This is a fun interactive reading game that concentrates on individual student’s pronunciation in a class activity. It is suitable for all levels and ages. This game builds on The One Word Reading Game.

Begin with reading the required story or text to the students while they read along. For younger students encourage them to use their reading finger, that is, their pointer finger, to point to the words as the teacher reads.

For the second round play The One Word Reading Game where each student reads one word each but do not use the Pronunciation Out chair, simply practice the pronunciation word by word.

For the third round introduce the Beep Out chair, this chair has the same role as the Pronunciation Out chair in that if an error is made students will sit in this chair.

For the fourth round explain to students that you now want to make it even harder. Write on the board the phrase, ‘All ‘a’ words now sound like beep beep.’ Look for examples in the text for words that begin with ‘a’, including the article, ‘a’ and ‘an’.

Demonstrate to students how to replace ‘a’ words with the sound by pointing to each student and saying the corresponding word or sound. For example:

There once was a very stubborn young man and an equally stubborn young woman who met, fell in love and got married.

In a class of ten students the above passage would be read like this: Teacher – There, Student 1 – once, S2 – was, S3 – beep beep, S4 – very, S5 – stubborn, S6 – young, S7 – man, S8 – beep beep, S9 – beep beep, S10 – equally, Teacher – stubborn, S1 – young, S2 – woman, S3 – who … and so on.

Once the students get over the embarrassment of saying the funny sound they get involved and pay attention. If they make a mistake they sit in the Beep Out chair.

For consequent rounds add additional sounds like, ‘e’ – bok bok, ‘i’ – bam bam, ‘o’ – biz biz, and ‘u’ – bub bub. They do not have to be vowels however vowels are typically related to words that need the least practice. If you want to concentrate on a particular letter/ word do not choose its letter to be beeped out.

Alternative Option

This game also works for lists of words that need to be memorized, like numbers, days of the week, months of the year, ordinal numbers/ dates, etc. Replace some words with the sound beep beep. For example:

January, beep beep, March, April, May, beep beep … and so on. Gradually increase the number of beeped out words to make listening and memorizing harder.

Image Credit: Road Runner