Hot Seat Instructions

Hot Seat

Type: Game/Puzzle

Description: “Hot Seat” is an engaging vocabulary game that encourages students to practice their speaking, listening, and descriptive skills. It can be played in teams or as a whole class activity.

 

How to Play:

  1. Preparation:
    • Write a list of vocabulary words or phrases that you want the students to review. These words should be related to the lesson or recent topics covered in class.
    • Set up a chair at the front of the classroom facing away from the board. This chair is the “Hot Seat.”
  2. Divide the Class:
    • Split the class into two or more teams. Each team will take turns having one member sit in the Hot Seat.
  3. Instructions:
    • A student from the first team sits in the Hot Seat with their back to the board so they cannot see the word that will be written.
    • Write a word or phrase on the board behind the student in the Hot Seat. The rest of the team has to describe this word or phrase to the student without using the word itself or any part of it.
  4. Describing the Word:
    • The team members give clues to help their teammate guess the word. For example, if the word is “apple,” they might say, “It’s a fruit,” “It can be red or green,” and “You can make pie with it.”
    • Set a time limit for each round (e.g., 1-2 minutes). The student in the Hot Seat must guess the word within this time frame.
  5. Scoring:
    • If the student guesses the word correctly within the time limit, the team earns a point.
    • Rotate teams after each round so every team gets an equal number of turns.
  6. Winning:
    • Continue playing until each team has had a few turns. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Variations:

  • Themes: Choose words based on a specific theme (e.g., animals, professions, holidays) to tailor the game to the lesson.
  • Restrictions: Increase the challenge by adding restrictions, such as not being able to use hand gestures or limiting the number of clues.
  • Multiple Hot Seats: There is one student in a hot seat for each team. The hot seat that says the word first gets the point. For example, if you have four teams, there will be four hot seats all competing together at the same time.

“Hot Seat” is a fun and interactive way to reinforce vocabulary, encourage teamwork, and develop students’ descriptive language skills.