Flashcards are a great resource to teach new vocabulary to kids and low-level adult students. Here is a list of activities that need no preparation and that your students will love!
1. Stick and run
Aim: practise with prepositions of place, revise action verbs and classroom objects, teach new vocabulary (TPR)
Material: flashcards, blue-tac or similar
Students in a circle, flashcards on the floor, face up.
The teacher asks one student at a time to pick a flashcard and stick it somewhere in the classroom. Eg. “Lucia please, pick “rain” and stick it below the board”, “Marco please, pick “sun” and stick it on the door”
Once all the flashcards have been placed around the classroom, ask Ss to perform activities while moving to that flashcard. Eg. “Let’s run to where “rain” is, Let’s swim to where the sun is…etc.”
2. Swap places
Aim: reinforce new vocabulary through listening
Material: flashcards, music (optional)
Students in a circle, flashcards on the floor, face up.
The teacher asks one student at a time to pick a flashcard and to go back to their place. Eg. Lucia please, pick “rain”, Marco pick “sun”, etc.
Once all Ss have got a flashcard in their hand, the teacher calls out two flashcards and asks the Ss to change places. “Rain and sun change places, rainbow and moon change places” and so on. Make it progressively faster.
3. Reveal the word
Aim: reinforce new vocabulary through speaking, with a focus on pronunciation
Material: flashcards
Cover the flashcard with a piece of card and slowly reveal it. Alternatively, flip the card over very quickly so the children just get a quick glimpse.
Students guess which one it is.
Once the card is shown, chorally drill the word with the group using different intonation and silly voices to keep it fun. Vary the volume too, whisper and shout the words. Children will automatically copy your voice.
4. Memory tester
Aim: practise writing new vocabulary
Material: flashcards
Place a selection of flashcards on the floor in a circle.
Students have one minute to memorise the cards.
Remove/cover the flashcards.
In groups, learners have two minutes to write as many of the names as they can remember.
5. A what?
Aim: practise correct pronunciation of new vocabulary
Material: flashcards
Students sit in a circle.
You show a flashcard to Student 1 and say ‘This is a hamster.’
Student 1 looks at the flash card and asks you, ‘A what?’
The teacher replies ‘A hamster’ and passes the flash card on.
Student 1 passes the flash card on to Student 2 and says ‘This is a hamster’.
Student 2 asks Student 1 ‘A what?’, Student 1 asks the teacher ‘A what?’, and the teacher replies to Student 1 ‘A hamster’, Student 1 replies to Student 2 ‘A hamster,’ and so it goes on until the flash card travels full circle.
When the group has mastered it, two flash cards can go around the circle in opposite directions. They will cross over mid circle.
When students know the game, choose one of them to play the teacher’s role.
6. Race!
Aim: practise correct understanding of new vocabulary through listening
Material: 1 set of flashcards for each team
Two teams
Divide the board into two sections, with the same flashcards on both.
Teacher calls a word and one student from each team runs to the board to touch the correct flashcard. Assign a point to the fastest team.