Directions Game

Game to teach directions (how to give and how to follow) using a blank map. Can be used as review or to teach page 10 of Lesson 1 (New Crown 3)

Go over directions and vocabulary (some students struggle with pronounce traffic light so I will say traffic stop and traffic light and explain that Americans use traffic light, English commonwealth uses traffic stops). Demonstrate left and right, the difference between go to the first traffic stop/go past the first traffic stop (I use gestures for the first bit - you can show your students the L trick where you hold your hands out in the shape of an L to tell which is left). Get them to practice and repeat the vocabulary so they can all pronounce it and say it clearly - traffic light causes issues with some students so have them repeat it (and traffic stop) a few times.

Divide you class into their lunch groups and draw a race track with 9 segments. Get each team to pick a car (laminate and cut out a larger picture of the cars). Hand out the worksheets (first side should be the map template, second side should be the writing bit). Hand out one cut up part of the directions per group (e.g. divide it into three - directions for library, post office, hospital as one segment). Get the groups to number themselves off (1-5 or 1-6) and get the number 1s to raise their hand. Explain that they will be the ones who will read out the first set of instructions (e.g. the library) to the rest of their group who can only listen and follow on the map. Once they think they have the right location the person who read the directions will come show me so I can check and then move their car on the racetrack. Then number 1 will hand the instructions to number 2 who will read the next set of instructions (the post office) and so on.

When they finish the first segment hand them the next (bookstore, station, park) until all groups have finished. Groups that finish early label the three blank spots on the map 1, 2, and 3, and get them to turn their worksheet over to the writing part where they will now write their own set of directions (and where they are going - e.g. cinema, hotel, H & M) while the other groups finish. When all groups have finished and completed their own directions have them pair off and practice the conversation.

Depending on the level of your class this can take anywhere from 30-50 minutes so you can adjust the difficulty for your higher performing classes (e.g. have the person responsible for reading the directions to come up to you and you verbally tell them so they have to memorise and tell their team mates) to keep them engaged.