Word Stars are used by many linguistic instructors and have been used many times before in ESL classrooms and word star diagrams are most useful when teaching ESL students.

This exercise helps to extend vocabulary, develop sentences and at the same time it creates an interactive classroom and get students thinking for themselves.

There is one example of a word star chart in the Game Material section below and in addition there is a blank word star chart that can be printed off, copied and used as a class handout.

As you will observe I have used the word 'fast' but the center word can be anything that the instructor decides on.

When I use the word star exercise I normally separate the class into two groups so that students can collectively come up with connection words for the one, which I have given them.

In my experience word stars are great for encouraging class discussions.