Lin Hongzhangyllh [at] hotmail.comGuangdong Foreign Language Normal School (Guangdong, China)
Students may wish to play games purely for fun. Teachers, however, need more convincing reasons. 'Teachers need to consider which games to use, when to use them, how to link them up with the syllabus, textbook or programme and how, more specifically, different games will benefit students in different ways (Khan, J.1996).' The key to a successful language game is that the rules are clear, the ultimate goal is well defined and the game must be fun.
Below are some questions which we might consider as we choose a game:
• Which language does the game target?
• Which skills does it practice? The language skill focus could be any one of the major skills of listening, speaking, reading or writing.
• What type of game is it?
• What's the purpose for using it?
• Does it fit the students? How could I simplify or make it more complex if necessary? Many games require modification in use when the students' need are taken into consideration.
• How much interaction and participation is there? Maximum involvement is something we are pursuing.
• Do I like the game myself?
• When giving instructions to beginners, a few words in the mother tongue would be the quickest way to make everything clear. More English exposure is needed at a later stage.
• Games are best set up by demonstration rather than by lengthy explanation.
• It is very important not to play a game for too long. Students will begin to lose interest. It is best to stop a game at its peak.
This is a guessing game played by teams to practice numbers.
• Exponent: How many? There are…
• Additional benefits: genuine communication; hidden drilling; teamwork
• Language needed: numbers 1 to 11
• Time: 10 to 15 minutes
• Material: 1 matchbox; 11 toothpicks per person
• Preparation
• One, two, three, four,
• O-U-T, OUT!
• (The student chosen is the one you are pointing at on the word OUT!)
• During the Game
• Khan, J. 1996 'Using games in teaching English to young learners' in (eds)Brumfit, C, Teaching English to Children. From Practice to Principle England: Longman
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VIII, No. 8, August 2002http://iteslj.org/
http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Lin-UsingGames.html
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