Must-Have Games in the ASL Classroom

For the Love of Games

I think by now you all know my love for games. I love to play them with my children, my family, and my friends. And most importantly, I love playing review games in the classroom. I love creating games to help students enhance their learning and I love buying games (shopping is another passion of mine). I want to share a few games that I love to use in the classroom. For your convenience, you can click on the name of the game and shop through my Amazon affiliate links. 

Have You Tried These Games?

Headbanz  – This is a great game for both ASL newbies and seasoned pros. Students always need to practice NMS and asking questions. Follow the original directions for this game, except everything must be in ASL.

Jenga – This is one of my favorites and totally inexpensive. This is just like Jenga but in sign. Take the blocks and write a number on each side then stack them just like the original game. Give each student a vocabulary list of words you want them to work on. Have students choose any word on the list to be number 1. Then continue to number words until the list is complete. Numbers should be in order but no student should have number 1 in the same location. When student A pulls the block out they sign the number to student B. Student B uses a list of words to sign the word to student A. Student A fingerspells the word. You can change this so that the word is fingerspelled and the opponent gives the sign. What I like about this is that students practice vocabulary and fingerspelling. There are a ton of activities you can do with Jenga that you can read about here. 

Check Out These Games…

Catch Phrase – This is another one of my favorite games to play with students. It is best played with upper-level students but if you search through the cards, you can play with second term ASL 2 students. Played just like the rules say, but in ASL, this game allows for higher-level thinking and vocabulary.

Conversation Cubes – I wasn’t sure if this is really a “game” but it is a change from the ordinary, mundane routine of the class. Use the cube to create stories, have a conversation or practice terms. 

5 Second Rule – This is a game of “Name 3.” Students have to be fast-thinking in order to beat the timer…students have 5 seconds to answer the 3 things. This is a great group game, works well in partners or in stations. One game will also allow the whole class to play as partners so no turn-taking.

Guess Who – This is a really fun game that is pretty specific to descriptions. You can use it for end-of-year reviews before finals or as a refresher mid-year.

Say Anything – This comes in unrated versions so make sure you are ordering the correct version. You can find it on my “Must Haves” page. This game similar to Apple to Apples. But instead of choosing from a select number of choices for your answers, you can literally say anything. How many times did you wish you had a specific card that would definitely score you a point? Now you can just write down your answer any time you like. The interesting aspect of the game “Say Anything” is that you can win points by being serious, funny, or playing to what you think each person will pick. It is a lot of fun seeing the different and creative answers that people come up with. The best thing about “Say Anything” is that you can explain rules in 5 minutes or less and almost all ages can play.

My Go-To Games

Guesstures– Like charades, but more fun because there is a time limit involved. This game helps students practice using their bodies and expressions to communicate. It works as an excellent icebreaker at the start of the school year or after an extended break. Students play in teams (I keep 3 sets in my classroom). The player will draw 4 cards and place them on the timer. The goal is to get your team to guess the correct words before they disappear into the timer and no points are scored. This is an excellent resource and you get total engagement from students.

Battleship – The actual game is an excellent way for students to practice letters and numbers. ASL teachers are always looking for fun ways to practice numbers.

Taboo – Again, this is another high-level, thinking game made for mid to upper-level language learners. The objective of the game is to get your partner to guess the word without using the word itself or the 5 other words that at “taboo” or not allowed to be used as clues.  

Connect Four – Use this game for spatial agreement practice by allowing partners to tell each other where to place the chips.

Use games in station rotations or for Fun Fridays. Or use games in specific units to enhance the material you are teaching.

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