Mâcher le moustique ~ Flyswatter - French Game

A fun game for French review

Mâcher le moustique is a fun and easy game and a great way to review vocabulary or grammar in any language class.
  

Requirements

• Two teams of students
• Two fly swatters
• List of review items (see Suggestions, below)
• Chalkboard or overhead
    

Set up

Divide the class into two teams and give each team a fly swatter. Give the job of scorekeeper to some of the less motivated students, or the ones who absolutely do not want to play; this gives them a chance to follow along (hopefully) and still participate.

Using a chalkboard or overhead projector, set up the grid as follows with as many squares as you like. Fill them in with the review items as well as the French directions vocabulary on the four sides. Alternatively, instead of a grid, you could write the words randomly on the board to make the students search more.

How to play

The first player on each team takes the fly swatter up to the chalkboard or projection. Teacher reads a clue - a single word or sentence (of course this is up to the imagination of the teacher) which obviously refers to one of the words on the board. The clue might be a

• Word in English
• Key phrase
• Question
• Synonym

The students have to figure out the meaning of the clue and then slap the correct answer with the fly swatter. The two teams can give their designated swatters hints in French by explaining whether the answer is en haut, à gauche, etc.; the other side automatically wins the round if any English is heard by the teacher/moderator. The first person to hit the correct word wins a point and remains up at the board. The other student hands the swatter to the next person on his/her team, and the game continues. If getting volunteers is a problem, announce that whoever the swatter is handed to has to take the next turn. This takes the responsibility off you, the teacher.
  

Suggestions

This game can be used for any level and practically any grammar topic or list of vocabulary. Here are a few ideas - be creative!

Rules

1. Do not swat other students.
2. Do not throw the swatter to the next person, hand it to him or her.
3. Remain quiet so that everyone can hear the clues called out.

If any of these rules are broken, the game will end immediately.
  

Notes

It's helpful to have students of similar abilities opposite each other, so that the competition isn't too lopsided.

This is a fun time filler and quick and easy to set up. All teachers who have used it have reported that it is very well received. It's is a high energy game and great fun for the whole class - good review for a test!

This game was kindly shared in the forum by Yogiman7, aka Dan Loder. If you have any great game ideas for the French classroom and are willing to share, please post them to the forum: