LEARNING CAN AND SHOULD BE FUN

3rd ENGLISH TEACHING ENHANCEMENT COURSE FOR SCHOOLS February 1st, 2010 Patricia Leon Ruiz de Castilla ICPNA San Miguel

Overview
Rationale Reasons for Using Games Important Points to Consider Activities Conclusions References

Rationale
Language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Wellchosen 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 challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation.

Ersz, Aydan Six Games for the ESL/EFL Classroom The Internet TESL Journal 3

Reasons for Using Games

Lower anxiety Entertain Add variety Help shy students participate Students experience the language in new contexts. Break the ice Create an atmosphere of support and collaboration Language is more memorable Bring language to life Create a spontaneous use of the language
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Important Points to Consider

Games can be effective methods for language learning and should encourage meaningful communication. Games can be used during the presentation, practice or production stages. Games should involve a friendly competition. Games are also used for reinforcement of material. The teacher acts as a facilitator. The teacher should model the game. Instructions have to be clear and concise. The 5 time should be set before the game starts.

Important Points to Consider

Teach your students the rules of the game: The importance of team work Name the teams Respect the rules Respect their classmates If you think you can do it, you can do it Losing means Try again
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Rules of the game

Two teams: Red and Blue Team A = Red Team / Team B = Blue Team Each group will use a tag to be identified. Tags have colors and numbers. Make sure your team has the same color tag and the numbers in order according to the number of participants. Tags should be left on the table when the game is over. If it is only one big group that participates, no tag will be used. Volunteer participants will be needed to form teams, to keep the track of the time T, and to record the points P. S1A = 1 student from the Red Team S1B = 1 student from the Blue Team Respect the rules and colleagues.
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Activities
Activity 1: Find the place - Basic Activity 2: Whispering - Basic Activity 3: Say the Object - Basic Activity 4: Mime Game - Basic Activity 5: Yes/No Game - Intermediate Activity 6: Blip Game Intermediate Activity 7: Guess the Adverb Intermediate Activity 8: How do you feel? Basic Activity 9: Month Game - Basic
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1. Find the Place

Topic: house objects Level: Basic Teams: 2 of 4 (team A & team B) Material: words on board and paper bats Instructions: T. says a word and two Ss (one from each team) run to the board and hit the place where the object should be found with the bat. The S who makes it to the board first, makes a sentence. Example: T: Towel S1A & S1B: The towel is in the bathroom./ There is a towel in the bathroom. The one that gets to the board faster (S1A or S1B) gets a point. 10

KITCHEN

DINING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

BATHROOM
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BEDROOM

2. Whispering
Topic: classroom objects Level: Basic Teams: 2 pairs per team (Team A & team B) Material: list of words Instructions: T. whispers a word (classroom object), S1A defines the word (2 attempts) S2A guesses the word Example: T: (whispering) chalkboard S1B: Something used to explain the lesson. S2B: Chalkboard The pair that guesses right gets a point.
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3. Say the object

Topic: objects in general Level: Basic Teams: 1 group of 10 or the whole class Material: list of words Instructions: T. says a word such as restaurant Each student mentions an object found in that place. Example: T: Restaurant S1: table, S2: chair, S3: fork, and so on. If a student repeats a word or cannot say any word goes back to his/her place. The last one that stays wins.
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4. Mime Game
Objective: To use vocabulary of body language and gestures Level: Basic Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: cards with sentences Instructions: S1 gets one card with a sentence and pantomimes the idea. Other members guess the idea. They can just have 2 attempts. If they guess right ,they keep the card and get a point. They give the card back and dont get a point if the answer is wrong or if they cannot guess the idea.
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4. Mime Game (Cont.)

Example: S1A: mimes (come here!) Team A: guess the idea (2 attempts)

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5. Yes/No Game
Objective: To practice saying Yes or No in different ways Level: Basic / Low Intermediate Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: cards with questions Instructions: Each team writes 10 yes/no questions for the other team. For a minute, one member of Team A responds all questions trying not to say YES or NO. However, the idea is to make Team A say those words. If S1A says the words Yes or No, he/she goes back to his/her place. S1A must use other expressions such as: I do, I am, Thats true, that isnt true, thats (not) correct, exactly, precisely, thats right, I think so, probably, possibly, usually, etc. 16

5. Yes/No Game (Cont.)

Example: S1A: Do you come from Australia? S1B: That isnt true. S2A: Are you sure you are not from Australia? S1B: Exactly. I do I am Thats true that isnt true Thats correct thats not correct Exactly precisely thats right I think so Probably Possibly usually

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6. Blip Game (Guess the Verb)

Objective: To practice Yes or No questions Level: Low Intermediate Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: cards with questions Instructions: Each team thinks of a verb. The teams write ten questions each: Nine Yes/No questions and one information question. The word BLIP will be used instead of the verb in all questions. Team A asks team B. A member of team B responds using the same word (BLIP) for a minute. Team A has to guess the verb according to the answers provided. Team B should not say the verb under any circumstances. No additional information should be provided. If the person being asked says the VERB , the other team gets a point. Otherwise, if team B cannot guess the verb, team A gets a point. 18

6. Blip Game -Guess the Verb (Cont.)

QUESTIONS: (VERB SING) Can you BLIP someone/ something / somewhere? Do you often BLIP? Did you BLIP yesterday? Are you BLIPPING now? Are you going to BLIP this weekend? Have you BLIPPED since you arrived here? Do you like BLIPPING? Do you BLIP with your hands? If I saw you BLIPPING, would you be embarrassed? ONE INFORMATION QUESTION like this: When/where/why/how do you BLIP? I BLIP in the shower. ANSWERS: (VERB SING) Yes, I can BLIP everywhere. Yes, I often BLIP. No, I didnt. No, Im not BLIPPING now. Maybe. No, I haven`t. Yes, I like BLIPPING. No, I dont BLIP with my hands. Yes, I think I would.

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6. Blip Game -Guess the Verb (Cont.)

VERBS
KISS COOK

DANCE

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Objective: To use Yes or No questions and review adverbs Level: Low Intermediate Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: cards with questions and cards with adverbs Instructions: S1A is given an adverb. All members of Team A ask S1A to do things. S1A performs the actions according to the adverb in the card. Team A has to guess the adverb and makes a sentence. Example: S1A gets an adverb (slowly). Other members of Team A ask: Can you dance? S1A: Yes I can dance (student answers or acts according to the adverb in the card). Team A says: You are dancing slowly or only slowly. 21

7. Guess the Adverb

8. How do you feel?

Objective: To express how you feel using adjectives and gestures Level: Basic Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: pictures Instructions: Teacher asks How do you feel? and each student from a team responds in different ways. Picking up a picture from a pile, each student from a team responds using a gesture and a complete sentence. The answer has to coincide with the picture. If it doesnt, the other team gets a point.
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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

SAD SICK

MAD

OK HAPPY
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HUNGRY WORRIED

8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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8. How do you feel? (Cont.)

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9. Month Game
Objective: To review the months of the year Level: Basic Teams: 2 groups of 5 Material: pictures, calendars, letters, incomplete ideas. Instructions: Post the calendars on the board. T reads the sentences. Teams A & B work together and follow orders. They listen to the ideas and form the month of the year with the letters and post them under the corresponding month. The team that completes the task faster gets a point.
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Conclusions
GAMES MOTIVATING ENGAGING CHALLENGING AMUSING INTERESTING PRACTICE COMMUNICATE
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References
Ersz, A.(2000). Six Games for the ESL/EFL Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Ersoz-Games.html Yin Yong Mei & Jang Yu-jung.(2000) Using Games in EFL Classes for Children. http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/fall2000/elt/games.html Wright, A. Why Use Games to Teach English? From 'Games for Language Learning by, David Betteridge and Michael Buckby . Cambridge University Press. http://www.esldepot.com/page.php?xPage=free-esl-whygames.html Power, Ted. Language Games. English Language Learning and Teaching http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/games.htm#g02 Garcia, C. Getting the Most out of Students Creativity. ICPNA TESOL November 2009.
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Patricia Len Ruiz de Castilla ICPNA San Miguel pleon@icpna.edu.pe

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