Barrier game guide

Barrier game guide

This poster describes barrier games using visual prompts.

Barrier games are a cooperative, learning activity that develops listening skills, descriptive and precise vocabulary, speaking in sentences and asking clarifying questions. They are easy to plan and can be adapted for different levels and curriculum areas.

Students work with a partner. One partner has information that the other needs in order to complete a task. For example, Partner A has a picture and instructs Partner B to draw so that they produce an identical picture. Students sit opposite each other with a barrier, such as an open book placed between them, so they cannot see each other’s work. They could also sit back-to-back, beside each other or just hide the instructions, depending on the type of barrier game being played. Initially, it is a good idea to introduce the activity to the whole class with the teacher giving the instructions, and all the students following them.