Although 8300 to 190 was the score in the Jeopardyesque juego (game) we played in class today, we enjoyed a friendly team (chicas v. chicos) competition. And, we soon recognized that games are a fun way to review the month’s (for me, the week’s) lessons and our increasing knowledge of the customs and history of Oaxaca in addition to vocabulary and grammar.
I am convinced that playing games, in addition to conversation, is one of the best ways to connect all of the things we are learning. For example, a game like this insists we show our understanding of the imperativo (the command form) while also describing recipes or that we demonstrate understanding of the subjuntivo (subjunctive) as we consider places or events we desire to see in Oaxaca and beyond. It also is an excellent vehicle for helping us to learn new words and dichos (sayings). For example, by attempting trabajalenguas (tongue twisters), we are laughing and learning at same time. (I found the candy trabalenguas today; it is a sucker that resembles a toilet plunger.) One of the, dare I say, easier trabajalenguas was: Tu dijiste que el dijo que yo dije que el dijo lo que tu dijiste. ?Por que lo dijiste? Before I offer the translation, I want to explain that this was one of the easier ones because we easily recognized the words and the verb forms. At the same time, you’ll see it is full of twists: You said that he said that I said that he said what you said. Why did you say it?
What’s more, a friendly competition, where learning is the prize, is deeply satisfying.
shewhodaresnothing 
Good idea using tongue twisters to teach grammar… Levi left the leaves lying on the littered lawn… and my favorite….
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter. “But “she said,”this butter’s bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. but a bit of better butter— that would make my batter better.” So Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter ( better than the bitter butter ) and made her bitter batter a bit better. That may be too long to translate into Spanish ! Take care..Rosalie