This document provides ideas for using balls in English language teaching across different age groups and settings. It suggests ball activities that can be used for introductions, reviews, and games both in the classroom and online. Some of the highlighted activities include having students sit in a circle saying their names while passing a ball, inventing new sports in groups, and reviewing material by tossing a ball with questions taped on it. The document promotes the use of balls for active learning as they are inexpensive, portable, and can engage students of all ages.

1. Boy playing with ball X06484 by Ulf Bodin, Flickr
Let’s Learn with a Ball!
ShellyTerrell.com
Bit.ly/ELTLINKs
Icebreakers, Activities, & Resources

2. “Play is our brain's favorite way
of learning.”- Diane Ackerman

3. Benefits?
• Easy set-up
• Light
• Cheap
• Promotes active
learning & TPR
• For all ages
Image, Bounce Out by Amanda Tipton, Flickr

4. Part of your teacher survival kit
Altered image, inside my everyday pack by drive by shooter, Flickr

5. Young
Learners

6. Ball Introductions
Classroom circle time with Maria Knee by Wesley Fryer, Flickr
• Children sit in a circle
• Child says name then rolls the ball to a peer
• The child says the student’s name & asks a
question

7. Toddler Ball Intro
Toddler says name & hits
the ball with each syllable

8. Invent a Sport
• Divide into groups
• Each group invents
a sport, create the
rules, etc.
• Teach it to the class

9. Play Ball!
• Host a field day
• Play Olympic sports
• Play sports from
around the world

10. Teens & Adults

11. Ball Icebreaker in Pairs

12. Ball Review Toss
Image, Q: Can I kick it? A: Yes, you can, by Todd, Flickr
Teacher names category & toss till someone gets
wrong, repeats, or takes longer than 3 seconds to
answer

13. What’s the Ball Say?
• Put masking tape
• Write directions or review questions
Image, Q: Can I kick it? A: Yes, you can, by Todd, Flickr

14. Ball Icebreaker Questions

15. Ball Q&A
• Student catches the ball & answers a question
• Student asks a question & throws to a peer to
answer

16. Online
Ball
Games

17. Marks-english-school.com/games.html

18. Sciencemuseum.org.uk/launchpad/launchball

19. Bartbonte.com/factoryballs2

20. Novelgames.com/en/spgames/numberballs

21. Ball Apps
Altered image, Sphero by Rob Pegoraro, Flickr

22. AR Soccer

23. Magic 8Ball
Image, 8-ball by Alexander Kozlov, Flickr

24. Baseball & Math HD IOS App
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/baseball-and-math-hd-free/id441095112?mt=8

25. C is for Camera by @kevinv033, Flickr
Useful
tools!

26. Pearltrees.com/p/cj8xf

27. Bit.ly/eltlinks
Pearltrees.com/p/cj8xf
ShellyTerrell.com