Hey guys! This is an old theater game turned English game that I ran with my Special Needs class. They had a ton of fun with it and I wanted to share it with you guys! This activity would be best used in junction with a numbers activity to help solidify thinking in English when counting.
Count to Twenty Challenge
Instructions
Have the students stand in a circle.
Note: I wrote the number names on the board because my students needed a little help remembering the numbers above ten, but this part is optional.
One person begins the counting with "one" (this is usually a JTE or ALT), another student says the next number, "two", and the students continue counting until they reach twenty.
The goal is to reach twenty without any students speaking over each other. (You can extend it to higher numbers as well!)
For added challenge, you can have the students close their eyes and count.
Rules
If any two people say a number at the same time, you must begin again at "one".
A student just can't continue counting by themselves. (also avoid ping-ponging where two students just count by themselves)
If a student uses a Japanese number, you must start over.
It sounds simple, but it can be really difficult to do! It's a really fun game, and the kids get really into it.
It works best in small groups of 5-10 kids, I haven't run it with my larger classes yet but if I did, I'd break them up into separate groups first.
This is a great way to promote listening, teamwork, and counting skills!
If you notice your students getting frustrated, encourage them to take a group deep breath. The original theater version of this game was designed to encourage group dynamics.
Hope you guys enjoy it!