Roll the Dice, and Start Using New Vocabulary

Perhaps you’ve heard of the "roll the dice" word game. The rules may vary, but it usually goes along these lines:

1. Compile a list of words you want to play with. For an added challenge, separate them into categories (nouns, verbs, adjectives).

2. Assign a number to each word.

3. Roll a die and find the word that corresponds to the number (roll multiple times if you have separate lists for different word types).

4. Create a coherent, grammatically correct sentence using the selected word(s). The more words you have to connect, the trickier it gets.

This game works well as both a fun language classroom activity and a geeky party game. I was recently reminded of it and started thinking about how to adapt it for an online classroom.

Here’s what I did:

First, I chose a list of words for the game. The simplest approach is to use vocabulary from the current lesson, but you can also review items from previous classes. I assigned a number to each word, and concealed them so learners could only see the numbers.

To make the game more purposeful, I created a list of discussion questions. Rather than forming random sentences, students had to integrate the chosen words into their responses. Group members took turns picking a number, revealing the word or phrase, and incorporating it into their answers. If the connection was obvious, great! If not, they had to get creative.

I took it a step further by encouraging them to use the selected vocabulary in small talk at the beginning of class.

Aside from having a good laugh, we activated and recycled vocabulary from previous lessons—a win-win.

How does it work?

• We know that using a word helps you remember it. Personalising it and expressing meaningful ideas makes it even more memorable.

• Creating unexpected connections in a fun way strengthens retention, and you practice fitting the word grammatically into the sentence as an added bonus.

Language practice doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It can be enjoyable and meaningful—arguably making it even more effective.

Are you going to try the game?