Games/exercises for introductions/teambuilding?

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Pugilistic

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I start teaching adults conversational English this week and have 6 different classes, and might get more in the future. The point of these classes are to get them to practice speaking English in a fun, casual setting rather than making them memorize grammar and vocab. The students are mostly college students or young professionals in their 20s and early 30s. A lot of them want to improve English for traveling or better communicate with foreign partners at work.

I'm thinking I need some good games or activities for icebreaking/introductions/etc. I want to create a casual environment without a lot of pressure so they can have the confidence to speak up, which I think is the biggest obstacle for many Koreans when it comes to English.

  • Some of the other teachers recommend playing the lie/truth game where you tell people some truths and lies about yourself so they can guess which one is true or not.
  • I'm thinking of doing a different one where you have people pick number of straws or something without telling them in advance what it's for. Then they have to say something about themselves based on how many straws they picked.
  • Another teacher said he was just going to ask them a bunch of questions like, "What three things you'd want if you were stranded on an island."

Any useful advice? I have looked up some games via obvious google search but I figure some of my sherbros would have some good insight since we are all 10/10 players who are the life of the party and with unparalleled social skills.
 
I think having them act out real life scenarios could pay dividends.

Lesson one: Asking out a barista.
Lesson two: Breaking up with a college girl.
Lesson three: Being exposed as a fake Korean Chinaman. #freebanchan
Lesson four: Explaining to foreign police why you're hunting Pigeons for food in an urban setting.
 
I think having them act out real life scenarios could pay dividends.

Lesson one: Asking out a barista.
Lesson two: Breaking up with a college girl.
Lesson three: Being exposed as a fake Korean Chinaman. #freebanchan
Lesson four: Explaining to foreign police why you're hunting Pigeons for food in an urban setting.

You for got Lesson five: Go home while there's a drunk 19 year old actress looking for a rebound lay is right in front of me.

One of my lessons will be about animals rights and hunting. I'm going to ask my students what they think about hunting pigeons.
 
You for got Lesson five: Go home while there's a drunk 19 year old actress looking for a rebound lay is right in front of me.

One of my lessons will be about animals rights and hunting. I'm going to ask my students what they think about hunting pigeons.

I must of missed that chapter. By western standards you're actually killing the game; most western "losers" don't pull a handful of college aged chicks a year. But you must know that since you grew up in America.

That'll be an interesting conversation if they object to it and you try to defend it. I know Eastern Asians have a reputation for being very binary in their thought processes but I haven't witnessed that in the Universities at all.
 
I must of missed that chapter. By western standards you're actually killing the game; most western "losers" don't pull a handful of college aged chicks a year. But you must know that since you grew up in America.

That'll be an interesting conversation if they object to it and you try to defend it. I know Eastern Asians have a reputation for being very binary in their thought processes but I haven't witnessed that in the Universities at all.

A really cute 19 year old studying acting was drunk and telling me she just broke up with her boyfriend and wanted to party. Being the genius I am, I went home lol. I then ran into her at a party a few weeks later here she kissed me and said she likes me but ended up making out with her friend in front of her. I have a rather stupid conclusion to the story but I haven't bothered to update the thread. I wouldn't say I'm "killing it" but I do honestly think I'm doing a bit better than my gimmick portrays to be.

You're right about their reputation although times are changing. The classes will be interesting for sure. I have a lot of controversial topics for them and I wonder if they'll be open minded enough to discuss them.
 
cookie cumshot
 
European Biscuit always brings the corporation together.

For a serious answer, that trust / falling backward exercise is a common one that actually is kind of effective.
 
A really cute 19 year old studying acting was drunk and telling me she just broke up with her boyfriend and wanted to party. Being the genius I am, I went home lol. I then ran into her at a party a few weeks later here she kissed me and said she likes me but ended up making out with her friend in front of her. I have a rather stupid conclusion to the story but I haven't bothered to update the thread. I wouldn't say I'm "killing it" but I do honestly think I'm doing a bit better than my gimmick portrays to be.

You're right about their reputation although times are changing. The classes will be interesting for sure. I have a lot of controversial topics for them and I wonder if they'll be open minded enough to discuss them.

No advise for you here but I'm sure you fostered some jealousy there by making out with her friend. Rejecting women seems to be a double edged sword, if you're successfully moving forward she'll just want for you even more but she'll be your worst enemy if you happen to run into hard times. At 19yrs old, however, I'm sure you'll catch a few years down the road and she'll be just as receptive.

It'll definitely be thread worthy if you catch a few who are willing to defend their stance either way. Do push them regardless.
 
Maybe do an activity that encourages that. Maybe go bowling or play pool or go to a whore house.
 
The knockout game. You hafta shout "worldstaaarrrr" to make it count.
 
No advise for you here but I'm sure you fostered some jealousy there by making out with her friend. Rejecting women seems to be a double edged sword, if you're successfully moving forward she'll just want for you even more but she'll be your worst enemy if you happen to run into hard times. At 19yrs old, however, I'm sure you'll catch a few years down the road and she'll be just as receptive.

It'll definitely be thread worthy if you catch a few who are willing to defend their stance either way. Do push them regardless.

I worry that it might turn into heated arguments about politics and social issues. I know some people take it way too personal when you disagree with their views. I purposefully left out religion from the list of discussion topics for that reason. My plan is to simply correct their English and offer better ways of expressing their thoughts rather than trying to debate with them.

European Biscuit always brings the corporation together.

For a serious answer, that trust / falling backward exercise is a common one that actually is kind of effective.

I looked up European biscuit and just got pics of cookies. Are you suggesting I bring in biscuits to class?
 
I looked up European biscuit and just got pics of cookies. Are you suggesting I bring in biscuits to class?

Well, it also goes by Soggy Biscuit, I believe. Google at your own risk.
 
Do a naughty student needing an a roleplay
 
The lie game is a good game and it keeps them paying attention as they are trying to weed out the lies.
another good game is a partial description game where you have them give some clues of heir hometown or where they are from and have the others guess what city/region it is.
depending on the prep you are trying to put in but making a bunch of cards with fairly regular job titles and then giving the cards out and have the students give introductions of who they are and what there job consists of and have the other students guess their jobs.
can also do a similar game with superstars everybody needs to pretend to be a super star and people guess.
all these vary with the english level of the students and if you are requiring them to use only english or mostly english etc.. while playing the games.

i tried this once and i vastly over estimated the english skills of the adults in the class and ended up having to make up a whole new lesson plan on the spot because all the games were to advanced for them..
 
I start teaching adults conversational English this week and have 6 different classes, and might get more in the future. The point of these classes are to get them to practice speaking English in a fun, casual setting rather than making them memorize grammar and vocab. The students are mostly college students or young professionals in their 20s and early 30s. A lot of them want to improve English for traveling or better communicate with foreign partners at work.

I'm thinking I need some good games or activities for icebreaking/introductions/etc. I want to create a casual environment without a lot of pressure so they can have the confidence to speak up, which I think is the biggest obstacle for many Koreans when it comes to English.
  • Some of the other teachers recommend playing the lie/truth game where you tell people some truths and lies about yourself so they can guess which one is true or not.
  • I'm thinking of doing a different one where you have people pick number of straws or something without telling them in advance what it's for. Then they have to say something about themselves based on how many straws they picked.
  • Another teacher said he was just going to ask them a bunch of questions like, "What three things you'd want if you were stranded on an island."

Any useful advice? I have looked up some games via obvious google search but I figure some of my sherbros would have some good insight since we are all 10/10 players who are the life of the party and with unparalleled social skills.

This

 
Well, it also goes by Soggy Biscuit, I believe. Google at your own risk.
What the fuck lol. Well in one of my classes there is only one woman so she'd be the automatic loser

Do a naughty student needing an a roleplay
I'm too professional to pursue my students. My coworker's students however...

The lie game is a good game and it keeps them paying attention as they are trying to weed out the lies.
another good game is a partial description game where you have them give some clues of heir hometown or where they are from and have the others guess what city/region it is.
depending on the prep you are trying to put in but making a bunch of cards with fairly regular job titles and then giving the cards out and have the students give introductions of who they are and what there job consists of and have the other students guess their jobs.
can also do a similar game with superstars everybody needs to pretend to be a super star and people guess.
all these vary with the english level of the students and if you are requiring them to use only english or mostly english etc.. while playing the games.

i tried this once and i vastly over estimated the english skills of the adults in the class and ended up having to make up a whole new lesson plan on the spot because all the games were to advanced for them..

I like the card idea. I was thinking of doing "Never have I ever" without booze of course.
 
Try russian roulette. With a pistol.

Fucking adults dont need no fucking ice breaking, what slack jawed :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:ry is that? Just make your excercises a tad more interesting than chanring "London is the capital of Great Britain" and you will be good.
 
You have everybody stand in a circle. Then you take out a cracker...
 
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