I might be making more work for myself here, but …
I’ve just done a super new (hopefully!) improved version of the “Simon” game ( like I have in software for the seasons, left right etc.)
And this time there is a goal. So I’m hoping it makes it much more fun!
Would you care to try it for me and see what you think in the game below?
(Click here if you are on email and can’t see it!)
What score did you get up to? (It is set at kid level, not adult level! 🙂 )
Is it worth updating all the download pack ones like this?
Would love to hear your answers in the comments!
P.S. Did you start sweating as you got nearer the goal?!
Earn More From Your Passion For Teaching English!
It is better to have a goal. I got up to 6 on my first try. Bad concentration. But I’m not sure it is worth updating with only this change as we can orally give goals to the students anyway.
What about another element? What if it is a running goal? so the goal is slowly increasing every 6 or 7 seconds, and the faster you can complete the round the closer you catch up to the goal. This way, if you get it wrong, it’s not game over, but you are not closer to the goal. Could be exciting? bit like a car race feel?
Dan
Richard,
I hope I won’T disappoint you, and hopefully this is only my own view, but I am having problems with this game.
I tried it with all kinds of topics and languages so far, and it always ends up that my eyes are prior to my ears, meaning I LOOK what color or field pops up and click. Instead of really listening to the words.
Of course going on for a longer time (and also having the intention to remember the words) I start HEARING them, but it usually doesn’t go as far that I would connect them with the meaning .
So I can hear the Korean word for “thank you” in the end but don’t have the meaning of “thank you” in my mind.
I know the kids love this game, but I think it needs a very strong intention and focus and will to really do it to learn the words. I would be happy to hear other comments or success stories on this.
Yes! Yes! Yes! I love it. The kids tended to get bored after a while, but this goal will give them something to shoot for, so they’ll want to keep going. Perfect. And thanks for providing this example in Japanese so that I could experience for myself how helpful it is to hear the foreign words again and again in the Simon games.
Hi for one, like it. I noticed the time I used it, it repeated the same one 4 times in a row, but this could be just by chance? I assume it was. Its great
I really like this game!! ^^ It’s a great way to hear the phrase repeated again and again to learn the meaning and pronunciation.
There were times however where I was remembering the pattern by colour and position though – I wasn’t necessarily listening to the words all the time.
From experience, my students like playing this game for a while but I don’t know if they would want to play it for every download pack. I’m interested to know what others think!
Richard,
I used to love this one when I had a touch screen computer. My kids always come in early just to play games and this one used to be a big hit. I’m a ‘hands-on’ kind of guy and like using the games in the lessons as well.
Unfortnuately, my computer crashed and I had to buy a new computer (not a touch screen), my kids (aged 4-8) have trouble with the little mouse pad on the laptop and this game doesn’t see much use any more. The other games are easy enough because the items are far enough apart that things can’t get confused. With this game, the kids tend to hover the cursor near the center and fustraited when they accidently move the cursor to another answer while trying to ‘left click’.
I’m sure it’s just because of the ages of the kids. If they were older, it probably wouldn’t be an issue.
For my classes, for the time being, the other games are more popular.
I really miss my touch screen…
Baby monkey’s always a winner. My kids love him! I like that the game ends but I also like the notion of seeing how high you can really go and beating your last high score… For me I prefer the endless or high score model 😉
Interesting factoid, I can play this game and still not speak those phrases in Korean because I’m just looking at the movement…. maybe if they didn’t move and you just heard the voice, trickier but much more of a good listening/reading test.
Cheers for all your work lately – you’re a machine!
Hi, It can be a good practice for children. I also have my own personally made games that I give to my pupils. Contact me if you are interested in sharing some of our games. Good luck
Hi Richard,
Yes,much better with a goal I think.The kids I teach always seem to feel they’ve ‘lost’ when they finally make a mistake-even when they’ve got a really high score on these games.
This is great fun. I can manage up to 9 before my head explodes! Competitive, addictive yet very simple. What a great way to pick up a few simple but very important expressions – who doesn’t want to be able to say these few phrases when visiting another country? Very useful. Thanks Richard, as always.
I like your idea. It’s better to see the goal and reach it. You can turn it into a game between 2 teams. So, it’s worth updating!!!
Hi Richard!
I got a score of five. I remember playing a music version of this game when I was young, it looked a little similar to this. I just played again and got 10 points. I realized that after about 5 items to remember, my memory went from audio to visual and for the last two or three times, I was basically remembering numbers:
right:4,left:1,right:1,top:1, etc.
I just tried the game again with the sound switched off, it was *impossible* to do, i only got 2!
This game is great. I am wondering how you could implement this sort of thing in the classroom.
Thank you for this.
Anouar
Hello,
I did this game and got 8 points and I got frustrated because I couldn’t remember the words and their meaning. But my son (12 years old) did it and he loved it, he had 10 and he is repeating the words like a parrot and he thinks it’s very funny!!
It’s great to have a goal of 10 points to achieve.
I’ll have to try again until I get 10 and remember the words!!
Thanks
Céline PAUL
I have my own version of ‘Simon’. I start by asking the students to copy me; touch you nose, touch your ears etc. I then say…touch your head but touch another body part to catch them out. They get the hang of this very quickly and love it. I also start with a quick briefing…Look – Listen-Learn don’t copy. They get the principle as well.
Regards,
Jamie