The Tonight Show Vocabulary-Review Games by KELLY KEEGAN
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TEACHING TECHNIQUES The Tonight Show Vocabulary-Review Games by KELLY KEEGAN Sample Word Sneak target-word cards related to travel Deanna Schmidt by Photo I’ve been a fan of the American comedian I teach an intensive class for college-level Jimmy Fallon ever since he began on Saturday students that focuses on learning the Test of Night Live (a comedy-sketch program) more English for International Communication than 20 years ago. Now that he is the host (TOEIC) vocabulary, so I wanted to create of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, I and play vocabulary-review games that particularly enjoy watching him play silly encourage flexibility and spontaneity in games with his celebrity guests. Luckily for authentic contexts. My students were good language teachers, these entertaining games at memorizing dictionary definitions of the are often word games related to pop culture, TOEIC words but often struggled when so with a few changes, I was able to adapt two using those words freely in conversation of these games to use in my English-language- or discussions. In many vocabulary-review learning classroom. games, students simply report memorized 36 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 201 9 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum These games give students the opportunity to practice using their vocabulary in creative and interactive ways. dictionary definitions, but my goal was to in order to follow the flow of conversation, create games that give students opportunities respond, and at the same time creatively shift to use the specific TOEIC words in the conversation so that they can use their conversation and storytelling. own secret word(s). I also wanted to play games that are Step 1: Explain or model how the original lighthearted and allow students to get to know game is played. When Fallon plays this game one another better. These Tonight Show games on his show, he and his guest are each given naturally require creativity and quick turn- five random words or names as their secret taking, reflecting authentic usage. As a result, words. For example, Fallon might have a stack students can improve their overall fluency of cards that say Pokémon, jellyfish, zucchini, while playing—and laugh a lot in the process. ninja, and LeBron James. He must begin a These games give students the opportunity to casual conversation with his guest (by asking practice using their vocabulary in creative and a general question, such as “How was your interactive ways. weekend?” or “What movies have you watched lately?”) and then somehow slip in his first Note that you need to teach or assign the secret word, Pokémon, while his guest is trying target vocabulary as homework before to do the same with his or her secret words. playing these games. Students should already Once Fallon has successfully used Pokémon be familiar with the meanings and common in the conversation, a bell rings, alerting his usages of the target words. The first time you guest that he used a secret word, and Fallon play, you will need at least 20 to 25 minutes to can then move on to his second word, jellyfish. explain the rules, demonstrate and/or model, Fallon’s goal is to use all five of his secret and have students play. After that, these games words before his guest finishes all five of his could easily be used as a warm-up activity of or her words. The game is over when both five to ten minutes. Little preparation time is players have used all their secret words. required by the teacher. If you have access to the Internet in your GAME 1: WORD SNEAK classroom, you might begin by showing a video clip of Fallon playing this game with a The materials you will need are notecards or guest on his show. On YouTube, you can find paper, a marker, a timer or bell, and possibly a examples with a variety of celebrity guests. noisemaker for each group. The clip with comedian and actor Melissa McCarthy (https://www.youtube.com/ The objective is for each player to “sneak” or watch?v=9mSeY9WGYMs) is a clear example secretly use selected target words in a casual that I have used in class. If you want, you can conversation with a partner or small group let the students guess or discuss the objectives without others noticing the use of the target of this game, then explain that they will be word(s). Students must be good listeners sneaking in their own target words instead You need to teach or assign the target vocabulary as homework before playing these games. americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2019 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 37 Make sure the prompt is on a broad topic so that students can maximize opportunities to manipulate the conversation and sneak in their word(s). of Fallon’s random, silly words. Model an (one or two minutes) to review their word(s) example before letting the students play on and/or think about how they would like to their own. try sneaking the word(s) into their conversation. A student with the word If you do not have Internet access in your itinerary, for example, might start talking classroom, you can demonstrate the game about a recent family vacation and mention with a student, with the class as a whole, or how his or her father planned an annoyingly by having two students play a sample game in detailed itinerary for everyone to follow. front of the class. Step 4: Set a time limit of about four or Step 2: Divide your class into pairs or small five minutes. Depending on the skill level groups. Pairs will allow for maximum talk of your students, you might want to make time for each student; however, if you have a the time shorter or longer. You don’t want large class, groups of three or four students to give students too much time, however, would also work well. Give each student a because they should feel pressure to use notecard with at least one target word written their word(s) as soon as possible in the on it. You can give each student one target conversation. Give each group some kind word or up to five target words, depending of noisemaker for students to ring or shake on the time available and the abilities of your when they successfully use their target students. word(s) in the conversation. If noise is an issue in your classroom, students can simply Step 3: Prepare a general conversation prompt raise their hands or count as they move for all groups to discuss or, for advanced through their words. For example, after students, brainstorm questions with your they use their first word, they would say, class to give them conversation-starter ideas “One!” Even if students have used all their before beginning the game. Make sure the word(s), they should continue having a prompt is on a broad topic so that students conversation until the timer goes off to can maximize opportunities to manipulate end the game. the conversation and sneak in their word(s). You might also prepare a prompt related Step 5: When the timer goes off—or when to the topic or theme of your target words. you tell students that time is up and the game For example, in my TOEIC class, we were is over—students should share their secret studying words related to traveling. We target word(s) with their partner or group had target words such as departure, board, by showing their notecards. For an added destination, and itinerary, so my conversation listening challenge, you could have students prompt was, “Where have you traveled?” guess each other’s target words to see how The prompts could also be tailored to help well they were able to casually sneak the students practice specific grammar words into the conversation. structures (past, present perfect, future, hypotheticals, modals, etc.), depending on Step 6: If you have time, rotate the notecards the lesson objectives. to different partners or groups to give each student a new target word or set of words. Once you have revealed the prompt, you You could also mix the pairs or groups to might give students a short amount of time give students a new speaking partner, and you 38 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 201 9 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum The more creative and detailed the stories are, the harder it should be for the storyteller’s classmates to detect a lie. could offer a different conversation prompt to If your classroom has Internet access, you keep students engaged. can show a clip of Fallon playing Box of Lies with a celebrity guest. The clip with actor Step 7: At the end of your allotted playing Chris Pratt (https://www.youtube.com/ time, collect the notecards from all the watch?v=Md4QnipNYqM) offers a clear students. Choose a few words randomly from example. Let the students guess or discuss the the stack and have students volunteer any objective of this game, and then explain that funny or clever examples about how those they will play a similar game. Instead of having words were used in their conversations. boxes with secret items, they will tell a story that is either a true experience or a fictional GAME 2: BOX OF LIES experience, using their given target word. Model an example before letting students play The materials you will need are notecards or on their own. If your classroom does not have paper, a marker, and a timer or bell. Internet access, explain the game carefully and model it to make sure students know the The objective of Box of Lies is to tell a story purpose of the game and how to play it before that is either true or made up, using target they begin.