By kylemawer 　http://www.digitalplay.info/blog/2010/03/23/101-tefl-activities-in-1-online-game/

“How many different activities can you do with a single free online game?”

The answer to that could be hundreds and to prove it the site below has come up with over a hundred and one TEFL activities with the game Samorost 2.  Is there a guinness book of records entry for this?  Maybe not but it’ll certainly keep language learners entertained, engaged and in English.  The name of the site?

101 Ways (and more) to use Samorost

Technically it should read Samorost 2 but with all the activities and download material up for grabs who’s quibbling?  Maybe it’s important to have the distinction because the first Samorost game (Aptly named just ‘Samorost’) does have a slightly inappropriate image of a man smoking (??) a pipe (??) that you may want to avoid with young learners.  A fact that’s definitely worth remembering if you are telling your learners to sit down in a computer room and log into the game.

Just to help you navigate round the site here’s a little help:

ACTIVITY TITLES -  Here’s a nice list of activities by name.

SEARCH WINDOW -  Search by level (beginners, preintermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate & advanced), Location (classroom has minimal technology; connected classroom involves a computer, internet connection and some form of electronic white board; and a computer room for multiple online access), Activity (reading, writing, speaking & listening) and Grammar/ Language (conditionals, tenses, prepositions, phrasal verbs, sequencers etc).

PLAY THE GAME -  Access Samorost 2 directly from the site by clicking here.

SCREENSHOTS -  Take a look at the visual content of the game with the screenshot slideshow.

POTLUCK -  101 (and more) ELT uses all numbered.  Fancy taking potluck at an activity?  Click on a number and see what you get.

Main problem with the site?  I think learners may get a bit fed up with just the one game but the point being stressed here is an online game can be used for so many different grammar areas, skills practice and language focus.

NEXT WEEK

Top ten Samorost 2 activities – Ten different levels, activities and grammar areas to give you a feel for the site.  Add a comment if you have a class in mind and I’ll see about including a relevant activity.