Of the four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, listening’s importance is often overlooked. You can add in specific listening practice with these 3 fun ESL listening games.
What are these 3 ESL Listening Games you ask?
Listening Game #1: Musical Statues
Stand up.
Sit down.
Get a pencil.
Raise your hand.
Open a book.
Line up.
Not only great for listening practice, but excellent for practicing routines and incorporating movement. Once students have mastered those one step commands, add a second. Here is an example: Open a book, then raise your hand. To check for individual understanding, you can give each students a different command at the end of the game. As students become more comfortable, they can take turns giving the commands and then you can work on speaking and listening skills together. As you teach new vocabulary, you can add new themed “Musical Statues” for topics such as action verbs and body parts.
Listening Game #2 : Bingo!
Bingo is another excellent ESL listening game. It’s engaging and works on target vocabulary or sounds or comprehension. There are so many fun topics for playing Bingo. My favorites work on skills such as beginning sounds, listening for details, and holiday vocabulary. Engagement is high as students listen for what to mark on their Bingo card. You can check for understanding with each question.
For that reason, I made the bingo games below. In the first, the teacher says a word and shows the picture card. Student listen for the beginning sound. They cover the letter that makes the corresponding sound. In the second game, the teacher read a series of 3 clues. Students decide which picture on their game board matches those clues. Discuss the correct answer as needed. Click on the photos to learn more about these resources on TPT.
Listening Game #3 : Listen and Draw
Listen and draw is great listening practice, low prep, and can be used in transitions or for a fun review at the end of a lesson. It’s accessible for students who are not writing words yet, likewise it can target more difficult concepts just by changing the directions. To make it informal test prep, tell students you can only give the directions one time. See how they do!
To begin, give each student a piece of paper or whiteboard and pencil, crayons, or markers.
Options for directions:
Describe a simple image. (Tell students to draw a sun with smiling face or a snowman with 4 buttons and a hat. Make the directions suitable for your content and proficiency level.)
Additionally, you can integrate letter names too. Say: draw a letter b. Turn it into a butterfly. Draw a letter o. Turn it into an octopus.
You can use it with more advanced concepts too. For example: draw a picture of a rain forest animal and label 3 of its adaptations.
Draw a picture to show the problem in the fable. Write the title above the picture and the lesson the characters learned below.
Students must listen attentively to follow directions, and can lead to sharing of ideas and concepts.
I like to share other things I do to work on all 4 language domains, including listening, in the ESL classroom on Instagram. Come on over and say, “Hi!” Look for the Instagram icon at the bottom of the page!
ESL Listening Games (Bingo) resources
If you wish to learn more about the Bingo games mentioned above, both resources are available on TPT. For more advanced proficiency, check out Fall Listening Bingo and Animals Listening Bingo. Just click on the pictures below to check them out. Also, come share with me on Instagram if you try one of the 3 ESL Listening games activities in your classroom!
Happy Teaching!
In case you missed it, here is a link to a blog post on ESL Speaking Games.
