Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom

Hilton Harlem Suite April 3rd, 2008 2:00-2:45 PM Agenda Introduction Activities e!lection "uestion and Ans#er Period Introduction As #e all $no#, one o! t%e main &oals o! lan&ua&e teac%in& is to e'uip our students #it% t%e a(ilit) to communicate in t%e tar&et lan&ua&e* +sin& (oard &ames in t%e lan&ua&e classroom is an e!!ective, lo#-an,iet), and !un #a) !or students to learn and practice communication s$ills as #ell as develop t%eir o#n communication strate&ies t%at can (e readil) applied to t%e real #orld* -oard &ames are a versatile asset in t%e classroom (ecause (oard &ames can (e: used as intended !or native spea$ers adapted to teac% speci!ic lan&ua&e !orms and !unctions adapted !or various .S/0.1/ conte,ts, a&e &roups, pro!icienc) levels, and content adapted as communicative activities in t%e classroom adapted as a concept !or ma$in& )our o#n educational (oard &ame*

2%e (ene!its to usin& (oard &ames in t%e classroom are numerous, %o#ever, #e #ould li$e to !ocus on t%e particular aspect o! %o# (oard &ames promote communicative lan&ua&e learnin& t%rou&% tas$s, de!ined %ere as activities in #%ic%: 3* 2* 3* 4* 5* meanin& is primar)4 t%ere is a communication pro(lem o! some t)pe to solve4 t%e activit) %as some relations%ip to real-#orld activities4 tas$ completion is usuall) re'uired4 and tas$ per!ormance can (e assessed in terms o! t%e outcome 5S$e%an, 3668, p* 657*

2%e activities t%at #e s%o#case in t%is demonstration are a 8ust a !e# o! t%e t%in&s )ou can do #it% (oard &ames and &ames in &eneral* 9%en usin& (oard &ames, #e s%ould $eep in mind %o# t%ese !ive c%aracteristics are e,empli!ied in student interaction* 1urt%ermore, it is important t%at lessons t%at implement (oard &ames s%ould (e composed o! #arm-up activities, !ormal instruction, tas$s, and #rap-up0re!lection activities t%at inte&rate all lan&ua&e s$ills to provide learners #it% a %olistic lan&ua&e learnin& e,perience* :ne t%in& to $eep in mind: &ames are !un and en&a&in&, (ut it !re'uentl) re'uires considera(le #or$ on t%e part o! t%e teac%er* Strate&icall) indenti!)in& simple &ames t%at lend t%emselves to t%e lan&ua&e (ein& tar&eted can save teac%ers precious time and ener&)*

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

Activities Using board games as intended for native speakers ;ependin& on t%e tar&et audience, (oard &ames can (e pla)ed as intended !or native spea$ers* Some (oard &ames can support t%e content (ein& tau&%t in a classroom* 1or e,ample, t%e &ame o! /i!e can (e used in an adult .S/ classroom settin& to introduce various concepts and voca(ular) !or t%in&s in t%eir lives 5i*e*, (u)in& insurance, &ettin& a salar), speedin&, retirin&, etc*7 <uess 9%o= can (e used as ori&inall) intended !or native spea$ers to !ocus on t%e !orm o! )es0no 'uestion !ormation !or t%e !unction o! elicitin& in!ormation a(out a certain person* 9ord &ames are also &reat &ames !or use in t%e classroom* :!ten times, t%e) elicit a meta-lin&uistic discourse amon& t%e participants 5i*e*, Scra((le, ! thin# there are two T$s in %ottle4 -o&&le, That$s not a word&7 and o!ten result in consultin& t%e dictionar) !or a tie-(rea$er* :t%er #ord &ames can also %elp students develop communication strate&ies suc% as circumlocution 5i*e*, 2a(oo>, ?atc% P%rase, :ut(urst7 or collocations 5i*e*, Scatte&ories7* 9ord &ames rein!orce literac) and developin& voca(ular)* "ui@ &ames are &reat to use !or teac%in& a(out &eneral $no#led&e* Some e,amples are 2rivial Pursuit, #%ic% 'ui@@es &eneral $no#led&e, and -attle o! t%e Se,es, #%ic% 'ui@@es $no#led&e o! American pop culture* "ui@ &ames %elp students !ind out #%at t%e) $no# and %elp t%em to learn more in!ormation* .ven #%en students &et a 'uestion #ron&, t%e) are more li$el) remem(er t%at !act in t%e !uture* Adapting board games for teaching form Some (oard &ames naturall) elicit tar&et lan&ua&e !orms 5i*e*, )es0no 'uestions !or <uess 9%o, 9%- 'uestions !or ?lue7 and ot%er (oard &ames can (e adapted to !ocus on !orms* 9e su&&est loo$in& at t%e lan&ua&e used in a particular &ame and t%en emp%asi@in& salient !orms and !unctions #%en students pla) t%e &ame 5i*e*, colors !or ?and)land7* Adapted for ESL/EFL contexts and various age groups, proficiency levels, and content -ein& in a sa!e and supportive classroom environment is important !or students learnin& a lan&ua&e since it ma) (e one o! t%e onl) opportunities !or students to ta$e ris$s in spea$in& and tr)in& ne# lan&ua&e !orms and !unctions* 2%is is particularl) important !or .1/ conte,ts since learners ma) onl) %ave access to t%e lan&ua&e in t%e classroom* Some e,plicit instruction in &rammar %as proven to (e (ene!icial !or learners in t%ese conte,ts as #ell as %ei&%tenin& student a#areness o! t%eir lan&ua&e !orms and s$ills 51otos, 20027* -oard &ames can (e adapted !or all a&e &roups, pro!icienc) levels, and content* -e sure to c%ec$ t%e lan&ua&e and $eep it at a level t%at students are com!orta(le #it%* 1or e,ample, <o 1is% ma) (e a &reat &ame !or (e&innin& level students, %o#ever, -o%nan@a #ould onl) (e appropriate !or students at advanced pro!icienc) levels and older a&e &roups*

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

Adapted as communicative activities in the classroom Man) concepts o! (oard &ames can (e adapted as communicative activities in t%e classroom* 2%is #ould (e ideal !or t%e starvin& lan&ua&e teac%er in searc% o! !un #a)s to liven up t%e classroom* 1or e,ample, t%e &ame 2a(oo can (e e,tended to tar&et voca(ular) #ords in a lesson or unit* Scatte&ories can also promote collocative s$ills #it% various concepts and voca(ular) as #ell* aking your o!n board game 2%e !ollo#in& %as (een adapted !rom HarrisAs 5n*d*7 %andout on creatin& (oard &ames to en%ance classroom learnin&* Tips for Successful Board Games Be Creative - Think Out of Bo <ames are c%eap and t%e) are ever)#%ere* -u) several Ma$e t%e &ame !un to pla) Have a catc%-up !eature BPass <oC or B1ree Par$in&C +se &ame components !rom one or several &ames ;onAt 8ust cop) t%e &ame )ou are coverin& !ake it a Learning Tool "uestion ?ards0"uestion (oo$lets /earnin& activit) 5record$eepin&, mat%, etc7 ?reate di!!erent options !or di!!icult) Pla) t%e &ame in 40-D0 minutes Give it a "rofessional Look <ame s%ould loo$ interestin& I! it loo$s 'ualit) students #ill (e interested +se appropriate materials and tec%ni'ues to &ive a 'ualit) loo$ #evelop a Good Set of $ules ules s%ould loo$ pro!essional Ma$e t%e rules eas) to understand Students s%ould (e a(le to &et t%e &ist o! t%e &ame in 5 minutes Ma$e t%e rules complete Ma$e sure )ou $no# %o# to set up, pla), and #in t%e &ame Ma$e sure )ou $no# %o# to set up, pla), and #in t%e &ame Ma$e 4-5 copies o! t%e rules Bonus Tip% Ma$e multiple (oards and sets o! rules !or one (o, so up to 20 can pla)*

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

Eou can even %ave )our students create a (oard &ame* :ne idea is %avin& students &et into &roups to #or$ on a (oard &ame t%at !ocuses on t%e !orms and !unctions o! lan&ua&e* Fot onl) #ill students learn a !orm and !unction in dept%, (ut t%e) #ill also (e a(le to en&a&e in aut%entic interaction and meta-lin&uistic discourse* $eflection <oin& (ac$ to S$e%anAs 536687 de!initions o! a tas$, re!lect on t%e &ames t%at )ou pla)ed and evaluate #%et%er or not t%e &ames satis!ied t%e !ive aspects* 3* 2* 3* 4* 5* meanin& is primar)4 t%ere is a communication pro(lem o! some t)pe to solve4 t%e activit) %as some relations%ip to real-#orld activities4 tas$ completion is usuall) re'uired4 and tas$ per!ormance can (e assessed in terms o! t%e outcome 5S$e%an, 3668, p* 657*

Here are some ot%er re!lection 'uestions: 3* 2* 3* 4* 5* D* G* 9%at are some t%in&s )ou li$ed a(out t%e activities= 9%at are some t%in&s )ou didnAt li$e= 9%at are some t%in&s )ou #ould li$e to add, delete, or c%an&e= 9%ic% ones #ere )our !avorite= 9%ic% ones #ere )our least !avorite= An) &eneral comments= Ho# #ould )ou use some o! t%ese activities in )our classroom=

&uestions and Ans'ers HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

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$esources Here are a !e# e-resources !or usin& (oard &ames in t%e classroom* 'e%sites that O""er Edu(ational Board Games %ttp:00###*educationallearnin&&ames*com0educational-(oard-&ames-25*asp %ttp:00###*teac%net*com0%ome#or$opol)0 %ttp:00itesl8*or&0c0&ames*%tml %ttp:00###*te!l&ames*com0 %ttp:00&amesites*(luec%illies*com0&ame0582232 Create your own games& Pre-made &ame (oards: http%((''')esl-lounge)com(*oard+games)html :nline cross#ord pu@@le ma$er: http%((''')pu,,le-maker)com(C-( :nline #ord searc% pu@@le ma$er: http%((''')pu,,le-maker)com(-S(inde )htm )rti(les %ttp:00###*%elium*com0items0D645D4-(in&o-)elled-stood-doin&coe*$state*edu0a&education0<amespresentation0<ames%andout*doc ###*national&amepla)in&#ee$*ie0pd!0sc%ool(ene!its*pd! %ttp:00e,c%an&es*state*&ov0!orum0vols0vol430no20p8*%tm *orum %ttp:00!orums*ato@teac%erstu!!*com0s%o#t%read*p%p=tI36838 $eferences 1otos, S* 520027* Structure-(ased interactive tas$s !or t%e .1/ &rammar learner* In .* Hin$el J S* 1otos 5.ds*7, +ew ,ers,e(ti-es on grammar tea(hing in se(ond language (lassrooms* Ma%#a%, FK: /a#rence .rl(aum Associates, Pu(lis%ers* S$e%an, P* 536687* ) (ogniti-e a,,roa(h to language learning. :,!ord: :,!ord +niversit) Press* Harris, ?* * 5n*d*7* Create %oard games to enhan(e (lassroom learning. +npu(lis%ed document* .d&e, K* 536637* Essentials o" English language tea(hing. Fe# Eor$: /on&man* S%ameem, F* J 2ic$oo, M* 5.ds*7* 536667* +ew ways in using (ommuni(ati-e games in

Using Board Games in the Language Classroom TESOL 2008

Shelley Chang & Jenny Cogswell onterey !nstitute o" !nternational Studies

language tea(hing* Ale,andria, LA: 2eac%ers o! .n&lis%t o Spea$ers o! :t%er /an&ua&es, Inc* 52.S:/7*