For English as a Second Language students, learning to speak and understand English on the telephone is a particularly challenging task, as many students rely on reading facial expressions and watching lips as much as hearing. To help students succeed at conversing in English on the phone, introduce a few ESL telephone games to your lessons.

What's Your Number?
This telephone game is particularly good for young children learning to use the phone and to count in English. Bring a toy telephone to class, or print a telephone keypad template from your computer. Review the numbers 0 through 9 in English with students, then write the school's phone number on the board. Point out the area code and explain that many of the students probably have the same area code. Write the phrase "What's your phone number?" on the board and have students practice asking it. Ask them to write their own phone numbers on a piece of paper. Take the phone from student to student, and ask them, "What's your phone number?" Have them practice reading their own number.

Next, the student asks you, "What's your phone number?" Give the student the phone, and invent a phone number out loud. Watch as the student calls you, being sure he enters the numbers you say.

Back to Back
Because the challenge of speaking on the phone arises because listeners can't see the speaker's face, divide students into pairs and have them sit back to back for this game. Give each student time to write down three questions on a piece of paper. Next, have them role-play a telephone call. One student "calls" the other, and after greeting one another, they take turns asking the three questions they wrote down. When one student responds, the other student writes down what he hears. He can ask, "Can you repeat that, please?" but only English is allowed.

Afterward, have each pair compare answers. For each answer a student wrote that his partner said correctly, the pair is awarded a point, with the possibility for six points total. The pair or pairs with six points are the winners.

Sam's Secret Message
Prepare a set of flash cards with phrases or "secret messages" written on them. Divide the class into two teams arranged in two straight rows. Begin with the first student on one team, and face away from that student. "Call" the student, and when he answers, ask for "Sam." The student explains that Sam is not there and asks if he can take a message. Read one of the secret messages on your flash card. The student must write down the message he hears.

Go back and forth between teams and students, each time leaving a different message for Sam. When each student has had a turn, go through the flash cards and compare them to the messages the students wrote. For each message a team has correct, it is awarded a point. The team with the most points wins.