Becoming a Better Learner: The Magic of Brainteasers

Nick Michelioudakis’ column Becoming a Better Learner suggests techniques to engage, empower, and facilitate students through a series of simple activities. This month, MindTrap is in the spotlight!

Here is what you do:

• Find yourself a partner (though of course you can have fun on your own!).
• Find some cards from the game ‘MindTrap’.
• Alternatively, use brainteasers from this site: https://bit.ly/2VMyyJf .
• Take it in turns to try to answer the questions.
• Each correct answer scores 2 points.
• If your partner cannot answer his/her question but you can, you score 1 point.

Here are some of the questions (answers at the end):

1. ‘How many times can you take 4 out of 33?’
2. ‘If you divide thirty by half and add ten, what is the answer?
3. ‘Some months have 30 days and some have 31. How many months have 28 days?’

English should not be ‘all work and no play’. Give yourself a treat. 

[Answers: i) Once of course! ii) Not 25; the right answer is 70. iii) All of them!]

Nick Michelioudakis (B. Econ., Dip. RSA, MSc TEFL) has been active in ELT for many years as a teacher, examiner, presenter, and teacher trainer. He has worked for a number of publishers and examination boards and he has given seminars and workshops in many countries.

He has written extensively on Methodology, though he is better known for his ‘Psychology and ELT’ articles which have appeared in numerous newsletters and magazines.