All you need for these fun speaking games are some dice. I recommend you buy a few sets and carry them around with you all the time.
This blog won a British Council award in September 2013.
Dice are a great resource for TEFL teachers because they are portable and suitable for adults and kids
What I love about dice is that the options are endless, only limited by your imagination and creative ability. Let’s look at a few ways to use them.
Tense reviews
Choose which tenses you want to practise (Advanced learners can practise all 12, Elementary learners could practise 2 or 3).
Assign a number to each tense, for example, 6 is Present Perfect simple. Students roll the dice and have to create a sentence using the tense that corresponds with the number.
Experiment with different variations such as positive, negative, questions, active, passive, correct & incorrect, subject & object pronouns etc.
Question formation
Choose a question word for each number on the first dice: 1 = Who, 2 = Why, 3 = Where, 4 = When, 5 = What, 6 = How.
Choose a topic for each number on the second dice: 1 = Food, 2 = Sport, 3 = Hobbies, 4 =Jobs, 5 = Clothes, 6 = Travel.
If a student rolls a 3 and a 1, they have to create a question such as: Where did you eat dinner last night? You could use a third dice roll to determine who answers the question.
You can adapt this with other words used in questions, such as modals (could, should, must etc.)
Great for Business students who can practise interview scenarios and students preparing for speaking exams.
Conditionals
The first dice represents the ‘If’ clause and the second shows the result.
Let students choose verbs for each number on both dice. Choose a topic like Crime to practise verbs:1 = burgle, 2 = steal, 3 = murder, 4 = mug, 5 = deceive, 6 = lie. The second dice (the results), could be possible punishments such as 1 = 10 years in prison, 2 = community service, 3 = stand in the corner etc.
Students can play judge and jury, a roll of 1 and 6 could produce sentences such as: If you burgled my house, I would force you to stand in the corner of the room for 10 minutes.
OK, it sounds ridiculous but the students will have a lot of fun and activate lots of vocabulary. Can also be used for creating superstitions, threats, promises, regrets etc.
Story building
Create stories using the dice. Get students to create 12 characters, 12 locations, 12 verbs.
Each roll of the dice continues the story. Before long, they’ll be generating dozens of ideas and plot lines.
Practising phonemes
Choose some phonemes you want your students to practise and assign them a number from 1 to 12 (vowels), 1 – 24 (consonants).
They get points for finding words which have these sounds.
Functional language
The first dice shows the context such as relationships, work, travel, health.
The second dice can be used to practise functions (regret, giving opinions, apologising) and their exponents (I wish I hadn’t, In my opinion, I’m awfully sorry).
Before you know it, students will be creating fantastic mini-dialogues, peer-teaching, discussing meaning etc.
General vocabulary game
Match a letter to a number. For instance, p is 4. A student rolls the first dice to identify the letter.
The second dice dictates how many words they have to say with this letter.
This requires no preparation and great for recycling / activating vocabulary. Also, the categories game works with dice and students can play it in groups.
Phrasal verbs
The first dice indicates the verb (put, give, take, stand, look, get)
The second dice is used for the preposition / particle (up, away, in, out, under, over).
Students win points for creating real phrasal verbs and using them in sentences (2 and 1 might result in a sentence such as:
He gave up smoking after he visited the doctor.
Tip: Make the games competitive by having different scoring systems. Two I like are:
The Dice Bomb: If students complete task or use language correctly, they roll the dice to determine how many points they’ll receive. Get the other team to choose a bomb number, e.g. 3. If the first team roll 4, they’ll get 4 points; if they roll the bomb number (3), they lose all their points.
Dice Gambling: Teams or students can choose to get 3 points for correct answers. However, they can gamble and roll the dice again and this new number will give them their points.
Finally, use dice to nominate students to answer questions or do certain tasks. This random element keeps them engaged and on their toes.
Let me know if you have any other dice games to use with your English students.
I found huge soft dice that I use for this, it means that there is a lot of moving around because they have a tendency to bounce off the table etc, but that is good, gets us active. Mine are yellow and red. Kids love my dice games and I even make them make their own to practice their own vocabulary voids
Great article, very useful. Thanks for the tips. We can also use the dice when students playing shopping game. They throw the dice to know the price of an item they are buying.
These are wonderful. Another great game is “maniacal months madness”…particularly great for kids. They form groups and one student rolls the dice in each group. Then they must say the month that corresponds with the number rolled (3 = March, 4 = April, etc.) Whoever is first in the group with the correct month, gets a point and rolls next. They’ll play all day, if you let them, so I usually have them play until someone gets, say 20 points. It can also be played using a single die for the days of the week.
Great idea. I will definitely be getting myself some dice. Probably will get some big fluffy ones that all the students can see and no-one will get hurt
Great to meet another ‘dicey’ teacher! I use dice a lot with primary kids for simple language practice. An example is that each number represents a room in the house or a place such as a shop, a garden etc. They roll the dice and answer the question on the board, which could be ‘what can you see in the Xroom?’. To make it more difficult and to learn about the senses the second dice could be introduced to represent the 5 senses (what can you smell etc) and the number six is what can you do here? The students have a game board of 9 places/rooms and if their answer is correct they may place a counter in that room. The first to get 3 counters in a row (noughts and crosses) wins the game. The groups decides whether or not the answer is correct.
Hi Helena, I love how you use a board with dice – it’s so versatile. I’m going to ‘steal’ your idea (hope you don’t mind) but use phrasal verbs rather than rooms in a house. They roll a dice and have to create a sentence using the phrasal verb on the board. Thanks for a great activity.
Il really like the idea of dice. I think I’ll use them with 2 or 3 different colours for each group using dice (one colour for one topic, another colour for another purpose… so as to clearly get the mission. Thanks a lot
Good idea Nathalie. You could even give each group a dice and ask them to create questions or tasks for the other groups. That would make it a very student-centred activity.
I have used dices on the iPad, a simple app, where you can design your own sides and then shake the iPad when using.
I’ve used it for deciding which activity a pupil should do (today).
The pupils like to shake it themselves.
Hi, great ideas! I’ve also used a dice with snakes and ladders in a young learners setting. Normal rules applied until reaching a ladder when the ss had to spell out a word using the phonetic code that we had been studying. Obviously, the counting had to be done in English too so we also revised numbers. Great fun was had by all and the best part is that as it’s such a ludic activity, they don’t realise they are studying!!
Thanks Clare. I love the snakes and ladders idea! Getting students into the ‘flow’ zone where they don’t realise they are studying is vital for young learners and adults too.
Really it is an exellent way to teach language. I have a mastery degree in English , i work as an English trainer in the private sector I need these ways to be more successful in my work. I always seek for new ideas like that to be innovative and to motivate my learners and to make training easier for them. Thank you for the clear explanation for the dice game.
Just in case you use interactive digital boards, you can castthem with these http://www.roll-dice-online.com/ and if you do not like it , search for naother one by typing cast dice on line.
Thanks Dylan, always a mind of information and ideas. As any TEFL teacher will tell you, there will come a day when the tech fails you so it’s great to have such simple and flexible games to hand – you will look like a pro and your students will really enjoy a traditional game.
these ideas are really great! I’m not teaching yet bur surely I’ll use your suggestion when I will. thanks a lot!
LikeLike
Thanks Claudia. I hope you try them.
LikeLike
I think is very useful, I’ll try with my students… How do you think I can use it with children class? Some examples please
LikeLike
how can I use it in the primary school?
LikeLike
These ideas are great!I’m using dice to play and I needed some new ideas!thanks!!!
LikeLike
Fantastic, thanks Dylan.
LikeLike
Fantastic & creative ways. I will apply all to my students. Thank you
LikeLike
Awesome activities! I’m looking forward to trying them… I;m sure my students will have a lot of fun.
LikeLike
I found huge soft dice that I use for this, it means that there is a lot of moving around because they have a tendency to bounce off the table etc, but that is good, gets us active. Mine are yellow and red. Kids love my dice games and I even make them make their own to practice their own vocabulary voids
LikeLike
This is really amazing, thanks a lot:)
LikeLike
Great ideas! Thanks a lot!
LikeLike
great idea
LikeLike
Very creative ideas!! Thanks a lot!
LikeLike
GREAT!!!!!
LikeLike
Great ideas. I’ll be using the one on question formation right next Monday! Thank you!
LikeLike
Great article, very useful. Thanks for the tips. We can also use the dice when students playing shopping game. They throw the dice to know the price of an item they are buying.
LikeLike
Thank you for these great ideas ! So helpful !
LikeLike
really useful!!!! thanksssssssssssss
LikeLike
These are wonderful. Another great game is “maniacal months madness”…particularly great for kids. They form groups and one student rolls the dice in each group. Then they must say the month that corresponds with the number rolled (3 = March, 4 = April, etc.) Whoever is first in the group with the correct month, gets a point and rolls next. They’ll play all day, if you let them, so I usually have them play until someone gets, say 20 points. It can also be played using a single die for the days of the week.
LikeLike
That’s a great idea – simple and effective.
LikeLike
They rock! Thanks!!!!
LikeLike
Thanks right back at you.
LikeLike
Fantastic, thank you very much for these ideas
LikeLike
You’re welcome. Thanks for your kind words.
LikeLike
Thanks for the tips:) I’ll certainly try some of these ideas in my grammar lessons to liven things up!!
LikeLike
Great ideas!!!! I loved very single one of them and that does not happen often. I will use them in my classrooms, txal!
LikeLike
Thanks. Let me know how they go.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your brilliant ideas will sure try them
LikeLike
I hope they work well.
LikeLike
Thank you Dylan, will certainly be using your ideas next week.
LikeLike
Great – best of luck with them
LikeLike
awesome
LikeLike
Great idea. I will definitely be getting myself some dice. Probably will get some big fluffy ones that all the students can see and no-one will get hurt
LikeLike
Ha ha!!! Then you can use them for ball-throwing activities. Or you can just hang them in your car!
LikeLike
Yes. That’s a point. I did have some hanging in my car, in 1970. I wonder where I put them.
LikeLike
Let me guess – A Ford Capri!!
LikeLike
Great to meet another ‘dicey’ teacher! I use dice a lot with primary kids for simple language practice. An example is that each number represents a room in the house or a place such as a shop, a garden etc. They roll the dice and answer the question on the board, which could be ‘what can you see in the Xroom?’. To make it more difficult and to learn about the senses the second dice could be introduced to represent the 5 senses (what can you smell etc) and the number six is what can you do here? The students have a game board of 9 places/rooms and if their answer is correct they may place a counter in that room. The first to get 3 counters in a row (noughts and crosses) wins the game. The groups decides whether or not the answer is correct.
LikeLike
Hi Helena, I love how you use a board with dice – it’s so versatile. I’m going to ‘steal’ your idea (hope you don’t mind) but use phrasal verbs rather than rooms in a house. They roll a dice and have to create a sentence using the phrasal verb on the board. Thanks for a great activity.
LikeLike
These are simply awesome!
LikeLike
Thanks so much.
LikeLike
Il really like the idea of dice. I think I’ll use them with 2 or 3 different colours for each group using dice (one colour for one topic, another colour for another purpose… so as to clearly get the mission. Thanks a lot
LikeLike
Good idea Nathalie. You could even give each group a dice and ask them to create questions or tasks for the other groups. That would make it a very student-centred activity.
LikeLike
Thanks. Great đŸ™‚
I have used dices on the iPad, a simple app, where you can design your own sides and then shake the iPad when using.
I’ve used it for deciding which activity a pupil should do (today).
The pupils like to shake it themselves.
LikeLike
Yes, I think it’s really important that learners have some level of control over what they do in class. The dice app sounds great.
LikeLike
Just what I was looking for… Many many thanks.
LikeLike
Hope the activities work well with your classes.
LikeLike
The Speaking Games are great!! Thanks a lot.
LikeLike
thanks a lot … I’ll apply this
LikeLike
Your games with dice are so great! Thanks a lot!
LikeLike
Really good ideas!! Thank you!
LikeLike
Your ideas are great and useful, thank you!!!!
LikeLike
thanks for the ideas it’s very helpful
LikeLike
Hi, great ideas! I’ve also used a dice with snakes and ladders in a young learners setting. Normal rules applied until reaching a ladder when the ss had to spell out a word using the phonetic code that we had been studying. Obviously, the counting had to be done in English too so we also revised numbers. Great fun was had by all and the best part is that as it’s such a ludic activity, they don’t realise they are studying!!
LikeLike
Thanks Clare. I love the snakes and ladders idea! Getting students into the ‘flow’ zone where they don’t realise they are studying is vital for young learners and adults too.
LikeLike
Thank you very much! It is an excellent resource! Isabel
LikeLike
Really it is an exellent way to teach language. I have a mastery degree in English , i work as an English trainer in the private sector I need these ways to be more successful in my work. I always seek for new ideas like that to be innovative and to motivate my learners and to make training easier for them. Thank you for the clear explanation for the dice game.
LikeLike
Thanks for your comment. I hope you and your learners enjoy the dice games.
LikeLike
the games are all attractive,,, let me try them to my students
LikeLike
Very nice ideas! Enjoy it a lot!
LikeLike
Thank you all for sharing all these great ideas!
LikeLike
Just in case you use interactive digital boards, you can castthem with these http://www.roll-dice-online.com/ and if you do not like it , search for naother one by typing cast dice on line.
LikeLike
Great. Very useful thanks.
LikeLike
Isn’t it one die, two dice? You reffer “dice” even when talking about a singular.
LikeLike
The word ‘die’referring to the singular of ‘dice’ seems to be disappearing. Here’s a link to Cambridge Dictionaries.
LikeLike
Thanks Dylan, always a mind of information and ideas. As any TEFL teacher will tell you, there will come a day when the tech fails you so it’s great to have such simple and flexible games to hand – you will look like a pro and your students will really enjoy a traditional game.
LikeLike
Couldn’t agree more Chris. Even adult or Business English learners appreciate something tangible once in a while.
LikeLike