Games are an important part of many classes, and there are as many scoring methods for an EFL class as there are games to play. What’s more, adding a new scoring method to a familiar game or activity can make it fresh and engaging again. Even basic tasks can be gamified with a fun scoring system Here are 7 scoring methods to add to your next English lesson.

Scoring methods for an EFL class make or break a class. While games are fun unto themselves, even they can sometimes get repetitive. This is doubly so for routine tasks like drilling, reading, writing, and even tidying up. Adding a scoring method can add an element of fun to even the most mundane tasks fun and interesting.

1. Construct a Person

Aim: Draw a complete person.

Preparation

Split the class into 2 teams. Give the teams names and a space on either side of the board to draw their person. Across the top of the whiteboard, the teacher draws 6 body parts and labels them. For example, the teacher might draw and label a head, a torso, two arms, and two legs. Each body part is then assigned a number from 1 to 6.

Additional Resources

• dice

How to Play

Students accrue points for doing good things. This could include good behaviour, getting correct answers, or performing well in classroom tasks. When a team gets 5 points, one student throws the dice and draws the corresponding body part on their picture. If a team already has that body part, the teacher has a choice of what to do: students draw another body part; students get nothing and sit down; students throw dice again.

Adaptations

• Construct a face, monster, house, etc. using target vocabulary.
• Destruct something (e.g. deconstruct a scary monster).

2. Track Race

Aim: Get to the finish.

Preparation

Split the class into 2 teams. The teacher draws a racetrack of squares around the perimeter of the whiteboard. The teacher then adds symbols in some squares and elicits tasks (e.g. move 2 squares forward, do 10 jumping jacks, etc.) for the symbols.

Resources

• 2 whiteboard magnets
• dice

How to Play

When teams accomplish their goals (e.g. answer a question, good behaviour, etc.), they throw the dice and move around the racetrack, doing the tasks when appropriate.

Adaptations

• Change the length of the track.
• Change the number of secondary tasks.

3. Spelling Tower

Aim: Reduce the number floors and thus the number of spelling words for homework.

Preparation

Draw a tower of 10 floors on the whiteboard.

Resources

• no extras needed

How to Play

The height of the tower (the number of floors) indicates the number of spelling students will get for homework. Students reduce the height of the tower throughout the class. Perhaps have 10 minor points translate into the loss of 1 floor.

Note, if there is a target number of vocabulary words necessary for coursework, teachers will have to manipulate the scoring so students don’t get too many or too few. Effective manipulation will result in the same number of spelling as the course guide indicates for that day.

Adaptations

• Have 2 teams each with their own tower. Winners give loses extra spelling words
• Students constitute 1 team, Teacher the other.
• Increase or decrease the number of points necessary to change the height.
• Bad behaviour increases the height.

4. Snakes and Ladders

Aim: Reach the finish.

Preparation

The teacher draws the playing board on the whiteboard, adding some snakes and ladders.

Resources

• 2 whiteboard magnets
• dice

How to Play

Similar to the racetrack game. Students who accomplish a set task then throw the dice and move along the snakes and ladders board.

Adaptations

• For additional reinforcement, substitute snakes and ladders with recently taught vocabulary.

5. Mountain

Aim: Get to the top of the mountain.

Preparation

The teacher draws a mountain in the middle of the whiteboard, adding climbing pegs on the slopes (10 on each side). The teacher draws a small house at both lower corners of the whiteboard (at the base of the slopes).

Resources

• 2 whiteboard magnets

How to Play

Accomplishing a set task translates into a move up the climbing pegs. The first team to the top wins.

Adaptations

• Add more pegs and penalty pegs – some task to be done before they can continue, e.g. jump 5 times, say target language 20 times, etc.
• Add geographical features (e.g. a lake, a waterfall, a cave, an angry mountain goat, etc.)

6. Take a Card

Aim: Get the most points.

Preparation

Split the class into 2 or more teams. The teacher draws a points box for each team.

Resources

• a pack of playing cards

How to Play

When students complete a task, 1 student chooses a card from the pack. They get that number of points for their team. Decide before playing on the value of the cards with no numbers.

Adaptations

• Assign different values based on the suit of the cards.
• Give extra points for pairs, triples, or four of a kind.
• Combine cards with card games (e.g. poker, blackjack, etc.)

7. Points – 135, 246

Aim: Get the most points.

Preparation

Split the class into 2 or more teams. The teacher draws a points box for each team.

Resources

• dice

How to Play

When a team completes a task, they get to throw the dice. If they get 1, 3, 5, they get 10 points. If they get 2, 4, 6, they get minus 5 points.

Adaptations

• Alter the number of points.
• Alter the criteria for minus points, (e.g. only a 1 or 2 is minus and 3, 4, 5, 6 are plus points).
• Add a safe option for those that don’t want to risk it (e.g. 5 points).
• Differ the activity. Instead of throwing a dice, play paper-scissors-stone, throw a sticky ball at a target, etc.

A version of this article originally appeared in Shane English School’s Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) program, which is part of new teachers’ orientation.

Do you have any favourite scoring methods for an EFL class? Tweet it at us!