The exams had just finished and I’d promised we would play in class today, and we did – but we learnt too.

So, I gave each pair the same 5 pieces of lego, they don’t need to be the same set for everyone, just for each pair, and as you can see the colour doesn’t matter.

Then the “seeing partner made a construction with his pieces and described it to his blindfolded partner, who had to construct the same thing with his pieces:

When we’d done that a couple of times I then blindfolded both of them, I made the construction and gave it to one of the pair, who by feeling it had to describe it to his partner.

After we had done that for a while we discussed the techniques and strategies they had used and then I asked whether they thought it was a good activity in language class and whether they had learnt or practised any particular forms. After discussing what makes a good language game (fun, actually use some English, etc) each group had to come up with their own game, demonstrate it and write a poster for it with name, rules and language objectives as well as an image or two if useful.

Some came up with labyrinth type games with language challenges at various points;

Others made battleships:

Or the games including picking a card and building what was written on the card, or correctly giving the past tense of a verb before being allowed a try at a kind of lego-basketball shot.

The lesson lasted two hours, and say what you like about kinaesthetic learning, the students had a great time!

Oh, and I kept the posters so next time I can suggest a ton of other games too!