When it comes to speaking activities for advanced English learners, you have a lot of options to increase your fluency and engaging in a conversation is usually the first choice. But have you tried playing general games? Not only do games provide an enormous amount of entertainment, they also allow you to enjoyably work toward your goal of being fluent in the English language.
What is a general game?
A general game is one that was not specifically designed for language learning. It can be used by advanced learners to get fluent in English even though the focus of the game is not language learning. Most games are available to purchase in stores or online and they often ship all over the world. Be sure to confirm the version you are buying is in English!
Why are general games a fabulous idea to get fluent in English?
There are several reasons why games are perfect to support English fluency, but the main one is because it allows you to spend time using the language in a fun controlled way. When you compare playing a game to having a conversation, it’s logical that a game would help you feel at ease when speaking.
During a conversation everyone is looking at you, waiting to see what you will say next. It can be nerve-wracking. Put a game in the middle of a conversation and now the focus has shifted to the game instead of what you’re saying. This change allows you to more comfortably speak with everyone because a game blends achieving your language goals – vocabulary expansion and relaxing speaking opportunities – with entertainment.
Do you need to have other people to play games with?
If you want to interact with other people in English, then yes, having 2 or more people to play with would be optimum. Why not practice beforehand and feel prepared for future group games? With Games Coaching you get the 1:1 attention from me mixed with the fun of playing a game and boosting your English all at the same time.
You’ll see that there’s no reason to despair if it’s just you because you can also take advantage of that time alone to use the games you love for solo speaking practice. Games are the perfect kind of one-on-one speaking activities for advanced English learners that will give you alone time, just you and the language. Plus, with all that solo practice you’ll be completely ready for when you do have a group of people to play with.
Tips to get fluent in English by using games:
Now that you know more about general games and why they are great for supporting English fluency, it’s time to think about what games you want to start playing. Here are a few tips to help you decide:
- Emphasize small talk by choosing a relaxing game that allows you to easily multitask. This type of simple game will help ensure you can play it while maintaining a comfortable, friendly conversation.
- Game examples: UNO, Jenga, Go Fish, Dominoes, Sorry!
- Stimulate your vocabulary with fast-paced games that create fun speaking pressure. Expect a lot of laughter to occur during these games. There’s no time to be embarrassed about making a mistake or forgetting a word when you’re up against a timer. You’ll say anything to win these games.
- Game examples: Tapple, What Do You Meme?, Taboo, Balderdash, Don’t Panic
- Opt for a more intense language experience with a lengthy game. It’s recommended you choose a game with vocabulary you are excited to spend hours using because these games are time-consuming, so you’re going to be with those same terms for a while. Play in teams to get the added benefit of making decisions together.
- Game examples: Monopoly, Life, Risk, Mansion of Madness, Settlers of Catan
- Learn about pop culture through your game choices. Getting to know and understand pop culture provides immense language practice for advanced English learners. It can help you improve your understanding of pop culture references that come up in conversations, TV shows, and books.
- Game examples: Trivial Pursuit, Name 5, Wheel of Fortune, Apples to Apples, Catchphrase
Final Thoughts
Now you know why general games are a great idea to get fluent in English, plus which games to play next. If you are ready to try using games to increase your English fluency or if increasing English fluency through the fun of games is something you think you want to try, then be sure to check out Games Coaching and experience the excitement of using English with games for yourself!
