The role of games in learning English plan



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The role of games in learning English

7. They provide immediate feedback for the teacher.
8. They ensure maximum student participation for a minimum of teacher preparation.
Having justified the use of word games in the language class, ac­cepting the fact that they provide not only a learning experience but ail enjoyable one as well, we may then ask, when should a game be introduced? The logical time is toward the end of the hour—the "dessert" after the main course. However, there is no hidebound rule about this and whenever an instructor feels it is the appropriate moment for a more relaxing activity that is the lime for a game. All this is relative, of course, and it will be the good judgment of the instructor that determines the appropriate time.
Choosing the Right Game
Which game should be played, once we've decided it is time for such an activity? Many factors enter into deciding the answer to this question:
1. The size of the class
2. Whether it is a class of adults or one of children
3. The class level—elementary, intermediate, advanced
4. The structures being studied at the moment
5. The physical space you have to work with
6. The noise factor—will you disturb the classes around you?
7. The students' interests, in and out of class
8. The equipment and materials available
9. Cultural considerations
10. The time available for a game
Does the internet influence of learning English?
The Internet, often abbreviated to the Net , has often been described as the biggest communications revolution since the advent of the printed book, yet up until not too long ago it was a secretive field enjoyed- and jealously guarded – by a few select individuals. These days, however, things have changed for the better, and the Net is now a thriving community with many millions of people exchanging information, ideas and opinions. The development of easier connection , more user- friendly software and cheaper access has opened up the ‘ information superhighway’ to everyone, from young children - at home and at school - to professionals in all fields and walks of life.
For language teachers, involved in the communication process on a very basic level, it is the perfect medium. Language teachers are constantly on the lookout for quality, authentic teaching material. Almost all the teachers I know are no longer able to simple read a book or magazine , listen to a song or watch a film or television programme without considering the material’s possible value for exploitation in the classroom . We spend hours collecting leaflets and menus, handouts in the street and free magazines from street stands , and buying foreign language newspapers and magazines ( often at great personal expense).
Now, all this materials is quickly, cheaply and readily available from the comfort of our desks or homes. To the busy teacher the internet can be an infinite resource file of text , visual stimuli, listening material, vocabulary , information , video files , live TV and radio, newspapers from around the world… The list is endless.
And, of course, it’s not merely a source of authentic material in English , but also home to encyclopedic information about all sorts of topics you may want to engage with in the classroom , and of professional knowledge for teachers : bibliographies , chat groups , articles , courses and conferences.
Yet despite all this , every day I am witness to comments along the lines of ‘I finally got connected, but I just can’t find anything’ , or ‘I spend four hours looking round and didn’t see a single good site’ or even ‘I searched for material on Australia, but there were over seven million pages and I just didn’t know where to start’
And it is difficult to imagine one working in a computer who does not know English. Because the main information in internet in English. THE MAIN PART
And now I am going to tell about games ‘the role of games in teaching English at school’. The fist thing which influence to the learners to learn foreign language it’s their mother tongue as I‘ve pointed above and the second thing their age for instance, eight to ten year olds have a language with all the basic elements in place . They are competent users of their mother tongue and in this connection they are aware of the main rules of syntax in their own language. By the age of ten children can:

  • Understand abstracts

  • Understand symbols ( beginning with words)

  • Generalize and systematize.

This refers to children’s general language development. When it comes to learning a foreign language, there is still a lot we do not know. There are many similarities between learning one’s mother tongue and learning a foreign language in spite of the differences in age and the time available. So far nobody has found a universal pattern of language learning which everyone agrees with. Much seems to depend on which mother tongue the pupils speak and on social and emotional factors in the factors in the child’s background. What is clear here is that most eight to ten year olds will have some sort of language awareness and readiness which they bring with them into the foreign language classroom.
The period from five to ten sees dramatic changes in children, but we cannot say exactly when this happens because it is different for all individuals. The magic age seems to be around seven or eight. At around seven or eight, things seem to fall into place for most children and they begin to make sense of the adult world as we see it.
Now let’s get into point
Games in language learning
Language learning is hard work. One must make effort to understand, to repeat accurately, to manipulate newly understood language and to use the whole range of known language in conversation or written composition. Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time. Games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.
Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so must understand what others are saying or have written , and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view or give information2.
Many games cause as much density of practice as more conventional drill exercises; some do not. What matters, however, is the quality of practice.
The contribution of drilling lies in the concentration on a language form and its frequent use during a limited period of time. Many games provide this repeated use of a language form. By making the language convey information and opinion, games provide the key features of ‘drill’ with the opportunity to sense the working of language as living communication.
The need for meaningfulness in language learning has been accepted for some years. A useful interpretation of ‘meaningfulness’ is that the learners respond to the content in a definite way. If they are amused, angered, challenged, intrigued surprised the content is clearly meaningful to them. Thus the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speak and write be more vividly experienced and, therefore, better remembered.
If it is accepted that games can provide intense and meaningful practice of language, then they must be regarded as central to a teacher’s repertoire. They are thus not for use solely on wet days and at the end of term!
Games can be found to give practice in all skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), in all the stages of the teaching/ learning sequence (presentation, recombination and free use of language) and for many types of communication.
'Language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation.'
'Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication3.'
Enjoyment of games is not restricted by age. Some individuals, regardless of age, may be less fond of games than others. But so much depends on the appropriateness of the games and the role of the player.
It is generally accepted that young learners and adults are very willing to play games. (This partly depends on the learners’ socio-cultural background.) Early teenagers tend to be more self-conscious and one must take into account their reticence when selecting games for them .Games which can be played in pairs or groups may be particularly useful in this case. It is clear to all observers of classroom practice that the teacher’s own belief in the usefulness and appropriateness of a game affects the learners’ response. We have observed games and materials normally used primary schools being accepted by businessmen owing to the conviction of the teacher!
'There is a common perception that all learning should be serious and solemn in nature, and that if one is having fun and there is hilarity and laughter, then it is not really learning. This is a misconception. It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself at the same time. One of the best ways of doing this is through games.'
'There are many advantages of using games in the classroom:
1. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class.
2. They are motivating and challenging.
3. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning.
4. Games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing, listening and reading.
5. They encourage students to interact and communicate.
6. They create a meaningful context for language use4.'
We have already acknowledged that teenage learners might be reluctant to play games. We also acknowledge that many people are so anxious to learn English in order to pass examinations or to improve their employment prospects that they look on games as unnecessary. If you have such committed learners you must clearly respect their point of view and be able to justify the use of each game in terms of the density and meaningfulness of practice it provides.
Games are fun and children like to play them. Through games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment. (Lewis, 1999)
* Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. For many children between four and twelve years old, especially the youngest, language learning will not be the key motivational factor. Games can provide this stimulus (Lewis, 1999)
* The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the target language to life. (Lewis, 1999)
* The game makes the reasons for speaking plausible even to reluctant children. (Lewis, 1999)
* Through playing games, students can learn English the way children learn their mother tongue without being aware they are studying; thus without stress, they can learn a lot.
* Even shy students can participate positively.
How to Choose Games (Tyson, 2000)
* A game must be more than just fun.
* A game should involve "friendly" competition.
* A game should keep all of the students involved and interested.
* A game should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself.
* A game should give students a chance to learn, practice, or review specific language material5.
It is important to note that the most advanced and dedicated students can enjoy and value games if the content and language used are relevant to them.
It follows from the above that the real questions are not, ‘Which age groups are games for?’ Or ‘Which level?’ but are much more specific:



  1. Will the game take you a long time to prepare , compared with the amount of useful work you will get from it ?

  2. Will it be relatively easy for you to organize in the classroom?

  3. Is it likely to interest the particular group of learners you have in mind?

  4. Is the language or is the language skill you are concerned to teach intrinsic to the activity? Or are you (honestly!) just forcing it into the game?

  5. Is the amount of language and the type of use enough to justify the use of the game? Or do you have another good reason for introducing it?

If your answer is ‘yes’ to teach of this questions, then the game you have in mind is a highly effective means of satisfying your learners’ need.
'In an effort to supplement lesson plans in the ESL classroom, teachers often turn to games. The justification for using games in the classroom has been well demonstrated as benefiting students in a variety of ways. These benefits range from cognitive aspects of language learning to more co-operative group dynamics.'
General Benefits of Games

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