4 Brain Breaks for World Language Learners

Spanish teacher Jamie Midyette understands just how taxing learning a language can be. At times in her class at Albert Hill Middle School in Richmond, Virginia, she sees her students lose eye contact, look sleepy, or get distracted. It’s at those times when she knows to turn to a valuable tool for her world language learners: brain breaks.

These short games, requiring anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes, offer several benefits. They involve movement, getting students out of their seats. They encourage interaction and eye contact among students who may not run in the same social circles. Students who win the brain break are recognized, celebrated with applause, and given a sticker, which boosts confidence and contributes to a positive atmosphere in class.

Brain breaks are not just for fun—each one involves ongoing instruction and practice in the target language. Some brain breaks pair gestures with vocabulary words, which is a proven method to help students remember those words. Though brain breaks are useful in every subject, they have a special utility in a world language classroom.

One brain break that Midyette uses is Aguila o Sol (Eagle or Sun), named for the two icons on a Mexican peso and modeled on Heads or Tails. Students put their hands on their heads if they think the coin will land on sun, or on their hips if they think it will land on eagle. If the student is correct, they stay standing; if not, they sit down. Midyette continues to flip the coin and students continue to choose eagle or sun until only one person remains.

Another brain break is Arriba Abajo Mira (Up Down Look), in which students stand in a circle. If Midyette says, “Arriba,” students look up. If she says, “Abajo,” they look down. And if she says, “Mira,” they look across the circle to another student’s eyes. If that student is looking back, both are out. The game continues until just two people are left.

A third brain break is Más Alto, Más Bajo (Higher or Lower), which involves a deck of cards. Either Midyette or a student volunteer flips over the top card. Everyone else stands in a line circling the room, and one person approaches and decides if they think the next card in the deck will be higher or lower. If they’re correct, they join the end of the line. If not, they sit down. Students continue to circle around and guess higher or lower until one student remains.

Pasa la Bola (Pass the Ball) is another brain break that involves movement and vocabulary review. One student, the guesser, exits the classroom and doesn’t see who has a ball behind their back. When the guesser returns, everyone else makes a circle around them and secretly passes the ball from one to another behind their backs. The guesser asks students in the circle, “Do you have it?” in Spanish, and the others answer either “No, I don’t have it,” or “Yes, I have it.” The game continues until just one or two people are left.

Within a 90-minute period, Midyette includes three or four brain breaks, creating natural transitions between activities and lessons. Though students may be losing focus before a brain break, their energy level afterward is quite different—they’re energized, happy, and ready to return to the lesson with renewed attention.

The Pass the Ball brain break and the Spanish adaptation of Rock, Paper, Scissors were sourced from Anabelle Williamson of La Maestra Loca, and the Higher or Lower brain break was originated by Amy Marshall.

For additional ideas for brain breaks for language learners and beyond, check out Edutopia’s growing collection of articles and videos on the subject, “Brain Breaks for Your Classroom.”