Posted 11 February 2007 - 03:05 PM

Information gap games

All three games described below are collaborative: that is, the players have to work
together, sharing information in some way in order to complete the task.

a) Describe and draw

In this game, as you can sec from the self-access rules in the previously presented, one
player has to describe to the other players a picture which they are not allowed to see.
Those who are listening have to draw the picture. They may ask questions for
clarification (if there is more than one person drawing, they must listen to one another’s
questions) and they can discuss any difficulties amongst themselves. Further talk takes
place when pictures, the original and the various versions of it, are compared.
This need not be an advanced level activity provided the pictures to be drawn are
reasonably carefully selected. Pictures, which may be taken from magazines or be
drawings which you have produced yourself for the students, can be unusual but should
not contain distracting detail. Clearly, however, this is a game which requires language to
be used precisely. You can give the students a preview of this activity in class by doing
what is commonly called a “picture dictation”.

Find the difference

For this the players, divided into two sides, each have pictures which are similar to one
another but differ in a number of significant details. The players have to establish the
differences between the two pictures (either as many as possible or a set number) by
describing or asking questions. For example:
A: There is a boy in my picture. Is there a boy in yours?
B: Yes. He is sitting on the sofa.
A: On the sofa? I do not have a sofa in my picture. What is the boy doing?
B: He is reading a book. Where is your boy sitting?
A: He is sitting on the floor. He is playing with his car.
B: Oh, there isn’t any car in my picture. (etc.)