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The idea is that players have to listen to a conversation of peers on an unknown topic. I chose countries but any subject (food, weather phenomena, or political systems…) may work out well. The players are not supposed to guess and shout out the topic of the conversation but to join in as soon as they think they know what it is about. The game may result results in authentic speaking opportunities, if where students can share their own experiences and opinions. A conversation ends when all players have joined in the conversation.
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The game can be played from grade four or five on, depending on the learners’ level. They should have been introduced past tenses, in order to be able to speak of their own experiences.
Plan for at least about 20 minutes of time if you want to play several rounds.
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Generally speaking, the activity trains fluency as well as narrative and discourse competences. It requires students to spontaneously analyse and evaluate utterances and associate the subject of conversation with their own experiences and opinions.
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By the time everyone has manged to join in, you may consider letting it the game run on al a little longer if the conversation is going on well. Do not simply cut it off. After all, the aim is not to guess as many countries as possible but to get your students to talk.!
