.  Skills focus:   Practice spelling words with this excellent stirrer.

How to Play:

• Separate the classroom board into two or more equal parts by drawing rows and columns. The students will spell words in the rows. In the columns above write team names. (You can create more rows and columns depending on the number of teams.(tip- more than four rows is not advisable).
• Give each team a board marker or chalk depending on the nature of your boards.
• Make an equal line up of first relay runners of each team.
• The teacher then says a word s/he wants the students to spell. Each runner runs to the board and writes the beginning letter of the word. He/she runs back to team members and hands the chalk or board marker to the next runner in the team. Each team takes turns writing a single letter until the word is completely spelled.
• The first team to finish spelling the word correctly scores a point or gets some form of praise.

Tips:

• This is an exciting game. Relay runners have a tendency to stand up before the marker or chalk is handed to them. Make sure relay runners are not doing similar unfair practices.
• Start with easy words that students can spell
• This is a stirrer and can be physically demanding. Some students might be good at spelling but not good runners. Mix students according to intellectual and physical strengths.
• Generally, in all games of competition, make sure there is a balance of abilities in teams- physical & intellectual.
• Try to help weak teams score points.
• As a general rule, don’t always let one team win thrice in a row. This might discourage the other teams.
• Keep the competitiveness by helping the weak teams in a way the winning teams do not judge unfair. But in the end give every team what they deserve.
• Watch out for students who cannot handle the physical demands of the game. Pause occasionally and give students a few minutes to rest.
• For higher levels don’t just ask them to spell a word. Describe a word and they guess and spell.  
• Adapt games according to the situation of your classrooms and students.
• MORE GAMES FOR ESL CLASSROOMS