Looking for a fun and engaging activity to keep your students focused and active in the classroom? If you’re like me, always searching for that next teacher bag of tricks, let me introduce you to a game that’s become a great addition to my classroom: ¡SEIS!. This game is also known as ¡Mi lápiz! or The Dice Game in World Language Classrooms.
After sharing this game on Instagram, I was surprised to discover that many teachers hadn’t heard of it yet. ¡SEIS! is a dice game that’s so much fun for students, requiring almost zero set-up. It’s versatile enough to use as a review game or as an activity to fill time after finishing a lesson. The goal of the game is simple: to reinforce vocabulary, conjugations, or any other content in a way that motivates and excites your students.
Here’s everything you need to get started with ¡SEIS!:
- Dice
- Pencils
- Game form
That’s it! It really is a low-prep activity that you can pull out when needed. By the end of the game, this student favorite will help your students review and retain so much more Spanish vocabulary and they won’t even realize it for having so much fun.
How to Play ¡SEIS!
¡SEIS! works well with small groups. You can play in pairs or in groups of 3-5 students. From my experience, keeping the group size between 3 and 5 makes it easier to manage and ensures every student stays involved.
Each player gets their own game form, but here’s the twist: there’s only one pencil per group! To start, the first person begins to fill out the form while the next person rolls the dice, and when a student rolls a ¡SEIS!, they steal the pencil from the previous player and begin to fill in their game form as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the other students continue rolling the dice. The moment the next student rolls a ¡SEIS!, they shout “¡SEIS!” and grab the pencil, continuing where the previous player left off. This fast-paced back-and-forth dynamic keeps the group of people on their toes, and you’ll hear “¡SEIS!” ringing through the classroom!
The player who completes the most of their game form before time runs out wins the round.
Using ¡SEIS! to Reinforce Vocabulary and Grammar
One reason I love ¡SEIS! is that it can be adapted to fit any lesson or stations setup. Whether you’re introducing new vocabulary, reviewing for an assessment, or just trying to get students to engage more with grammar, this game fits perfectly into the mix. It’s a great way to reinforce learning without students realizing they’re even doing work. For example, I recently used ¡SEIS! in a unit on school supplies. Instead of having students match vocabulary with words, I gave them images of school supplies to label in Spanish as fast as they could. This adaptation of ¡SEIS! encourages students to think in the target language and make connections without using English as a crutch. Plus, it adds a competitive element! Students race to conjugate verbs or fill in sentence structures, creating a high-energy review session that feels more like a game than a study session, which is an added bonus.
Incorporating ¡SEIS! in Different Classroom Settings
What’s really great about ¡SEIS! is its flexibility. You can use it with small groups, in whole-class stations, or as a quick transition activity when you finish a lesson early. Here are a few ideas for incorporating this great addition to your classroom activities:
-
Vocabulary Review: After teaching new vocabulary, use ¡SEIS! as a review game. Students can match words with pictures or fill in blanks with definitions or translations.
-
Grammar Practice: Set up a ¡SEIS! round where students have to conjugate verbs or complete sentences. The pressure of rolling a ¡SEIS! keeps them on their toes and reinforces grammar structures in a fun, non-intimidating way helps them review verb conjugations and structures.
-
End-of-Class Activity: If you find yourself with an extra 5-10 minutes before the bell rings, pull out ¡SEIS! to keep students engaged and reinforce key content from the lesson. It’s a great way to make the most of every minute!
Tips for Running ¡SEIS! in Your Classroom
While the game is easy to set up and play, here are a few tips that will help you make the most out of this great game:
-
Group Size: As mentioned, I recommend groups of 3-5 students. Any more, and it can become hard for students to keep up with the pace and keeping students on task while waiting to roll the dice.
-
Game Forms: Prepare game forms that align with your current lesson. Whether it’s images for vocabulary or verb conjugations, tailor the content to your classroom needs.
-
Set a Time Limit: Keeping rounds short (3-5 minutes) maintains energy levels and focus. You can play multiple rounds to reinforce learning without it becoming boring and uninteresting.
-
Modify for Different Levels: If you’re working with a range of proficiency levels, you can easily modify the goal of the game. For novice learners, use simpler forms like picture labeling or basic verb conjugations. For more advanced students, incorporate more complex grammar tasks.
-
Encourage Competition: Students love the race element of ¡SEIS!, so encourage healthy competition. You can offer small prizes or just let them enjoy the bragging rights of finishing first.
Why ¡SEIS! Works in the Classroom
The reason ¡SEIS! is so popular among teachers is that it strikes the perfect balance between competition and learning. Students love the fast pace, and the game format keeps them engaged for the entire class period. Plus, it’s easy to integrate into existing lessons and can be used for a wide range of topics. It’s the great way to keep everyone engaged, including that students who usually doesn’t want to participate in class activities.
The dice game format also helps students internalize vocabulary and grammar in a way that is so much fun. Instead of rote memorization, they’re actively using the target language, which leads to better retention.
Whether you’re teaching a unit on school supplies, body parts, or conjugation practice, ¡SEIS! is versatile enough to fit any content. I’ve even seen teachers use it for other subjects like math or science vocabulary.
Give ¡SEIS! a Try!
If you haven’t tried ¡SEIS! yet, I highly recommend adding it to your classroom activities. It’s a great addition to any lesson plan, and students will love the interactive, competitive nature of the game. It’s also a great way to reinforce vocabulary or grammar in a way that feels like play, not work. And best of all? It’s practically no prep for you!
So next time you’re planning your lessons or setting up stations for review, give ¡SEIS! a go. Whether you use it for vocabulary, grammar, or just to have fun, this dice game is sure to become a hit with your students. I’d love to hear how it works in your classroom!
If you liked this post…
If you liked this blog post, you may be interested in these:
