Voyager - a Board Game for Vocabulary Practice

Voyager has been written for elementary and pre-intermediate learners of English. Its aim is to revise, practise and consolidate vocabulary.

The vocabulary and tasks in the book have been carefully selected and graded. The words, expressions and structures used in the game appear in most elementary-level coursebooks written for English language learners.

Though elementary-level learners may not be familiar with some of the structures on the cards, we believe that their usage in particular tasks, where meaning and context determines the correct usage of a higher-level structure, is appropriate. Also, learners are not expected to produce these structures.

About board games in the classroom
Games are not only enjoyable for the students and the teachers, but also increase the motivation for learning and teaching by offering a break from the regular classroom routine. They are more memorable than ordinary controlled practice exercises. Using them in the classroom also provides a context for real communication and an opportunity for intensive language practice.
Most teachers agree that while board games are highly amusing and motivating, they can be bulky, difficult to organise, using them usually takes up the whole lesson, and not everyone can actively participate in the game. To offer a solution to these shortcomings, we have designed this game pack in a special format.

Why printable?
A printable board game combines all the good qualities of resource packs and board games.
First of all, it is flexible, fully personalised for the teacher and the students. You can use the whole board game or only parts of it – you can select the activity types to use. You can decide how much time you want to devote to playing it. You don’t necessarily have to play it as a board game, either. You can use it as a card game, or just simply print a few tasks and you will get an excellent warmer, a round-off, a short game, vocabulary practice, communication exercise or something to do for early finishers.
Secondly, it can greatly increase the time your students spend with active communication. While most board games are typically designed to be played by one large group (i.e. the whole class), Voyager can be played simultaneously in smaller groups or even pairs – all you have to do is make sufficient copies. You do not need to buy several copies of a board game. This way, the printable game is also more cost-effective.
Thirdly, it you choose to play simultaneously in smaller groups, it is a good idea to photocopy the solutions of the cards for each group. Once students are responsible for checking the answers, their learner autonomy is reinforced.
Finally, a printable board game is also easier to organise. It is quicker and simpler to use, carry and pack. You do not have to sort the cards all the time for different groups so that they do not come across the same ones again and again – you can print or photocopy one board game per each group. You don’t have to worry about torn or lost pieces either, you can always make new copies.

The activities in the game
The activity types of Voyager can be grouped around two major categories: communicative and puzzle activities. The communication category includes drawing, miming and describing specific words or expressions. The puzzle category includes activity types such as guessing and spelling exercises, as well as various word games.

I would be happy to get some feedback on the game - as I am the author. :$

Good luck and have fun!

susiebeam