Word Association
Word Association is a simple 5 minute activity for the end of a lesson. It gets students talking and thinking about vocabulary.
Explain to the students what word association is: when you hear a word, you say another word that pops into your head. The difference here is that you might be asked to explain the association between the two words so you have to think hard and fast and make them related. And of course, no repetition of words.
First choose a student at random (using lolly sticks is ideal for this task) and give them the first word. The student then says their word. Pause long enough for the word to sink in with the class and allow them time to think of a new, associated word, and then point to another student at random (again, using the lolly sticks makes this faster and more random) and that student has to give a word associated with the previous and so on.
Any time a student comes up with what seems like a major non sequitur you can challenge them to explain the association.
Variations on a Theme
- scoring can be introduced and teams as well
- if a student is challenged for an association and comes up with an inventive one they win a round of applause, etc
- you make the goal of the game to reach a certain word; in other words you give them two very unrelated words and the student who can legitimately say the second word in association with a previous word wins
See Also
Anti-Word Association - an ESL activity based on the opposite of this one
