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What is DICEWORDS and how do you play it?
Each set of DICEWORDS contains nine dice with letters from the alphabet on all six faces which can be used to make words of up to nine letters. Each letter earns a score, which is marked on the dice. Teams can consist of individuals or two (or more) players on the same side. Players throwing for their teams use all nine dice. The team attempts to make words as long as possible using letters of the highest value. For each turn, each team has up to three throws. dice displaying letters (face upwards) which are useful in making the word may be retained, while dice displaying letters which are not useful may be re-thrown.
For each turn (after three throws), a team's score is calculated by adding the letters (displayed face upwards) on the faces of all the dice used in making the word. This total is then multiplied by the number of letters in the word to give the score for that turn.
The dice face with 
is like a joker or wildcard. It can be used as any letter from the alphabet and may be helpful in completing a word or making a longer word. However, two points are subtracted before multiplying by the number of letters in the word. Before starting the game, teams agree on a dictionary containing all permitted words. Teams may challenge if they feel that players have failed to make permitted words. If the disputed word is not in the agreed dictionary, then nothing is scored for that turn.
How to get the most out of DICEWORDS in the English language class
To get the most language practice out of the game, each team should consist of two (or no more than three) players i.e. Two or three sets of DICEWORDS would provide very well for a class of 12 students. It does not matter if there is an odd number of students on any one side, so there is no danger of anybody being left out. Having more than one student on each side promotes discussion between players on the same side in the course of their throws of the dice. For the first throw, all nine dice must be used. The discussion task which follows will naturally involve deciding:
- which word to aim at in order to use high-scoring letters &/or to achieve the highest multiplier by using as many of the nine dice as possible
- which letters to retain and which to throw again after the first and second throws. A maximum of three throws make up ONE SIDE'S TURN.
Further discussion often focuses on how words are spelt and whether words are likely to be in the agreed dictionary. Although modern English examinations focus increasingly on language as discourse, whether written or spoken, it does no harm to include activities which foster a love of English words, which get learners talking about them and using dictionaries (preferably English:English rather than bilingual ones).
DICEWORDS is suitable for all levels of language learner from post-elementary upwards. It offers Cambridge examination classes (intermediate to advanced) opportunity to converse, engaging a little less formally between periods of intensive study but nonetheless practising aural/oral English, word building and use of an authorative reference such as Advanced Learner's Dictionary (for focus on several meanings of the same word) or The Scrabble Dictionary (for focus on spelling and whether the word exists in any meaning).
All you need to play the game is the 9 dice and an odd or even number of people: easy to transport and can be set up instantly
A clever design feature of DICEWORDS is its portability. Instead of having "triple letter scores" or "double word scores" marked on a large board, which would be cumbersome for learners and teachers to use in class, all the scores can be calculated mathematically by adding the points marked on the tops of the dice and by multiplying their sum by the number of dice used in the word.
A game for any age group (from 8 to 108), easily transportable and useful for numeracy as well as literacy
As well as word building, DICEWORDS provides very useful practice in numeracy (sums and tables). The language of computation is also a very important area of English vocabulary. Calculating the best scoring options plays a key part in the game and is therefore one of the main focuses of aural/oral communication between players.
Many categories of user and a good ice-breaker for social occasions: the simple focus on arranging the dice to create the highest scoring words will get people talking and planning co-operatively
Available from www.grahams-games.co.uk---------Top of Page