This ESL Game is just like regular bingo but we’ve added some language learning. More specifically we’re going to combine Easy ESL Games’ LEEP Cards and the game Bingo to teach our younger students how to read. Phonic Bingo is a game your students will want to play again and again.
Here are the Details about Phonic Bingo:
- A game can last between 5 and 30 minutes depending on the size of your class. Larger classes take longer because students are required to make there own Phonic Bingo Cards. I like using the customizable blank cards myself because students spend more time interacting with Learn Easy English Phonic (LEEP) Cards.
- The only materials you’ll need are the a set of Phonic Bingo Cards ( you can download some below) if you have a class larger than 12 students you’re Also going to need some glue and scissors.
FREE Phonic Bingo Set
Massive 72 Phonic Bingo Set - Easy ESL Games
Here’s how to set up Phonic Bingo:
Playing Phonic Bingo With Smaller Class Sizes:
If your class is smaller than 12 students that you can download the completed set of phonic bingo cards. I would suggest taking the time to laminate them because it will end up saving you a lot of time and photocopies in the long run.
Playing Phonic Bingo With Larger Class Sizes:
If you have a larger class you need to use the blank sheets. Simply print out one copy of the large class download for each of your students, have them cut out all of the LEEP letters and then glue them on randomly. There are only 24 squares on the board so 2 letters should always be left unused.
The objective of this game is for students to make a straight line of chips on their cards. Students get chips when a spot on their bingo board matches the one the teacher calls out.
Here's how to play Phonic Bingo:
- Give each student a bingo card.
- Have your students place a chip over the center square…it’s a free space. Shuffle and then Turn over a set of our Learn Easy English Phonic Cards.
- Turn over a card and read the letter on the card while stressing the proper phenome e.g. a = a a apple B = b b belly etc…
- If a student has the identical letter on their card they have to touch the matching square on their Phonic Bingo Card while stressing the correct alphabet sound.
- Repeat the process until one player makes a straight line on their Phonic Bingo card and yells “bingo”!
- If you feel like putting on a master class of ESL teaching you can remove yourself from the game and ask students to take turns being the teacher.
Teaching Tip:
Depending on how much time you have you can make this game as easy or hard as you’d like. A straight line shouldn’t take that long to achieve. By asking students to make different shapes like a square around the outside lines or an x across the middle of the card you can extend the game as long as you’d like.
Enjoy Playing Phonic Bingo With Your Class!