Giving Directions- Miming Games
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Directions made more memorable, easy to understand and fun through doing actions games, including directions language with similar and different meanings.
Lesson Plan Content:
Giving directions miming games
Choose one of the cards below. Do actions to represent that thing and see if your partner can guess what is written on the card from your mimes, first of all without any other help. If they get stuck, you can make sound effects, but you can’t speak. If they still can’t guess, they can look at the worksheet with all the cards on it to help.
Ask about any words below which you aren’t sure about the meaning of, miming that thing to show that you understand each time.
Do the opposite activity, saying one of the cards and seeing if your partner can do a suitable action. If they aren’t sure, give hints such as other words on the same card.
Test each other on the synonyms and opposites below. Note that things on the same card sometimes have different meanings. Then ask each other to explain differences words between words there and other similar things.
Directions with opposites on the cards below
in front of
|
below/ under/ beneath… |
(head/ go) towards |
behind/ in back of
|
above/ over…
|
(head/ go) away (from) |
It’s in(side).
|
turn right/ hang a right/ take a right turn |
on your right/ to your right/ on the right (hand side) |
It’s outside.
|
turn left/ hang a left/ take a left turn |
on your left/ to your left/ on the left (hand side) |
clockwise
|
turn right and right again |
(go) downstairs |
anti-/ counter-clockwise
|
turn left and left again
|
(go) upstairs |
far from
|
cross the road/ across the road |
go straight (on/ ahead) |
Directions with synonyms on the same card
next to/ by/ beside…
|
take the lift/ the elevator
|
stoplights/ traffic lights/ traffic signals |
take the second (turning on your) right |
go past/ pass…
|
(go) round/ around… |
(T) junction/ intersection/ crossroads |
subway/ The Tube/ underground (railway) |
liquor shop/ off license/ offie
|
chemist’s/ pharmacy
|
petrol station/ gas station
|
car park/ parking lot |
crosswalk/ pedestrian crossing/ zebra crossing
|
phone box/ public phone/ phone booth |
ATM/ cashpoint/ cash machine |
buzzer/ intercom
|
(public) toilet/ bathroom/ restroom |
Could you say that again?/ Could you repeat that? |
Pardon?/ Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
|
Excuse me?/ Sorry to disturb you. |
near (to)/ close (to)/ in the vicinity (of) |
flyover/ overpass
|
launderette/ laundromat |
It takes 5 minutes/ It’s 5 minutes from here. |
Directions with common confusions
on the corner
|
church/ cathedral |
mountain/ peak |
in the corner
|
hill |
fountain |
high-rise building/ skyscraper |
cinema/ movie theater
|
club/ nightclub/ disco
|
Other directions to mime
between… and…
|
opposite… |
through |
take the escalator
|
on the third floor |
vending machine |
by train
|
by taxi |
on foot |
sculpture/ statue |
smoking area
|
bar/ pub
|
barber(‘s)/ hairdresser’s/ hair salon |
campsite/ campground
|
concert hall/ opera house
|
conveyor belt sushi bar
|
(swimming) pool
|
cloakroom
|
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