Chinese Whispers

Time: 10 minutes

Overview

An oral-aural exercise

Preparation

Print off a list of 5 sentences that link to the current syllabus (eg. sentences using particular sounds (gli, gn, chi,) or tongue twisters). Ensure that there is a copy for every six students.

Grammar Points

This exercise aims to improve students’ pronunciation and comprehension skills.

Method

1. Form students into groups of 6 and ask them to form a line.
2. Give the first student the card with the first sentence.
3. This student reads it and goes back to his/her group and whispers it into the ear of one of the students who in turn whispers it to the student beside him.
4. When the last student has heard the sentence, he/she repeats it out loud.
5. If it matches the sentence on the card, the group receives a point.
6. Students are only allowed to say the sentences once to each other.
7. The group with the most points wins the game.
8. If the language teacher wishes to build on this game, the sentences used for the game could form the basis for a second exercise which encourages students to spell the words encountered in each phrase correctly, translate the phrases into English, and recognise particular grammar points.

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