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Games for online English lessons are one of the most effective tools an ESL teacher can add to their virtual classroom. When engagement drops after thirty minutes on Zoom, a well-timed interactive game can reset attention, generate authentic language use, and make vocabulary genuinely stick. This guide walks you through the technical side of screen-sharing games, explains how to use LexFizz’s embed mode, and recommends the ten best activities for live online lessons.
The Challenges of Online English Teaching
Teaching English online presents a distinct set of obstacles that simply do not exist in a physical classroom. Screen fatigue sets in quickly, especially for younger learners. Background noise, unstable internet connections, and the temptation of other browser tabs all compete for students’ attention. Without physical proximity it is harder to read body language, manage pacing, or spontaneously redirect a lesson.
Games address several of these challenges at once. A well-chosen activity introduces a competitive or collaborative element that rewards focus. Short game rounds — five to ten minutes each — break the lesson into manageable chunks and give students a clear goal beyond simply listening to the teacher. Research in game-based learning consistently shows that students retain vocabulary better when it is encountered in a meaningful, low-stakes context rather than through rote drilling.
The key is choosing games that work within the constraints of online platforms rather than fighting against them. Screen-sharing a browser tab is now seamless on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex, which means any web-based game becomes a shared classroom experience in seconds.
Screen-Sharing Games: How It Works
Screen-sharing a game is straightforward. Open the exercise in your browser, start a screen share, and select the specific browser tab (not your entire desktop). Most video conferencing platforms offer tab-level sharing, which automatically shares any audio playing in that tab — useful for listening and pronunciation games.
Best practices for screen-sharing games:
- Maximise the browser window before sharing so students see the largest possible display.
- Close unnecessary tabs to avoid accidental screen flash or notifications.
- Use tab audio sharing when running audio-based activities such as Audio Dictation or Listening exercises.
- Pause and explain before starting the game timer so all students understand the rules.
- Allow one student to control the mouse remotely (Zoom remote control feature) to increase involvement.
- Keep rounds short — 5–8 minutes per activity maintains energy without fatigue.
Using LexFizz Embed Mode (?embed=1)
Every LexFizz exercise supports an embed mode activated by appending ?embed=1 to the URL. For example:
Standard URL: https://lexfizz.com/exercises/gameshow-quiz/
Embed URL: https://lexfizz.com/exercises/gameshow-quiz/?embed=1
Embed mode hides the site navigation, header, and footer, leaving only the exercise itself in full view. This is ideal for screen sharing because students see nothing but the game — no distracting menus, no visible URL bar once the tab is shared. It also works inside an <iframe> if you embed a game directly into a virtual classroom platform or a Notion or Google Sites lesson plan page.
You can combine embed mode with custom vocabulary by appending a ?data= parameter. This lets you pre-load your own word list so the game uses exactly the vocabulary your class is studying that week, without any manual setup inside the exercise.
Top 10 Games for Online English Lessons
The following games are selected for their suitability to the online format. Each entry includes a practical tip for using it in a video lesson.
Gameshow Quiz
A timed multiple-choice quiz styled as a TV game show, complete with dramatic music and score reveals. Students answer individually but watch the same screen, creating the buzzer-style excitement of a shared competition.
Ask students to type their answer (A, B, C, or D) in the chat before you reveal each answer. This prevents early students from influencing others and gives you instant formative assessment data. Use it as a five-minute warm-up or end-of-lesson review.
Spin the Wheel
A randomiser that can hold vocabulary topics, student names, or discussion questions. Spin to select a word category, then ask the chosen student to give an example sentence or definition.
Load the wheel with student names to replace the awkward silence of deciding who answers next. It removes perceived favouritism and adds a game element to cold-calling. Students can also spin it themselves when given remote mouse control.
Speaking Cards
Randomised conversation prompt cards ideal for discussion practice. Each card shows a question or scenario that students must respond to for 30–60 seconds.
Send students to breakout rooms in pairs. Share the Speaking Cards URL so each pair opens the game independently on their own browser. After five minutes, bring everyone back and ask one student from each room to report what they discussed. This creates natural summarising practice alongside the speaking task.
Balloon Pop
Students pop balloons to reveal vocabulary questions or comprehension items. The surprise element keeps attention high and works well as a post-reading or post-listening check.
Give remote mouse control to a different student for each pop. The student clicks the balloon, reads the question aloud, and the class responds verbally or via chat. Rotate control every 2–3 balloons to keep everyone alert.
Wordsearch
A classic individual activity that works surprisingly well for follow-along online use. Share your screen with the wordsearch pre-loaded with topic vocabulary.
Open the wordsearch on your screen and ask students to find and call out words before you circle them. Alternatively, send each student the URL to complete independently (works offline after first visit), then compare times in the chat. Great as a five-minute filler or vocabulary preview before a reading text.
Anagram
Scrambled letters that students must rearrange to form a target word. The puzzle format encourages focused attention and activates spelling knowledge.
Screen-share the anagram and ask students to type their answer in the chat simultaneously before you reveal the solution. This creates a no-peeking dynamic that works perfectly online. First correct answer in the chat wins the point. Works well for vocabulary recycling mid-lesson.
Flash Cards
Digital flashcards for vocabulary introduction or review. The teacher controls the flip, making it a teacher-led input activity that mirrors holding up a physical card.
Share your screen with the front of the card visible. Students type what they think the word means before you flip it. Use custom vocabulary by appending a ?data= parameter so your class’s specific unit words appear. After the lesson, send students the same URL as homework — no account required.
Quiz
A straightforward multiple-choice quiz format similar to a digital poll. Ideal for comprehension checks after a reading or listening segment.
Use it as a poll replacement when your video platform’s polling feature is unavailable. Screen-share each question and ask students to respond verbally, by raising their hand, or via the chat. Pause on each question for 20–30 seconds before revealing the answer to allow thinking time.
True or False
Statements that students judge as true or false — useful for checking reading comprehension, grammar understanding, or factual knowledge about a topic.
Ask students to respond with a thumbs up or thumbs down reaction, or simply type T or F in the chat. Pausing before clicking the answer builds suspense. Follow up each false statement by asking a student to correct it — this generates targeted production practice.
Whack-a-Mole
A fast-paced reaction game where students must identify and click the correct word as items pop up on screen. The speed element demands immediate recognition rather than deliberate analysis.
Send each student the link to play individually and race. They report their score in the chat at the end. Alternatively, screen-share and give one student remote control to play while the rest call out which mole to hit. The competitive noise breaks lesson monotony effectively — ideal mid-lesson energy reset.
Synchronous vs Asynchronous Game Use
Games for online English lessons do not have to happen in real time. Understanding the difference between synchronous and asynchronous use expands how you can deploy them.
| Mode | How it works | Best games |
|---|---|---|
| Synchronous | Teacher screen-shares during a live lesson; whole class participates together | Gameshow Quiz, Spin the Wheel, Balloon Pop, True or False, Whack-a-Mole |
| Breakout rooms | Students open the game independently in pairs or small groups during a video lesson | Speaking Cards, Anagram, Flash Cards, Wordsearch |
| Asynchronous homework | Teacher shares a URL; students complete in their own time before the next lesson | Flash Cards (custom ?data= URL), Quiz, Wordsearch, Anagram |
| Pre-lesson warm-up | URL shared in the chat before the lesson starts; students self-study while waiting | Flash Cards, Wordsearch, True or False |
For asynchronous homework, the Flash Cards exercise with a custom ?data= URL is particularly powerful. Encode your vocabulary list as a URL parameter, share it in your class messaging group, and students can review the exact words from that week’s lesson on any device. LexFizz exercises also work offline via a service worker after the first visit, so students with unreliable home internet can still complete homework without interruption.
Technical Setup Tips for Online Game Lessons
A smooth technical setup prevents the awkward troubleshooting that kills momentum. Follow these steps before each lesson that includes a game component:
- Pre-load all game tabs before the lesson starts. Switching to a ready tab is much faster than navigating to a URL mid-lesson.
- Use tab sharing rather than full desktop sharing when available. It loads faster and prevents students from seeing your taskbar or other applications.
- Enable “Share computer audio” in Zoom or Google Meet when running audio exercises so students hear the game sounds through their headphones.
- Test the game on the same browser you will use for the lesson. Chrome gives the smoothest experience for both screen sharing and web-based games.
- Prepare the embed URL in advance for screen-share activities so you avoid navigation menus appearing in the shared view.
- Check your internet upload speed (aim for at least 5 Mbps) before lessons involving screen-shared video or audio-heavy games.
For breakout room activities, paste the game URL into the meeting chat before splitting students into rooms. This way, every student already has the link when they enter their room and does not need to ask the teacher for it.
Engagement Strategies for Online Classes
Games alone will not sustain engagement across a full lesson. Combine them with deliberate engagement strategies for the best results:
- Change activity type every 15–20 minutes. Alternate between teacher-led input, pair practice, whole-class game, and independent task. Variety prevents adaptation fatigue.
- Give students choice. Occasionally let the class vote (via chat poll or reactions) between two game options. This increases ownership of the lesson.
- Keep score publicly. A simple tally on screen — even a shared document with team names — adds competitive motivation without high-stakes pressure.
- Narrate the game as you play. Commentary from the teacher maintains energy in a way that silent screen-sharing does not.
- Debrief briefly after each game. Ask two or three quick questions: What was the hardest word? Which question surprised you? This embeds learning and signals that games are part of the lesson rather than a break from it.
- Use student names wherever possible. Load Spin the Wheel with names, or reference individual students’ chat answers during whole-class review.
The goal is to make students feel that the lesson is happening with them, not at them. Games that require active responses — typing in chat, clicking through remote control, speaking in breakout rooms — achieve this much more effectively than passive watching.
Further Reading and Related Exercises
- Best ESL Games for the Classroom — face-to-face equivalents of the games covered here.
- Free English Learning Games — full overview of the LexFizz game library.
- Gamification in Education — the research behind game-based learning.
- Flashcard Study Tips — how to maximise Flash Cards for vocabulary retention.
- Browse All 30 Exercises — the complete LexFizz exercise library.