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Come on down! The price is right


In pre-internet days I used to occasionally record programmes from French satellite TV to use in class. The game show The Price is Right had a long run in France with the title Le Juste Prix and, I read on Wikipedia, is still running. If you are too young to remember it, contestants had to guess the price of household consumer goods and could win prizes.

Well, the simple language game below would be great for practising numbers and prices in the target language. You could get the class to compete as individuals, pairs, small groups, or, if you wanted to make it more of a spectator sport, you could get students to come up to thr front and be contestants with you as the host.

You could use real items brought in (food, drinks, toys, household items etc) and individuals/pairs/teams would have to guess the correct price. Alternatively you could do a nifty powerpoint with items shown as pictures with a reveal slide for the actual price. You could offer alternative prices or just get the students to make a guess. (You would have revised numbers and prices by now.) You could get your individuals or teams to read out their guesses before revealing the actual price paid (if in doubt, make them up). Points for the closest answers, prizes for the winners. You know what points make.....

I reckon classes would like this, pay attention and get plenty of chances to hear numbers, item vocabulary and prices (input) and say them (output). With a really good class, even advanced, you could get some theme music, use a good student as a host and make it even more fun. You could add a little icing by getting students to use opinion phrases when giving their answers: à mon avis, je pense que...

Image: azurahomedesign

Comments

  1. I had a little struggle with some study groups at first, because not everybody was able to catch the sense. Anyway, they gradually became used to it quite well.

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