In my video I share a simple, high-interest activity I love using in beginner classes: Teaching Languages: Guess Who? It gets students speaking, listening and using descriptive language in a low-pressure, interactive way. If you teach beginners and want a game that doubles as a speaking/listening warm-up and an assessment tool, this activity is for you.
Why I use Guess Who in language classes
Guess Who is familiar to many students, which lowers anxiety and increases engagement. As I say in the video, “it’s interactive and the game itself serves as a bit of a chat mat.” The game naturally prompts closed-question practice (yes/no questions), listening for details and using vocabulary to describe people’s appearance.
How to set up the activity
Materials:
- Printable or small laminated game boards (foldable or cut in half)
- Cheat sheets with target vocabulary (for early practice)
- Optional: the commercial Guess Who game or adapted printable boards
Basic procedure:
- Put students in pairs or teams—two vs two works well at first.
- Each team secretly selects a character from their board.
- Players take turns asking closed (yes/no) questions to eliminate possibilities (e.g., “Does your person wear glasses?” or “Does your person have long hair?”).
- Use process of elimination until a team identifies the correct person.
Assessment and differentiation
Start with pairs and allow a cheat sheet so students build confidence. Then remove supports for formal assessment: have students play one-on-one and use only the target language. I often turn it into a quiz where fluency, accuracy and question formation are assessed during play.
Templates and adaptations
I created templates that can be adapted to any target language. If design isn’t your thing, there are printable versions of the board online and a physical Guess Who game that can be customised. These templates make it easy to tailor vocabulary (hair, glasses, facial hair, etc.) to your lessons.
“It’s really fun to use as a quiz or an assessment as well.”
Quick tips for success
- Model a few question-answer exchanges before students play.
- Encourage complete sentences in the target language, then gradually accept shorter replies as fluency grows.
- Rotate partners so students hear different accents and phrasing.
Conclusion
Teaching Languages: Guess Who? is a versatile, engaging activity that supports speaking, listening and descriptive vocabulary practice. Start with supports, use teams to lower anxiety, then move to independent play for assessment. If you want ready-to-use boards and cheat sheets, check the course and book resources mentioned in my materials. Happy teaching — and have fun guessing!
