Training ESL Students taboos

by Heidi
(Spokane Washington USA)

Hi there I am not a trainer but I am teaching Arabic students English. Some of your games and activities look great for my students in particular.
As I am teaching Speaking and Listening classes, I was wondering if you had an suggestions for additional icebreakers and also introductions etc. We are going to do introductions, family, and getting around town for the topics. I think any games that are fun to train the students of some taboos both nonverbally and verbally would be great. Do you have any suggestions on that to get the students self-confidence up and to help stimulate natural speaking?

Thank you, Heidi

Answer: Try the adjective game. It is described on http://www.experiential-learning-games.com/icebreakers.html.
You can also try playing 'find your partner' with the concept of antonyms/male-female gender words/popular pairs.

For example, antonyms like night-day, up-down, in-out etc. Male-female gender words like girl-boy, prince-princess, king-queen, man-woman, lion-lioness etc. Popular pairs like, salt-pepper, bread-butter, needle-thread etc.

The way to play this ice-breaker is palyed is, to ask participants to pick chits when they walk in and find their pair. Once they have found their pair they have to get acquainted with the partner and introduce their partner to the group turn by turn, once all of them have found their pair.