Scrabble - ESL Board Games

Scrabble is the original word game. It is also the only game that has its own dictionary. It is a valuable part of any English classroom or school.

The purpose of the game is to score the most points by creating words with letter tiles. Each letter is worth a different number of points, with difficult letters (x, q, z) being worth the most.  

Each player places letter tiles on the board to make words by connecting with other words.

From an ESL perspective, this game couldn't be any better.  While oral communication is low, the amount of vocabulary practice is incredible. Lower level students may only be able to form smaller words, but as students advance they can really participate. The feeling of success when a student forms a word is the best part.

You can make changes so Scrabble is easier to play and more rewarding for the students. One idea is to give the players all the letter tiles at the start of the game. Usually, each player has only 7 tiles, but with more, the word making becomes easier. Another modification is to forget about the connecting part of the game. Simply allow students to make words with the seven tiles they have.

Any way you play Scrabble, it is a great addition to an ESL class or school.