, which would give the students 24 blank spaces. In the center square, I typed in Free so the students had one free word to start. I also attached a list of past-tense forms of irregular verbs.

During class, I passed out both the bingo cards and verb list and gave the students a series of instructions to follow. First, I had my class fill out their cards with 24 words that they felt they knew the best. I walked around the room to make sure that the students were filling out the cards correctly. Next, we went over the rules for the game. It's essential for the students to know the following:

1. There are multiple ways that a Bingo can be formed, whether it is vertical, diagonal, horizontal, or in the four corners. I like to use an overhead to give a mock demonstration of how a Bingo can happen. I also like to explain how the free space works and counts towards a Bingo.

2. Students must yell "Bingo!" in order to get their cards checked. If they have a legitimate Bingo, they will receive a prize.

3. If a student yells Bingo but does not have correct answers, the game will continue until someone has the right answer. Remind students not to clear their cards until a real Bingo has been announced.

In order to play, I act as the facilitator of the game. I use a check-list of the present-tense verbs to keep track as I go along. I read one of the present-tense verbs, and the students have to check their Bingo cards to see if they have the past-tense forms. I repeat the present-tense verbs about three times to make sure the students know the word I am looking for. I also check off the past-tense form so that I don't repeat myself and can check for a Bingo quickly.

Of course, it's difficult to gauge how long it will take for a Bingo game to end; some games take five minutes, while others go on much longer. I generally spend about 35 minutes setting up the game, explaining the rules, and validating the Bingo; depending on the group, this process can be shortened or extended. When a student has a Bingo, I have him or her show me the pattern and read the words that formed the Bingo. I then let the winner select a prize (a small candy bar or a bookmark work well with my group of adult learners).

I suggest either printing additional Bingo cards or having students write lightly in pencil to mark the words that they have used. If you plan to play more than one game, extra cards do help prevent confusion, though this takes a little longer to set up a new board between each round. Either way, Bingo is a fun activity that can be used for all age group and levels!