ONLINE GAME TIME: 17 Online Games for Learning English

ONLINE GAME TIME 

25 Online Games for Teaching English

Today, with a multitude of teachers and their students moving to online classes, interactivity and creativity take on a new whole emphasis. For online classes to be successful, they must be interactive and student-focused in a way that is totally foreign to that which was experienced in the physical classroom.

No matter the demographics of the students, they can build up their skills, no matter their age or proficiency, through game-based learning. The Internet, in its infinite providence, does not disappoint when it comes to hosting effective resources for teaching and reviewing the core components of the English language. 

In this article, I have outlined a few particularly useful games, or more accurately in most cases, suites of games that are guaranteed to add fun, creativity, and interactivity into any English class.

Good luck and good game-time to you and your students.

1. GameZone:
   Dozens of simple, straightforward games about grammar, spelling, and vocabulary reach out to English language learners at all levels. Keep in mind, however, that this site is based in the U.K. and follows a different set of linguistic rules than American English.

2. Vocabulary.co.il:

   This series of vocabulary and games runs the gamut from elementary to high school levels of proficiency. Each is recommended for both native speakers as well as students learning English as a second or third (or more) language.
   

   
   

   
   
   

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3. Power Words:

   PBS’ WordGirl and her simian sidekick Captain Huggy Face do battle against Fair City’s most sinister citizens, but it’s up to players to determine the course of the action. Picking the wrong words means letting the villains follow through with their sneaky plots.

4. LearnEnglish Kids:

   The British Council presents a suite of super cool games covering different elements of the English language. Best of all, they encourage collaborative play between friends and siblings, particularly hoping older kids will guide younger ones in their studies.

   
   
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5. Funbrain Words:Funbrain Words’ games and activities are meant to be enjoyed between children and their parents or teachers rather than alone. Here, they practice their spelling, grammar, and vocabulary skills and can even learn the alphabet in American Sign Language.

6. Vocabulary at ManyThings.org:
   Adult ESL and EFL learners sharpen their skills through the usual (but effective!) word scrambles, hangman, and other challenges frequently wielded in the classroom. Teachers especially need to point their older students here for a great supplement to formal lessons.
   

   
   

   

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   ESL Fun Games Online:

7. Appropriate for all ages and skill levels, this site also provides printable games for classroom use, as well as ways to develop acumen in other academic subjects. With so many engaging activities regarding spelling, vocabulary, and grammar to choose from, any learners are likely to find something viable here.

8. Dora’s Alphabet Forest Adventure:

   Beloved children’s television icon Dora the Explorer introduces preschool-age children to the very basics of the English alphabet. Both ESL/EFL and native speakers benefit from leading her through a tropical setting and picking up information about all the letters they’ll need to know.
   
   

   
   
   

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9. EnglishClub ESL Games:

   EnglishClub’s massive suite of ESL games works on honing pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary through familiar activities, like hangman and word jumbles. Older students and adults, in particular, will find these incredibly useful supplements to their classroom lessons.

10. Spelling & Word Relationships at Academic Skill Builders:
    Get younger kids learning proper spelling as well as how vocabulary words fit together with one another through exciting arcade-style games. Featuring aliens, fast cars, and animals, students probably won’t complain too much about these engaging animated activities!
    
    
    
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11. Word Games at Games for the Brain:

    Whether an ESL/EFL adult wanting some help in classes or a native speaker just looking to build on what’s already there, this set of eclectic word games might prove invigorating. Most of them involve spelling and vocabulary, though the site does boast some great exercises in speed reading and speed typing.
    
    

    

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12. Building Language for Literacy:
    Scholastic’s series of three pre-K through kindergarten activities cover different skills necessary to succeed in literacy and reading comprehension. Gentle animal pals guide ESL and native speakers of the appropriate age through naming, rhyming, and letter-matching games.

13. Grammar Ninja:

    As kids level up, they learn more and more parts of speech in order to save a threatened dojo. Throwing a star at the wrong word and everything explodes, which is actually pretty fun, even for adults.

14. Word Games at Merriam-Webster:
    Classics like Scrabble, jumbles, word searches, and crossword puzzles are absolutely perfect for adult ESL/EFL learners or native speakers wanting to build their vocabularies. But Merriam-Webster also hosts a slew of other interactive games meant to nurture literacy at the high school and college levels.

15. Language Arts Games at Mr. Nussbaum:
    
    

    The Mr. Nussbaum suite of educational games provides spelling, vocabulary, storytelling, and other necessary language arts skills for a wide range of age and skill levels. Right now, the featured game, Spellerz, teaches vocabulary words (and how to spell them!) to first through seventh graders in an alien-fighting challenge.
    
    

    

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16. Word Games at Pogo.com:

    Another great stop for high school and adult learners, packed with new twists on familiar names like Boggle and Scrabble as well as more obscure selections. Some even involve multiplayer mode for competing against friends and users from around the world.

17. Tracy Boyd’s Quia:

    This speech pathologist has developed more than 50 games involving speech and sequencing, with plenty to engage many different types of learners. Some activities even pull inspiration from popular favorites like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
    
    

    Well, I hope that you were able to get something useful from this article to utilize in your classes. Remember that your classes can be as fun, as creative, and as interactive as you choose them to be.

    
    

    Good luck and good teaching.
    
    

    

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