"Flashback to the Future: How physical Flashcards still have their place in Modern Language Teaching
In today's digital era, where educational technology is rapidly evolving, the use of physical flashcards might seem like a nostalgic throwback. However, I believe that these simple, yet effective 'vintage' tools still hold immense value in foreign languages teaching. In this blog article, I will highlight the reasons why I think they remain relevant in our tech-savvy classrooms, but more importantly I will share some of the activities that I have used successfully over time.
So, why do I think physical flashcards are still relevant?
They provide tangible, interactive Learning:
By using these physical resources, students engage in a "real" experience that promotes concrete interaction. This hands-on approach proves to be a powerful tool for memorisation. When teachers combine visual cues from the flashcards with spoken pronunciation, they appeal to students' auditory and kinaesthetic senses, encouraging active participation. As a result, the learning process becomes more interactive, enjoyable, and distinct from traditional methods.
They provide offline Learning and Reduce Screen Time:
Physical flashcards offer a respite from digital devices, allowing students to disconnect from screens and engage with tangible materials. By incorporating flashcards into the classroom, teachers promote a healthy balance between online and offline learning experiences. This approach not only reduces screen time but also offers a refreshing change of pace, supporting students' focus and minimising distractions.
Now for some practical classroom activities using flashcards.
1. Choral repetition and individual repetition: Incorporate both choral repetition and individual repetition techniques to engage your students. To maintain focus, feel free to move around the room, varying your tone and intonation. Experiment with using a low, quiet voice or a fast, slow, high-pitched, or low-pitched voice. Tip: have fun with it!
2. Act as teacher: Assign one student the role of the "card master" and assume your position as the teacher. The card master will exhibit a flashcard, and the remaining students in the class must accurately identify its content. The student who is selected to respond (and successfully guesses the card) will then replace the teacher, assuming the role of the new card master.
3. Have a glimpse and guess : Show a flashcard for a split second and get pupils to guess the flashcard, prompting the pupils to make an educated guess about its contents.
4. Guess the flashcard: Shuffle the flashcards and select one at random. Hide it behind your back and engage the class in a guessing game to determine which card it is.Tip: allows students to engage with most, if not all, of the vocabulary before arriving at the correct answers.
5. Kim’s game: Using Blue Tack, stick all the flashcards on the board. Ask pupils to close their eyes and remove one card from the board. Make sure there is no peeking and give a signal for pupils to open their eyes. They must then guess the missing flashcard.
6. Points flashcards: Use sticky notes to allocate various amounts of points at the back of each flashcard. Stick the card on the board and create 2 teams. Teams give answers alternately until all cards have been used (make sure there is an even number of cards to avoid complaints!) For each correct answer teams get the points at the back of the flashcard.
7. The bomb game. A variation of points flashcards, where you replace the points for a few of the cards by a symbol (bomb, explosion, exclamation mark, etc). Teams still get the points at the back of each flashcard, but if they pick a card with the dreaded symbol, they lose all their points and have to start again. Tip: be prepared for a high volume of decibels (from pupils, not the bomb!)
8. The pointing game: Place the flash cards strategically around the classroom and call out the information on each card. Encourage students to accurately identify the flash card you have referenced by pointing directly at it.
Increase the pace at which you go through the flash cards, gradually eliminating any hesitation among the students. For more focus, you may selectively request specific groups within the class to respond.
9. Get the flashcard: As for the pointing game, display the flashcards strategically throughout the classroom and verbally articulate the contents of each card. Designate one pupil to bring you the card you have mentioned.
Tip: do this activity after the pointing game; it will save you from having to collect the cards scattered around the room yourself.
10. Flashcard noughts and crosses: It speaks for itself. Set up 2 teams. Draw a grid (3 rows x 3 columns and big enough to contain a flashcard). Stick the 9 flashcards on the board. Each team takes it in turn to place their X or O into one of the squares in the grid (you write them) by identifying the flashcard correctly. The team that gets three of their symbols in a line horizontally, vertically, or diagonally wins.
11. Match up: For this activity, you will require both the flashcard image and its corresponding written equivalent in the target language. Either display the images around the classroom and encourage students to get up and affix the appropriate written version next to each image, or alternatively, distribute the written words and challenge students to match them with the corresponding pictures.
12. Bet on your knowledge? Ask students to estimate the number of flashcards they believe they have memorised and have them write their guesses on mini whiteboards or pieces of paper. Begin by testing the volunteer who had the lowest estimated number of flashcards memorised. After their turn, ask if anyone can beat their score. To make it more interactive and inclusive, you can transform this activity into a team game. Divide the class into several teams. Each team collaboratively decides on the number of words they believe they can collectively remember. Once all the teams have made their estimations, proceed with the flashcard testing. The team with the highest score wins.
13. Stand up/ sit down: Call out a flashcard content; if what you say matches the flashcard pupils must stand up, if it doesn’t, they must sit down.
14. Design your own set of mini flashcards. A creative task where pupils design their own cards (picture and matching written version). They can use those for their own practice or in pair work to test a partner.
Where can I find flashcards?
I must confess; when I began my research for this article, I expected to find a variety of companies offering traditional flashcards. However, my search led me to discover an abundance of digital flashcard generation websites, which are effective tools for digital learning but not what I was looking for. I also stumbled upon suppliers offering small flashcards designed for individual use or very small groups, but unfortunately, I couldn't find flashcards large enough for whole-class vocabulary practice. It became evident that using "retro" flashcards would require a do-it-yourself approach. The good news is that the process of creating a set of flashcards is not that time-consuming, especially if you have a reusable template. If your school has a reprographics department, printing them will be hassle-free, and laminating the flashcards ensures their longevity (once you've made them, you're done).
However, I felt a bit guilty for promoting flashcards without providing you with an easy path to ready-made ones. Therefore, I would like to offer you a head-start by giving you five sets of flashcards in French and Spanish, completely free. (Yes, absolutely free! All you have to do is click the link below to download the PDF files.)
Final thoughts: While technology continues to transform education, the time-tested benefits of physical flashcards in foreign language teaching remain relevant and effective. Their tactile nature, visual stimulation, versatility, and ability to facilitate repetition and personalised learning make them indispensable tools for language teachers. By combining the best of both traditional and digital methods, language educators can create a well-rounded and engaging learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of their students. So, let us celebrate the enduring charm and pedagogical power of the humble physical flashcard in our dynamic and ever-evolving classrooms.
