Air Letters: Guess the Word Written With an Elbow

In pairs, one student slowly writes a word from today's lesson in the air with a body part and the partner guesses it. Joints move at a slow pace and the class vocabulary gets reviewed.

How to play

1. Pairs face each other two meters apart. The teacher lists key words from the lesson on the board or out loud (1 min).
2. Hand round: one writes a short word big with the hand, letter by letter and slowly; the partner guesses (2 min).
3. Elbow and knee round: write with the elbow, then with the knee, keeping your balance (2 min).
4. Hip or head round: small, slow letters to gently move neck and hips (2 min).
5. Each pair shows the next pair their hardest word to guess (1 min).

Rules

• Write big and slowly; speed doesn't win anything.
• With the neck, only small, gentle movements.
• If you lose balance writing with your knee, put a hand on the wall or your partner.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: words are shown in writing and answers can be written or pointed to.
• Wheelchair users: write with hand, elbow and shoulder; the head replaces the knee.
• Students with an ankle injury: do the knee round sitting on a bench.

Learning goals

• Move the joints at a slow pace.
• Review the lesson vocabulary.
• Communicate without words.

Teacher tip

Have a list of 10 unit words ready so nobody gets stuck. The usual mistake is writing letters mirrored for the viewer: tell them to imagine a whiteboard between them.

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