Title: The Four-Letter Words

Skills: Vocabulary mastery (Environment Theme)

Control: Free

Level: Any level

Time: 30 minutes

Preparation:

You may like to prepare chocolates or candies like M&M’s, NIPS or Mentos and a list of 4-letter vocabulary of different genres (verbs, adjectives, and nouns).

Procedure:

Group work.

The students will be divided into groups of 4 or 5. Each member will be given some amount of chocolates/candies (random mixed colours). You will give code to every colour of the chocolates/candies for a word class.

For example:

Blue – Verb

Red – Adjectives

Yellow - Nouns

Every group will be given a word consists of four letters (related to environment) by drawing lots (from the list of four-letter words you have prepared). Each member in the group will take turn to generate a new word by replacing one letter. Only one letter can be changed at a time but not at the same place consecutively.

For example;  

Teacher: ROPE

Student 1: COPE (blue)

Student 2: COPY (blue/yellow)

Every word generated by the student will get one candy/chocolate based on the colour coded word. Students should make a word with the colours of chocolates/candies they have so that they can have them. Students who are able to make words related to the theme of environment will be awarded triple candies/chocolates instead.

Variation:

The time has to be set for 30-45 seconds for each member so that the member who can make the most words will be chosen as a winner after 5-10 minutes of the game. Also, if the student takes more than the time given, he will lose his turn. Students can change the group and start over using different four-letter words after 10 minutes.

References

Juarez, P. O. (2001). ‘Four-Letter Words’. The Internet TESL Journal: http://iteslj.org/games/9928.html

Comments:

I chose the 4-letter word game because it is flexible to be played regardless of the students' level. Also, I believe that it's important for the students to realize that a word can be changed endlessly by just one letter different. This might make them think again when they thought English is hard. Of course, the candies and chocolates are to motivate them to gain more after every achievement.

Prepared by:
Siti Nur Fadhilah binti Zulkaply
A11PP0034