Memory Game - English Language Teaching

There are several techniques in teaching and learning English. One of them is using game. Game is nice to make the learning process becoming fun and exciting.

Memory game is one of techniques in teaching and learning English. This technique is good for students because it can make the students keep the vocabulary by playing some words. It requires students to memorize the words easily through a simple game.

What should teachers prepare before the activities?

• First, decide what kind of vocabulary that students are going to learn e.g. verb.


• Second, type or write the words on the cards.  Make more than one copies (depend on the amount of students). See the example below.

won	speak	swam	wrote
spoke	win	wore	came
sleep	went	cut	drank
swim	write	go	slept
drink	cut	wear	come

• Third, cut into some pieces of cards.


• Fourth, give on the back side of each card numbers 1 - 20.

What should teachers do in the classroom?

• First, divide students into group of three or four.


• Second, tell students that they are going to play memory game. Explain briefly and clearly.

How to play memory game?

• First, put the cards face down (the words covered). Students just see the numbers.


• Second, Ask one of the students to open two cards. If the cards are the same they have to keep them. But if they are different, they have to put them again in the same position. 


• Third, the next student must do the same thing. If they open two cards which have the same meaning, they have to take it, if not, they have to put them back. Remember, they must put the words facing down and nobody writing or taking a note.


• Fourth, play the game until no cards left. At the end of the game, count how many cards the students get.

Written by Fadli Eha

Reference: Fun with grammar - Suzanne W Woodward