Content Introduction

1.2 The role, place and functions of the game in teaching a foreign language at the middle stage


1.2.1 Definition of play as a human activity
Play, along with work and study, is one of the main types of human activity, an amazing phenomenon of our existence. By definition, a game is a type of activity in situations aimed at recreating and assimilating social experience, in which self-management of behavior is formed and improved. [35] The value of the game is inexhaustible. Its phenomenon lies in the fact that, being entertainment, recreation, it is able to grow into education, creativity, therapy, a model of the type of human relations and manifestations in work, education.
A huge role in the development and upbringing of the child belongs to the game - the most important type of activity.
The themes of the game in the pedagogical process are very relevant, because. the game is the most powerful sphere of the "self" of a person: self-expression, self-determination, self-examination, self-rehabilitation, self-existence. Thanks to games, the child learns to trust himself and all people, to recognize what should be accepted and what should be rejected in the world around him.
The study of the development of children shows that in the game more effectively than in other types of activity, all psychological processes develop. The changes in the child's psyche caused by play are so significant that psychology has established a view of play as the leading activity of children during preschool childhood.
There is a branch of medicine and psychology - game therapy. The game can diagnose, to know the child. The game can encourage and approve the child. With the help of the game, you can correct, improve, develop important psychological properties in children.
The game is the most mastered activity for kids. In it, they draw models for solving new life problems that have arisen in knowledge, in work, in creativity. Therefore, relying on the game is the most important way to include children in educational work without psychological shifts and overloads. [36]
Thus, the game is the main activity of the child. This is a free and independent activity that occurs at the initiative of the child. The entire personality of the child is involved in the game process: cognitive processes, will, feelings, emotions, needs, interests. As a result, amazing changes occur in this personality. The game is a very specific type of activity, which has all the characteristics of the activity, but all of them are special.
The game develops the ability to imagine, imaginative thinking. This happens due to the fact that in the game the child seeks to recreate broad spheres of the surrounding reality that go beyond the limits of his own practical activity, and he can do this with the help of conditional actions.
In the game, the child also gains experience of arbitrary behavior, learns to control himself, observing the rules of the game, restraining his immediate desires in order to maintain joint play.
Let us turn to the game as a pedagogical category. Since the game occupies a huge place in development, it has long been used as a pedagogical tool. So, at the end of the last century, speech pathologists began to use the game for development purposes in the treatment of stuttering children, mentally retarded children, etc.
The game in the pedagogical process can "merge" with other activities, enriching them. So, for example, it is well known that the fusion of work and play activities in childhood has a positive effect. In addition, didactic games occupy a separate place in pedagogy, significantly enriching the learning process.
How to dress the lesson in a game form in the school process?
There are a lot of options here, but the following conditions must be met:

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  compliance of the game with the educational goals of the lesson;
  

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  accessibility for a student of a given age;
  

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  moderation in the use of games in the classroom.
  

In addition, you need to highlight the following types of lessons:

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  game organization of the educational process using tasks that are usually offered in a traditional lesson.
  

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  Using the game at a certain stage of the lesson (beginning, middle, end; acquaintance with new material, consolidation of knowledge, skills, repetition and systematization of what has been learned).