LESSON PLAN

Luis Sandoval &

Date: --- Teacher : Institution: ---
Dalia Moreno
Time: --- Subject: English Grade: 9th
No of
35 English level: A2.2 Length: 2h
sts:
Brief description of
learners Ss are interested in group activities. They have A2.2 English level of proficiency. Ss enjoy playing games.
(their level,
motivation, interests
and behaviour in
class)
MODULE 1 GOAL
GLOBALIZATION:
SOCIAL Value the impact of ICT in daily life.
PHENOMENA
Aim(s) of lesson
(What will learners ● Ss will be able to express their ideas on how to solve a problem.
learn or be better ● Ss will be able to support their ideas with arguments.
able to do by the end ● Ss will be able to construct sentences using the future tense to state their intentions.
of the lesson?) ● Ss will be able to construct sentences using different grammatical structures to express reasons to
support their statements.

Objectives
(suggested ● Exchanges information on academic subjects through role-playing.
curriculum) ● Produces medium length narrative oral and written texts related to academic subjects.
● Identifies relations of cause and effect in medium length narrative oral and written texts related to
academic subjects.

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Content Knowledge ● I (really) think that …
● (Expressing agreement/disagreement and ● I believe (that) …
expressing opinions) ● I’m sure that …
● Information technologies ● In my opinion / My opinion is …
● I agree with …
● I guess/imagine …

Language in ● Social network 2. Grammar​ (Content-obligatory language)

lesson: ● Application (Apps)
● Future tense (sub + aux + verb + comp)
1. Topic-relate ● Blogs
● First conditional
d Vocabulary ● Download / upload
● Going to / not going to
● Website
● Want to
● Save as
● Password
● Access
Functional ● I’m moving my (counter Learning skills ​(Cognitive level of tasks)
language name here) to… because ● Speaking:​ Students d ​ escribe​ their decisions to the other players in
(Language learners ● The the game to allow game interaction
will need to do tasks advantage/disadvantage ● Listening:​ Students ​listen​ carefully to their peers’ communications
in English) is… and ​calculate​ theirs to take good strategic decisions and moves
● You can/cannot do ● Writing:​ Ss ​summarises​ the main plot of the game by taking notes
this/that of the events created by other students in the activity.
● Why? Because …
● I’m going to…
Anticipated​ ​Problems ​in lesson Solutions to anticipated problems
● Students might argue when their justifications of ● Teacher will use the dice to sort out the ties and keep the game
the movements in the game are equally as moving
convincing ● Give one character to more than one student so that they decide
● Large group of students and too many are not together what to do in the game (if done, provide more objectives to
playing at the same time. the characters).
● Students forget or cheat about where their ● Using “monopoly like figurines” or similar you can put on the map to
characters are on the map during the game. represent the characters is recommended.

This lesson design was adapted from the British Council

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Rationale​ ​of the lesson​: This lesson is intended for two purposes. The first one is to serve as an example of the application of gamification
of contents using the model proposed and discussed in the podcast #3: games and pedagogy by ELTpedia. The second purpose is to present
the process needed in the classroom to implement this model used as a unit closure after the vocabulary contents and grammatical structures
in the MODULE 1 of the DBA have been reviewed in class. The idea is to have students practice interactively argumentative and
communicative skills alongside with writing (in the game report) and to facilitate teachers not only the use of this strategy but also the
understanding of gamification of curriculum for future and more diverse applications.

LINK DEL DBA ​https://aprende.colombiaaprende.edu.co/ckfinder/userfiles/files/cartillaDBA.pdf

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Procedure page 1 Teacher’s name: ...........................
Stage Teacher activity
Time &
Interaction
5 minutes T introduces to the class, greets them and
writes the agenda on the board.
T ​presents​ the activity for the class:
- role game – Matrix Design
implementation.
20 minutes
T presents the situation for the game:
(​define it here​)
T presents the characters and the counters
that each of the characters involved in the
activity will use
T asks the students to think about the
character they would like to be
T presents the thematic map or the scenario
for the game development.
T presents the Dice: it is used when no one
agrees to the explanation of the other. The
higher number will be right in their decision.
Student activity
Ss listen attentively
Ss explore the counters and check the icons
on them to fully understand their meaning in
context: (vehicles, ships, phones etc).
Students are asked which of the characters
they would like to be and why?
Students check the map to make sure all
places and locations are clear when gaming
begins.
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Aim of this stage
- Open the session and give
general instructions for the
development of the class.
- Present the rules of the
game and introduce the
objectives
- Awakening student interest
in the characters since they
are revealed their roles and
counters (abilities for the
game) before being
assigned one.
 The teacher divides the class into 5 groups
5 minutes of 7 ss . To do this T asks Ss to orderly say
a number from 1 to 7 so every ss has a
number. After that T asks all ss to group up
according to the numbers they get.
Students number themselves from 1 to 7 and Randomly assemble the
when indicated join with other students with groups for the game
the same number: 1111, 2222 ,3333 etc.

Character distribution in all 5 groups of 7 Student picks the character card from a bag Distribute the roles of the
students – random distribution is suggested. and reads to himself the information of the students in the game and the
character. roles of the non-players (the
non-players will be assigned
10 minutes The teacher puts the character cards
reporter roles).
(containing the aims, weaknesses and
objectives of the characters) in a bag to
randomly ask a student to pick one up and
keep it secretly during this stage. Some of
the cards contain the roles of the informers
(the students taking notes of the narrative of
the game).

*The teacher has the default role: plot

device and guide of the activity.

Game start: Students get into character and start thinking To start the game
5 minutes 1. describe the context of the game on accomplishing their assigned objectives.
(​the one of your preference
according to the manual​) and model
the first round of interventions.

Game star: Ss get involved in the game Play the game

45 minutes 2. T monitors the games

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25 minutes After the game:
- T provides feedback to the class
about the game
- T asks the students in charge of
taking notes to make a summary of
the events of the game
Ss listen carefully and reflect on their own Review the objective of the
performance game and close the activity
One student per group reports the events
with no many details, just giving a global view
of everything

5 minutes T says goodbye to the class

Gamification of curricular contents by the use of Matrix Game Design for language learning:

One of the most frequent things that comes to mind as language teachers working with kids, adolescents or adults concerns finding an
engaging yet productive and reliable way to close up a unit by means that demand from students high participation and enjoyment. The
easiest way would be to ask them to take out a piece of paper and have a tortuous session of long silent faces looking down wishing for
something to happen so that they can escape the test.
Our purpose here is to help you discover a better way to put into practice all the things that a unit might have covered through a
closing activity game that promotes student participation, commitment and learning through the use of speaking, writing and listening. Make
sure you follow all the steps to better implement this strategy.
Steps:
1. Listen to podcast number three in the following ​link​ so that you get all the information and the theory behind the Matrix
Game Design as presented by it’s author. We recommend not to miss this step because all the theoretical aspects involved
will be disclosed in the podcast.
2. Check this box if you listened to the podcast (__), we don’t want you to get lost in the rest of this manual. ;)
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3. Think of unit you want to adapt into this modality by checking the DBA or the Estándares Básicos de Competencias en
Lenguas Extranjeras (guía 22) by MEN and reflect on the following aspects
a. You need to define a problem or conflicting situation for your students to solve by the end of the game. It can be
literally anything. Take a look at “anexo 13” or suggested structure and identify a topic according to the different
modules or units proposed. On page 72, you can find “MODULE 4 DEMOCRACY AND PEACE: CITIZENS’
RIGHTS” Let’s use it as our example. You can choose yours along the reading! Remember, it’s better to gamify a unit
you have already covered with your students so that it is relevant and manageable for them. Picking a random unit
won’t match their immediate needs.
b. Once you are certain on the topic for your game, consider the roles students will play in the game and how those roles
are addressed in the suggested structure by MEN. To do so, analyze the following sections:
i. Goal of the unit: Generate awareness about citizens’ rights. ok, let’s take this.whatever the situation or problem
to solve, citizens’ rights must be present so that the goal is met.
ii. What are the language functions? can they be present in a game design? yes this set can.
1. Expresses​ opinions​ about social topics.
2. Expresses ​agreements​ and ​disagreements​ related to social topics.
3. Describes​ past experiences and future ​plans​.
4. Gives and ​requests information​ on social topics.
5. Expresses ​actions​ following a logical sequence.
iii. check the basic standards of competence and the skills that will be used and check if they can be used in the
game as well. So far so good, right? it’s fundamental to align the students’ language skills, goals and needs to
create the game.
iv. Check the performance indicators: knowing, doing and being. Watch those ones closely, you’ll need to give
good assessment by the end of the game. What should your students do in the game?
v. Finally, check the suggested content on page 73. What vocabulary is there to use, what grammar? what

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 elements of discourse? As the game creator you need to make sure that the vocabulary and grammar are in the
game either by using counters (we’re almost there) or by indicating your students which grammatical
structures are most important or necessary for the game progress: game language.
4. Now, comes the hands to action part in the design of the game but first let’s get some definitions out of the way:
a. In this example the suggested time for playing is 45 minutes.
b. Counters: counters are elements available to the characters in the game that will give them abilities and advantages
either to boot themselves or to affect others. Cars, military dogs, a letter to by-pass a rule or restriction, 3 drones, 1
first-aid kit and 2 outfits are examples of counters. You need to print out the counters as additional cards with a neutral
back side so that other students won’t easily see other’s counters.
i. Remember: depending on how you distribute these elements among the characters, the game will have
different endings. Try to be equally generous not to overpower one particular character over the others.
c. The world game map: for this game you need a scenario so get a map (as the one we give in the material section) and
personalize it according to the module from the curriculum you worked with or adding into it names of places, or
structures: bridges, streets, parks, valleys etc. The world map is the gaming board; therefore, your students will be
distributed in the map according to the characters they get or as they find convenient.
d. Get something to represent the players on the map. Chess figurines, small plastic soldiers (as the ones in toy sets) will
work just fine. The purpose of this is to help locate and control the movement of players so that your students and you
as the teacher can track the action as well and no one can trick the game by moving without others noticing.
e. Get a dice. You might need it to make difficult decisions since your students could be too good at justifying their
choices and movements that no one might be able to reach an agreement. If that happens, roll the dice and let luck say
who does what.
5. Let’s get precise now: characters
a. Create the character cards containing the person’s main objective(s), their personality traits and other information to
guide the students to play their role accordingly. (Example character cards are shown in part iii of this document).

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 i. Decide the role of the characters: are they good or evil, are the characters cops, surgeons, investigators,
hackers, teachers or lawyers? why? consider the context to decide all of that.
b. Context: ​in our game design Democracy and Peace there is a threat to peace: someone stole a computer containing
files and evidence to prove the innocence of a reatreated guerilla member. If the computer isn’t recovered, the peace
treaty won’t be signed by the parts and the country will fall again in violence.
c. You need to decide which students won’t be in charge of playing a character but in charge of taking notes on the
narrative progress (writing down all the decisions and things happening in the game as other students go into a role
and pursue their goals. This will create the narrative of the different games and tell the story.
6. After creating the possible characters, their counters, the world map and the sides (allies and enemies) it’s time to distribute
them and begin the Matrix Game Design.
Procedure:
7. all students are given a character and place their figurine on the world map by saying why they deserve to be there. For
example: the police officer can place his figurin in the middle of the city and say “I’m on patrol” if no other character wants
that same spot, he is free to pick it, if someone does want it, she/he can give an counterargument against his location and take
his spot if the argument is convincing (let’s say the commissary is somewhere else and the police officer cannot leave the
place just like that). After all students are in place, the game progresses by their individual decisions on what to do and why.
All students must justify out loud ​what they are doing and why they do it using game language. ​if all others agree on the
argument, he/she is free to do it. In our scenario the ​computer containing the peace treaty must be recovered​. One of the
characters (against peace) could have it in his counters so his mission is to keep the pc hidden.
8. The teacher is a plot device and the one who knows all the characters intentions, objectives and counters. If the story game
gets ​stuck, ​he can give hints of help others find out a bit to push the game onwards.
9. The game ends if ​the mission is completed (the pc is recovered) or if time runs out and the main mission fails to be
accomplished.
After the game:

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10. It is suggested to have some minutes (15 or 30 according to the time you have for the activity) at the end of the game to have
a feedback session and allow the students that are doing the written report to make a summary of the game.

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 MATERIALS

I. Example: the following is an example of the counters for the game. Each one of the rows could be given to a studing depending on
the characters chosen for the game. letters N, O, P, T could be given to the police character while A, B, E, F to a
businessman/woman character. Is important to analyze the practical implications of the counters for each game design. When you
have them ready, print them and distribute them accordingly as mentioned.

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II. Example: This format is suggested for the character cards for the students. Having an image on them helps the students to play
their role better and to enter into the role of their character. The essential elements of the card include the objectives of the person
in the game, their personality type and a visual aid to give more details to the students.

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III. Example: additional counters including the ability to modify the weather are also possible since bad weather conditions might
affect/benefit certain players of the game and boost their abilities to obtain their goals. ​Just don’t overpower a single character.

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IV. Example: a map is one of the most important elements in the game. The map should ideally be contextualized according to the
vocabulary covered in class. Adding visual points of reference is recommended to enhance the game experience. Each of the
characters could also have a default location: cops in the commissary, the major in the municipality building etc.​ Print a map big
enough to let the players put their figurines and understand the names of locations

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