Tarot, any of a set of cards used in tarot games and in fortune-telling. Tarot decks were invented in Italy in the 1430s by adding to the existing four-suited pack a fifth suit of 21 specially illustrated cards called trionfi (“triumphs”) and an odd card called il matto (“the fool”). (The fool is not the origin of the modern joker, which was invented in the late 19th century as an unsuited jack in the game of euchre.)

Flash cards are a simple, versatile, yet often underexploited resource. I would like to offer some reasons for using flash cards and a selection of activities for use in the Young Learner classroom, although some of the activities could also be used with fun-loving, lower level adult classes.

It is usually thought that the origin of board games goes back thousands of years to the time of primitive people, who invented such games to help them interpret the wishes of the gods. Primitive people also may have amused themselves by scratching a pattern into the sand, placing stones on it, and moving the stones around in a way that imitated the hunting and combat that were parts of their everyday lives.