W4-D5-Taboo
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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To encourage spontaneous spoken interaction through description and guessing.
Subsidiary Aims
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To develop paraphrasing and circumlocution skills.
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To reinforce vocabulary recall without direct translation.
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To promote teamwork, turn-taking, and active listening.
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To build confidence speaking freely in English.
Procedure (49-60 minutes)
The teacher asks students if they know the Taboo game. Explain simply: You describe a word, but you cannot say some words. Clarify that today they will use the Taboo App on the phones. Emphasize that the goal is communication, not perfect English.
he teacher explains the app-based rules step by step: One student holds the phone facing their team. The main word appears with taboo words below. The student describes the word without saying the taboo words. The team guesses in English. If a taboo word is said, skip the word.
Divide the class into two teams (4 + 5 students). Each team chooses the order of players. Play one slow practice round so everyone understands the rhythm of the app. Clarify doubts if needed.
Each team sends one student to the front with the phone. The student describes the word shown on the app. The team guesses as many words as possible within the time limit. After each round, a new student takes the phone. The teacher monitors, controls time, and ensures English-only use. Keep score if energy is high, or play without points if students seem tired.
Stop the game while energy is still high. Ask quick reflection questions: Which word was difficult to explain? What strategy helped you? Optionally recycle 2-3 interesting words orally. Praise effort, teamwork, and creativity.
