Activity (Phrasal Verbs and Idioms)

 Activity

Viktória Reseterits & Vivien Pálinkás

Part 1: The Game

Level & Learning Outcomes

Through this game, students will improve their knowledge on the topic of phrasal words and idioms (See Appendix A) and be more confident in when and how to use them in context and what they mean. Concerning the level, this activity was designed for a more advanced group but given its nature, it is easy to redesign it in a way that would aid students from all levels.

Materials needed

boardmarker or chalk

pieces of paper with the idioms / phrasal words on them

timer

dice

envelopes

Object of Game

To get the most points by correctly guessing the given idiom / phrasal verb.

Rules of Play

Divide the group into equal teams.

The players have to either draw, describe, or act out the phrase they see on the piece of paper based on the number on their dice. From 1-2, they have to explain, from 3-4, drawing and 5-6 for acting out.

The pieces of paper are worth different points based on the difficulty of the phrase on them. The green ones are worth 1 point because they are on the intermediate level, the blues are worth 2 points as they are on the upper-intermediate level, and the pinks are worth 3 points for being advanced level phrases.

They have one minute to guess the phrase and after one minute, the other teams have to option to steal the point if they know the answer

Each player can choose from three different envelopes in which the difficulty of the phrases differs.

Scorekeeping

Every piece of paper has its assigned value based on its difficulty. The players have the option to choose which difficulty level is the best for them. The scores are kept on the board by one of the teachers. After the game is over, the scores are counted, and the winner is announced.

Part 2: Reflection

This was my first time playing activity in English but I think given its versatility, I will use it during my own teaching practice as it is a useful form of revisiting previously learned words and phrases. In my opinion, the students seemed to enjoy the activity and were motivated to take part in it. Moreover, it is easy to execute and it can be a short or a long activity based on how much time we want to give to it. Additionally, it could be used with students on a beginner level as well, maybe, the description part could be taken out or simplified by asking them to say a synonym for that word or say it in their mother tongue. This activity aimed to improve students’ listening skills in terms of listening for gist but in some cases listening for specific detail has been part of the game.

One of the suggestions we got from the students was to allow them to first roll what they will do, and based on that they will choose the difficulty of the card. However, I do not see how this would influence their work positively or negatively because even after they know what they will do, they still will not know what kind of card they will draw. They only know the level of that card but still have no idea whether the phrase written on the card is easier to draw or act out.

Concerning Chou’s Octalysis model, I think this game could be connected to more than one drive. First of all, it empowers creativity because to draw or act out a phrase, they need to be creative and think outside of the box. Unpredictability could be considered as a drive that is part of this game. The students do not know what kind of phrase they will get and how they should present that given phrase. As a result, they do not know what their task will be until they get all the necessary information on that.

In terms of An’s model of gamification of learning, I think it is connected to social interaction because they have to interact with their teammates and get the most out of the situation to gain the point. As mentioned, the class was divided into equal teams. As a result, competition and cooperation was also present during this game because we can not have more than one winner. Lastly, challenges also can be considered as part of this game. Challenge, in this case, is a rather personal challenge because students have to let their imagination roam free to describe, draw or act out what they have on their card. Moreover, they have to present this in front of everyone and this aspect could be challenging to some of them.

The reward on this specific occasion was only the joy of being the winner but I think if we use this activity in a real classroom as part of revision, we can give students a five if they were truly an active part of the game, won it and there was real competition. VP

This was not my first time playing Activity in English, as I have participated in the game in both elementary and high school. Its usability on multiple levels and a wide range of topics is proven by the fact that Activity is a higly liked game by both students and teachers in different age groups, English levels and school types.

It is a game that is fairly easy to conduct, as it only requires slips of paper or cards, both of which can be handwritten or printed. The time that is needed to play the game can also be adjusted to the level and the group’s numbers.

Activity aims at developing students’ cooporation between the group members as well as their listening skills, – for both gist and specific information – in the case of description.

Examining this activity through frameworks such as Chou's Octalysis model reveals its alignment with multiple motivational drivers. Creativity is nurtured as students come up with unique interpretations through drawing or acting out phrases, while the element of unpredictability adds an exciting challenge. Moreover, the emphasis on social interaction fosters both competition and cooperation, enriching the learning experience through shared engagement.

An's model of gamification further makes the dynamics clear at, emphasizing the interplay between challenge, social interaction, and reward. By structuring the activity as a team-based competition, students are „forced” to collaborate strategically while embracing individual challenges. The intrinsic reward of participation is highlighted by the possibility of recognition, reinforcing active engagement and investment in the learning process.

In conclusion, this activity not only enhances linguistic skills but also encourages essential competencies such as creativity, adaptability, and collaboration. By utilising its inherent versatility and appeal, educators can use its full potential to create dynamic and enriching learning environments.-- VR

Part 3 Appendix

Phasal verbs B1 level (green) check out come on chill out carry on bring up break down add up end up deal with get together hold on pay back hurry up join in catch up B2 level (blue) fall apart grow up care for rely on stand by look down on check in carry out slow down look up to split up speed up bring up take after take off (clothes) C1 (pink) make do get away with make fun break in run over run out off get along with get stuck

Idioms B1 level (green) it’s not rocket science better late than never actions speak louder than words no pain, no gain time flies when you’re having fun that ship has sailed kill two birds with one stone you can’t judge a book by its cover barking up the wrong tree bite off more than you can chew glued to the screen pass with flying colours out of the blue time will tell make a long story short B2 level (blue) the best of both worlds add insult to injury hit the nail on the head live and learn to cut corners see eye to eye there are plenty of fish in the sea when pigs fly back to the drawing board ignorance is a bliss to cost an arm and a leg so far, so good in the heat of the moment rain on my parade hang in there C1 (pink) once in a blue moon a dime in a dozen a piece of cake beat around the bush get out of hand call it a day pull your socks up break a leg

give in get rid off take away cut down break up break out take-off (plane)

get the boot apple of my eye on cloud nine speak of the devil throw caution to the wind be in someone else’s shoes under the weather