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Engaging Warm-Up and Icebreaker Activities for the Classroom

Explore creative ways to start your lessons, promote group cohesion, and enhance student engagement with these fun activities. From adjective games to group interviews, these icebreakers spark interaction and set a positive tone for learning.

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Engaging Warm-Up and Icebreaker Activities for the Classroom

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  1. Hot lesson openers: Warm –ups& Icebreakers B. Miller 2008 B.Miller 08

  2. People Hunt • Make a list of 5 of your preferences • Circulate throughout the room searching for someone with the same preference. Write down their names. Ex: 1. Cats 2. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje 3. Saturday Etc… B.Miller 08

  3. What is a “warm-up”? • An activity used to begin a class and open a lesson. B.Miller 08

  4. Purposes of lesson openings -Help learners relate the current lesson to the last lesson. -Assess relevant knowledge. -Establish “set” in learners (prepare them for what they’re going to learn). -Allow for students to adjust (warm – up) to the class or English. -Reduce the disruption caused by late arriving students. (from Richards and Lockhart, 1996) *Set the “tone” of the class…MOTIVATING! B.Miller 08

  5. What is an Icebreaker? • A warm-up activity used specifically to allow students to get to know each other’s names, interests & opinions. • Fosters class cohesion • Lowers affective filter • Interactive B.Miller 08

  6. Types of Activities for “Warming-Up”… • Cooperative Activities • Kinesthetic Activities • Discussion/ activity to introduce the topic • Games • Activities that multi-task (structures) B.Miller 08

  7. Adjective Game Aim: To remember class mates’ names. Instructions: 1.Think of one adjective that describes you appropriately and also begins with the same letter that your name begins with. Be prepared to explain why you think that adjective describes you. 2. Mingle. Ask people their names and adjectives, in return tell them your name and explain your adjective. For example: “Bookish or Bold Brigitte” At the end, the person who can remember the most names and adjectives is the winner. Pollard, L. and Hess, N. (1997) Zero Prep. Burlingame: Alta books B.Miller 08

  8. Three-step InterviewTopic: Four things… DIRECTIONS Aim: Groups of 4 get to know each other’s ideas or opinions. A interviews B for the specified number of minutes, listening attentively and asking questions. At a signal, students reverse roles and B interviews A for the same number of minutes. • At another signal, each pair turns to another pair, forming a group of four. Each member of the group introduces his or her partner, highlighting the most interesting points. Example: • What are the last 4 TV shows you watched? • What are your 4 favorite foods? • What are 4 places you’d rather be right now? • Name 4 people you admire? B.Miller 08

  9. Corners Aim: This is a class building activity which celebrates diverse opinions. • There is a different item listed in each corner of the room. • The teacher asks a question and students write down the option which best represents his point of view. • At a signal each student goes to the corner labeled with his option to discuss with his peers why it’s their preference. Ex: What kind of activities do you prefer? 1.Individual activities 2. Active with the whole class 3. Small group discussions 4. Team Games B.Miller 08

  10. Game: Find a Fib • One person in the group thinks of 3 statements about himself: two are true and one is a lie. • The other team members can ask 1 question each to try to determine which statement is a lie. • The liar has to convince the team members that the lie is true. • Then, the team members have to guess which one is the “fib”. • Example • I used to be a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. • I worked as a tour guide in Mexico. • I was born in Australia. B.Miller 08

  11. K – W- L What do you KNOW about the topic? • What do you WONDER • about the topic? • What did you LEARN • about the topic? TOPIC: “Warm-ups” B.Miller 08

  12. Can you think of some others? B.Miller 08

  13. Uncommon Commonalities Aim: To foster a more cohesive group. • Groups of 4 get together and individually list: 4 classroom activities they really like. • Groups then discuss each item, finding things that 1, 2, 3, or 4 of them have in common. • When the group finds an item that all of them have in common, they list that item under 4; when they find something that 3 of them have in common, the list that item under 3, etc. B.Miller 08

  14. Guidelines • Choose simple, short activities • Focus on fluency rather than accuracy. • Make them inter-ACTIVE! • Should be fun, personal and high interest! B.Miller 08

  15. Resources and References • Kagan, Spencer. (1997). Smart Card (Cooperative Learning). Kagan Cooperative Learning • Kealey, J. and Inness, D. (1997) Shenanigames. Brattleboro: Prolingua. • Klippel, Friederike. (1984) Keep Talking. Cambridge: CUP. • Pollard, L. and Hess, N. (1997) Zero Prep. Burlingame: Alta books. • Richards, J. and Lockhart. (1996) .Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. New York, NY:Cambridge University Press • Ur, Penny and Wright, Andrew. (1992) Five-minute Activities. Cambridge:CUP. • Ur, Penny.(1981). Discussions that Work. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press Online Resources • An online article on cooperative learning with example “structures” : http://www.utc.edu/Administration/WalkerTeachingResourceCenter/FacultyDevelopment/CooperativeLearning/index.html • Dave's ESL Café Idea Cookbook (look at the games & icebreakers: http://www.eslcafe.com/ideas/ B.Miller 08

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