I’ve shared a number of games that Jimmy Fallon has played on The Tonight Show that I’ve adapted for my ELL Classroom (you can read about, and see, them at The Best Ideas For Using Games In The ESL/EFL/ELL Classroom).

Earlier this week, he played a new one (or, at least, it was new to me). He calls it “Word Blurt” and you can see a video of him playing it below.

Truth be told, I don’t think it’s as entertaining to watch, nor as useful in the classroom, as his previous ones. But I think it’s still a good one.

His version has some cards on a table between two people. When a card is uncovered, then both are supposed to say a word they feel is connected to it. It’s not a “game” of winners or losers — more, it’s to gauge how different or similar the two people are thinking.

The version that I plan to try out in the classroom is to have students be in small groups with whiteboards. I will call out a word, and each group has thirty-seconds to a minute to identify a word that is connected to it in some way AND write a sentence explaining that connection. I will give them a point if the connection they make actually makes sense.

I think it’s worth a shot, and I’m very open to hearing other ideas on how to modify it from readers.