Teaching English Using Games
games for english class
Games for High school studentsTeam SpellingInstructionsPut the class into teams.The teacher shows a team a photograph or drawing and the team must each write down one letter of that word (without showing their teammates), depending on their position. The leftmost student writes down the first letter, the next student the second letter, etc.e.g. the teacher shows a group of five students a picture of an apple.The leftmost student writes down "a", the next student "p", the next student "p", the next "l" and the rightmost student "e".Give them a short timelimit (ten to twenty seconds depending on their English level) and then have them all reveal the letters they wrote. Award one point if the word is correctly spelled, then move on to the next group.VariationsAs preparing a lot of words all the same length (e.g. you have teams of 5 students each: it can be hard to think of lots of 5-letter words without going outside the students' knowledge of vocabulary) you can have words `wrap around`:If you give a six letter word to a team of five students then the first student has to write down both the first and last letters.Sitting the students in a ring can help them get the idea.NotesMaking the vocabulary relevant to a current event is of course best (Halloween, Christmas, New Year, Valentines', etc).1 commentKabura-NiceInstructionsTell the students that you are going to give them a topic. Each student is to write down (without the others seeing) an example of the topic.For example if the teacher says "fruit" then one student might write down "apple", another "orange", etc.They will have only ten seconds.Once the ten seconds are up, ask the students to, one by one, reveal their answers (if you wish you can now check spelling).In a large group the aim is for students to all have *different* answers. If everyone in the group has a different answer then they get one point (it can be made competitive by splitting the class into two groups).VariationsIn smaller groups (where it would be easy for everyone to have different answers) then reward one point for answers which are *the same*. Perhaps an additional point if a third person has that answer too, etc.NotesTopics depend on the English level of your students, and serve as a good lead-in to whatever class you will be teaching.For example if you lesson will finish with a restaurant roleplay then give them the topic of "fast food" or "restaurants".1 commentTelephoneInstructions1. Divide class into groups of 6 or more, and arrange each group in a straight line or row.2. Ask for a volunteer listener from each group. Take them outside of the classroom and give them a message (one sentence or more, depending on student level).3. Open the door, and let the students run to the first member of their group to whisper the message.4. Each member passes the message, by whispering, to their neighbor.5. When the message reaches the end, the last person should run to the board and write the message that they heard.The winner could be determined in various ways: first team to pass a legible, complete message (even if it's wrong), first team to finish, first team with a message closest to the original.Variations- Ask the last student to repeat the message to YOU, and write it on the board yourself. This is a good way to practice pronunciation, and to determine which sounds students have trouble with.NotesThis game could take up 5 minutes or 30, depending on how much time you have and how interested the kids are. I've used it with high schoolers in Korea and they loved it. We spent over half the class on this activity.10 commentsWrite Now!Instructions1. Break students into teams2. Each team will select a student to be the writer3. The teacher writes a sentence on the board with a blank in it,such as "I like ___."4. Each team must fill in the blank with as many English wordsas possible in one minute5. Have teams turn in their papers and mark the correctanswers6. Explain the incorrect ones.7. The team with the most correct answers wins8. Have teams change writers, write a new sentence, and playagainNotesMake sentences structures that allow students to practice grammar structures they are learning, such as countable and uncountable nouns. Students get pretty loud shouting out answers to their writers so be sure to close the doors and windows.A big thanks to Steve for this EFL/ESL game!8 commentsWords in WordsInstructions1. Make sure each team has a dictionary2. Write a large word or phrase on the board3. Give teams 10 minutes to come up with as many words aspossible by using the letters on the board4. When time is up, one leader from each team will say theteam's words5. Each word is scored as follows:▪1-letter words = 1 point▪2-letter words = 3 points▪3-letter words = 5 points▪4-letter words = 8 points▪5-letter words = 10 points▪6-letter words = 12 points▪7-letter words = 15 points▪8 or more letter words = 20 pointsVariations▪Have each time submit words one at a time and write them on the board, with no duplicate words allowed▪Words that every team has are omitted and have no point value▪Simply have teams hand in word sheets and tally scoresNotesUse words/phrases with an 'e' and 'r' so students can make words that end in 'er'. Do the same with 'ing', 'ly', 's' and other tails. You can have each team choose a 'secretary' to write down the words and 'seekers' to look in the dictionaries.Be sure to follow up this game by having students make sentences with some of the words (5 seems to works well) and use the words in listening exercises in future classes.A big thanks to Troy for this EFL/ESL game!7 commentsWord ChallengeInstructions1. Have students get into teams of 4-10 people2. One person from each team does rocks, paper, scissors3. Winner says a word and opponent tries to write the wordcorrectly4. If they get it right, their team gets a point5. If they get it wrong, the person who said the word can write itout for a point for their team6. Have another person from each team play 'Word Challenge' Variations▪Make an 'arena' in the middle of the class for two students to face off NotesStudents will start to look up difficult words to stump the other team. Remember to to a follow-up assignment for words used, such as teaching the class the meanings and having students make sentences with the new words.A big thanks to Nick for this EFL/ESL game!8 commentsTyphoonInstructions1. Draw a 6x6 bingo grid on the board2. Randomly write points in the squares3. In some squares, write 'Typhoon' instead of a number4. Stick words cards on top of the squares and cover thenumber/typhoon5. One team chooses a word card and must make a sentencewith the word6. If they make an incorrect sentence, move on to the next team7. If they make a correct sentence, they get the number ofpoints under the card8. Typhoons allow you to erase all the points from another team9. The team with the most points at the end winsVariations▪Play with 'Bankrupt' instead of 'Typhoon'▪Use category cards instead of word cards▪Make a minimum number of words for each sentence▪Have students listen and repeat after correct sentencesNotesKeep track of the sentences students make and use them for a follow-up activity.A big thanks to Katarina for the EFL/ESL game!17 commentsThree KingdomsInstructions1. Place a number of cards with the words "Who," "What,""Where," "When," "Why," and "How" face down2. Among the cards is a "China" card3. Divide the class into three groups and designate them as oneof the ancient Korean kingdoms: Shilla, Baekje, andGoguryeo4. All "kingdoms" start with 100 points5. Groups take turns flipping over and one card at a time andmake a question with the word6. For every correct question they make, they get two "Army"cards, which have a power of ten7. For every third correct question, they get a "Castle" cardwhich grants 50 bonus points. (Ask: "Who do you want toattack?)8. After making a correct question, groups can choose tocontinue taking Army cards OR they can choose to use uptheir army cards to attack another group and destroy theirpoints9. However, whoever turns over a "China" card will cause ALLgroups to lose one Castle (-50 points) and ALL their Armycards!Variations▪Make smaller groups and include other "kingdoms" such as Gaya and Mahan▪If you are teaching in other countries change names▪For example, if you are teaching in China,you can change the "Kingdom" names tostates or dynasties in Chinese history andhave the "Huns" or ;quot;Mongols" as thekiller card▪Include other question words, not just the standard who, what, where, when, why, and how▪Put grammar or trivia questions on cards▪Assign each group a "capital city" as a starter castle and city names or specific castle names to "castle cards," this way you can also"Who do you want to attack?" and "Where do you want to attack?" or"What do you want to attack?"NotesA big thanks to Ogedei for this ESL/EFL game!5 commentsThe Hot SeatInstructions1. Break class into 4 or less teams2. Place a 'hot seat' in front of the class and facing away fromthe board3. Each team selects a leader4. One team is up at a time and their leader sits in the hot seat5. Write ten words on the board so the leader can't see them6. Number the words 1-107. Each team member is assigned a word or words on the board8. Some team members may have more than one word9. Team members take turns communicating their word to theleader withoutsaying the word with no spelling, writing, or drawing allowed10. Team members can say 'pass' if their word is too difficult11. Each team has 1 minute to get as many words as possible12. The team with the most points at the end winsVariations▪Use simple words like animals or days of the week for weaker students▪Use the word 'pass' as one of the words on the board to challenge strong studentsNotesThis game can be challenging to explain so preparing directions in the student's native language can be helpful.A big thanks to Steve for this EFL/ESL game!26 commentsSpin the CoinInstructions1. Lay out an arbitrary number of flashcards in a circleformation, making sure the edges of the flashcards aretouching (i.e.no “holes” in the circle: taping the cards down helps)2. Give each player some marker pieces (colored chips workwell)3. Prepare a 'coin' from cardboard, etc. with a line on each side,from the center of the coin to the edge4. Spin the coin in the middle of the circle and have the firststudent slam their hand down on the coin5. Theline on the coin serves as a pointer and the student says thevocabulary word or grammar structure on the card the linepoints to6. If they are right, they place one of their markers on the card7. The first student to get rid of all of their markers wins Variations▪Use pictures for less advanced students▪Have special flashcards such as 'place your marker on any available card' or 'remove 1 marker from a card'▪Only allow one marker on each cardNotesIf you are using only a few flashcards, make the number of markers be equal to the number of flashcards.ShiritoriInstructions1. Divide the class in half2. Divide the blackboard/whiteboard in half with a line3. Students all stand up and form lines on opposite sides of theroom and can only write on their side of the board4. Provide a first word in the middle of the board5. Thefirst student in each team writes a word to follow the first word1. Theword must start with a letter that isthe same letter as the lastletter of the previous word2. For example, if the first word is"do g," then the next word is "g ood"3. The list goes one:dog->good->deer->read...6. Each student takes a turn and opposing teams attempt tomake the longest list7. Set a 5 to 10-minute time limit8. Words cannot appear twice on the listVariations▪Have several 4 to 5-minute game "rounds"▪In the first round, all teammembers participate▪In the second round, both teams choose their bestmember and those two students square off ina one-on-one match withteams providing support by shouting outwords▪In the third round, twoof the from each team square offNotesThis game is derived from a Japanese game of the same name. "Shiri" means "end" and "tori" means "take." The basic idea is to take the endof a word and use it as the start of another word. A Japanese example would be sa ke -> ken do -> doro bo -> bo ku -> kusu ri, etc.A big thanks to Ogedei for this ESL/EFL game!5 commentsSentence JumbleInstructionsPreparation:1. Make a series of sentences, three more than the number ofteams in your class2. Print the sentences in large text3. Cut each sentence into separate words4. Put each sentence into its separate envelopes5. Number each envelope with a markerInstructions:1. Diving the class into pairs or small groups2. Give each team one envelope3. Students arrange the words into a correct sentence, copy itinto their notebooks, and put words back into envelope4. When finished, students say the sentence, show theirnotebooks, and bring their envelope to the teacher5. If sentence is not correct, they go back and fix the error6. If sentence is correct, they can swap their envelope for a newone with a different sentence7. The first team to unscramble all of the sentences is thewinnerVariations▪Use easy sentences for less advanced students▪Use more complex sentences for more advanced students NotesThis game is a sure success with any level or age groupA big thanks to Brian for this ESL/EFL game!4 commentsRunning DictationInstructions1. Break students up into groups of 3-4, or pairs for smallclasses2. Put one sentence on a piece of paper for each team3. One leader from each team goes to the board and tries toremember their sentence4. The leader returns to their group and dictates the sentencewhile team members write it down5. First team to finish correctly gets a point6. Change words/sentences and switch leadersVariations▪Use pictures for children who can't spell and have them draw the picture instead of writing the words▪Use multiple sentences for more advanced students▪Placesentences around the room and have each group member do oneeach.▪Groups have to put the sentences into the right order before turning in the paperNotesMake each team's paper different so students don't simply listen to other teams. Leaders are not allowed to take their paper, write down anything, or yell across the room. They are allowed to return to board to look at their paper as many times as they like. Use words from class to reinforce learned vocabulary and grammar structures.What are your variations? Leave comments on other variations below...A big thanks to I for this EFL/ESL game!18 commentsRun and WriteInstructions1. Give each team a list of words2. Have each team select a leader3. Teacher says one word from list several times4. Teams search for word, then have leader go to board andwrite word5. Leaders must give teach a Hi-five after writing the wordcorrectly6. First leader to give the teacher hi-five gets five points7. Next leader to finished gets 4 points, next one 3, etc Variations▪Use sentences for higher levels▪See Running DictationNotesYou can make a word list or just use the word index in the back of your textbook. Students cannot shout letters out to leader but they can show it to her/him as many times as they need. Encourage them to say the letters out loud when the leader come over for help. Subtracting a point from noisy teams helps keep thingsunder control.Make sure to switch leaders after every word and do a follow up exercise with the words used.A big thanks to Nick for this EFL/ESL game!∙ 2 commentsNimInstructions1. Prepare sets of at least 12 flashcards for each group2. Lay out a number of flashcards in several rows3. Any number of rows is possible4. I like to use at least 12 cards in a 3x4 format5. Players take turns saying and removing any number of cardsfrom a single row6. The player who has to take the last card losesVariations▪Play with the alphabet where the student who says “Z” loses▪Play with numbers where a number is set ahead of time to be the last number▪Have the loser perform a silly taskNotesA big thanks to David for this EFL/ESL game!∙Add new commentMinesweepInstructions1. Place a number of flashcards face down2. Set one of the flashcards to be a whammy card3. Students take turns flipping over and one card at a time andsay the word/sentence4. Whoever turns over the whammy card must perform a sillytask5. After someone pulls the whammy card, shuffle the cards andstart againVariations▪Make the whammy card be a “safe” card, where everyone but the student who turned over the card has to perform the silly task ▪Have players get one point for each card the say/answer correctly ▪Play this game with regular playing cards to practice numbers, with one face card as the whammy▪Combineplaying cards with a list, using numbers 1-6 or so and having anumbered list on the side with six vocabulary words/grammarstructures▪If a student turns over a 3, they say the item that is third on the list▪Use grammar structures and/or questions for more advanced studentsNotesIf you use flashcards, make sure that you can’t see through the back!A big thanks to David for this EFL/ESL game!1 commentLove TrianglesInstructions1. Draw a triangle on the board2. Write three items on the triangle, such as 'spring water', 'CocaCola', and 'Coffee'3. Tell students to discuss the three items4. After they discuss them, ask them which one is best Variations▪Give students criteria to judge which is best▪Use a line for two items▪Use a square, pentagon, etc for more itemsNotesThis English game is a good lead-in to argumentative essays and debates. Large classes can get pretty noisy.A big thanks to James for this EFL/ESL game!Add new commentHow Many Words Do You Know?Instructions1. Divide chalkboard into four equal vertical sections (columns).2. Make two rows of deskbound students one team3. Have teams pick a team leader to go to the chalkboard4. Leaders write all the two-letter words they know on the countof 1, 2, 3, GO!5. Teammembers help their leader by shouting out words and bywriting words inbig letters on paper and holding it up for leader to see6. Stop with 10, 9, 8,...0, STOP!Variations▪Three-letter, four-letter words, etc.▪Words that begin with the letter 'S', 'R', 'Th', etc.NotesDecide beforehand whether dictionaries, textbooks, etc. are legal or not and rules for what kind of words can be used (ie names, acronyms that are accepted as words, etc). Will you count words if students don't know the meaning? Also, class gets noisy so make sure to close windows and doors.A big thanks to bill for this EFL/ESL game!2 commentsGuess WhoInstructions1. Identity a student leader for the class or individual groups2. Ask leader to think of a famous person3. In turn, group members will ask yes/no questions to getinformation about the target celebrity4. If a group member receives a 'yes' to their question, they canask one follow up question5. If the answer to a group member's question is no, playpasses to the next student6. Play continues until a student is ready to guess who it is7. Students can only guess who it is when it is their turn Variations▪This game can be played as 'Guess What', in which case students are playing to identify an object, animal, etc▪It is often good to start with an object in theroom until students get the hang of itNotesYou may choose to prepare a handout of possible questions to get things started and help weaker students as play progresses. Some possible questions are:▪Are you famous?▪Are you in this school?▪Are you a man?▪Are you a woman?▪Are you an actor?▪Are you a singer?▪etc.Thisgame is a part of the "Chris Moyles Show" on BBC Radio. The running music on the radio shows adds to the fun and tension of the game. Add recorded sound effects such as a ticking clock, Jeopardy, etc. to create a better atmosphere for the game. You could also give the leader two 'instruments' to make things more fun -- a hooter for 'no' answers and a bell or triangle for 'yes' answers.A big thanks to Anna for this ESL/EFL game!3 commentsFly SwatterInstructions1. Write vocabulary words scattered across the board2. Place two chairs in front of the board with a fly swatter oneach chair3. Divide class into two equal teams4. Have one student from each team sit in the chairs with theirbacks to the board5. Say one of the vocabulary words on the board6. Students stand and find the word on the board7. Students get one swat and the first student to hit the wordwith their fly swatter gets one point for their team8. If neither students hits the right word, the next students are upand no points are awarded.9. Repeat until everyone has had at least one turnVariationsUse pictures for young students who haven't learned the alphabetNotesThis game can be used with any level student who needs to practice vocabulary and is an exciting way to warm up the class. Students will often get loud so don't let teammates shout the answer or location of the word.。
Using Games in English Teaching
Using Games in English TeachingBy Cathy发表于 2008-4-23 10:14:00 Introduction:English, as a second language in China, is a major subject from primary schools to university. It’s an essential stage for children in primary schools to acquire pronunciation and memorize basic vocabularies. Many young learners know nothing about English when they begin to learn it in schools, English learning takes them to a broader world and this will mean special to the children both in ways and in mind. They are interested in the “strange” thing, but they also feel a little fear about it. This ambivalent feeling may be easy settled if the teacher has various teaching methods. The priority for English t eachers is to arouse children’s interest in studying English, for an interest in a language is known as a key to being motivated to learn. But how?Young children’s attention can be easy taken, but the attention spans vary, so it is difficult to keep it throughout the whole class. Then the teacher should have the ability and enthusiasm to design different activities that children enjoy to attract their attention. Through lots of research investigations and my own experience in teaching practice, I propose an approach to language teaching. That is, to use games in English teaching classroom. Modern pedagogy takes games as one of the important teaching means which can pass on knowledge, develop skills and ability in languages teaching, games have been paid more and more attention to. In this thesis, I want to discuss this good way to arouse children’s interest in English learning--- competitive activities or known as games, the activities can make people keep balance in heart and health.Ⅰ. The theoretical background in using games in English teaching 1.1 Psychological backgroundAccording to psychology research, young children, say up to the age of seven, find it difficult or impossible to see language as an abstract system, independent of communication or enjoyable sound sequences such as songs and rhymes. They find it difficult or impossible to think in terms of learning goals, although they respond tomore immediate objectives such as drawing a picture or making a kite. They also find it difficult or impossible to work at one task for a long time. Their attention span is usually short, and they need frequent changes of activity. A survey (Zhao Chengfu, 2002:202) shows that in a well organized atmosphere, children’s attention last for different time: around age 5 to 7, they can pay attention for 10 to 15 minutes; age between 7 and 10 can pay attention for about 20 minutes; age between 10 and 12 last for about 25 minutes; and the time of attention of those older than 12 may reach to 30 minutes.A famous psychologist Piaget (1967) protested that movement produces “thought”. Movement is the beginning of learning. Cognitive frame is built up step by step whose joint is the movement but not the consciousness. Moreover, some psychologists claim that children should learn through play. Play is an activity performed for its own sake, highly motivated, often involving fantasy and characterized by intense involvement and concentration. In play, children explore and learn about their world. Play is so metimes called the child’s work because it is such a significant mode of learning. The essence of play is that it grows from within the child or group of children who engage in it. It is a creative expression of their thoughts and dealings, based in their own life experiences. Play is the most important mode children have for clarifying and integrating all their experiences, both in and out of school.What’s more, children are most moldable in primary schools, during which time they are active and good at imitating but cannot concentrate their attention for long period. Thus, teachers, in view of young learners’ psychological and physiological features, should try to regulate their affection, arouse their interest, and intensify their motivation, fostering not only their linguistic competence but also social and cultural awareness. Besides, fun-based, activity-oriented and student-centered approach should be adopted so as to ensure that children learn foreign languages in a relaxed atmosphere.1.2 Linguistic backgroundStephen Krashen’s input hypothesis and affective filter hypothesis claim that the process of second language acquisition is influenced by affective factors either positively or negatively. The input hypothesis claims, “We acquire by understand ing language that contains structure a bit beyond our current level of competence (i.e.“i+1”).” S.Krashen (1982:21) writes:… a necessary (but not sufficient ) condition to move from stage ‘i’ to stage‘i+1’ is that the acquired understand input that contains ‘i+1’, where‘understand’ means that the acquirer is focused on the meaning and not heform of the message.Thus, acquisition takes place when the learner understands language containing ‘i+1’. Moreover, the affective filter hypothesis claims, “The effect of affect is‘outside’ the language acquisition device proper.” “It implies that our pedagogical goals should not only include supplying comprehensive input but also creating a situation that encourages a low filter. The effective teacher is one who can provider input and help make it comprehensible in a low anxiety situation.” Krashen concludes that comprehensible input and the strength of the filter are the true causes of second language acquisition. That is to say, before the acquisition competence, no one can avoid the affective factors’ influence. The affective factors include motivation, attitude, ego, and anxiety. Here, I would like to focus a great deal attention on motivation, which I think is the most essential factor.Motivation is a basic ingredient of the child’s learning. Children are born with an intrinsic motivation to learn and to understand the world round them, an aspect of development which Robert Whit (1959) refers to as competence motivation. A child’s motivation for learning can increase or diminish over time, depending, in part, on other peoples’ reactions to her efforts. However, motivation is not only one of the most important components of learning but also one of the most difficult to measure.Psychologists define motivation as an internal process that activities, guides and maintains behavior over time. (Baron, 1992; Schunk, 1990) In plain language, motivation is what gets you going, keeps you going, and determines where you’re trying to go. An English teacher should try to use external stimuli to facilitate students’ inner motivation transformed into their inner desire. If a student has positive attitude towards English, he will has a strong motivation to grasp this language, and this will help him to be markedly successful.Ⅱ. The exploration of using games in English classThrough the theories above we can easily know that children are active in playing games. Playing games is their nature. American psychologist and educational reformer John Dewey holds the notion that teaching material must be highly coherent with psychology. If the teaching material accords with children’s psychology, they would be attracted by the interesting activities and accordingly learn and master the teaching material on their own initiative. Classro om games just answer for children’s cognitive traits. At the games, the children get the pleasure and the satisfaction so that they are willing to learn English. Meanwhile, the using of games is helpful to create the relaxing atmosphere for language acquis ition; it is effective in children’s English teaching.As Sarah Phillips (1993:16) in Young Learners claims that if the activity is interesting, it is easier to be remembered, and so is the language. Meanwhile, the children gain the satisfaction which can arouse their motivation of learning. Therefore, to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for language teaching is helpful. There is a survey ( Tang Lei, 2004: 21) of 77 pupils about their attitude to the English teaching. 96.01% pupils respond that they like to play games in English class;88.31% pupils think they can focus a great attention to the games; 93.51% pupils like the cooperative games. Moreover, the survey shows that competitive activities share more commends than the others.An advantage of using games in English classroom is that they add variation to alesson 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. The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the target language to life. 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. (Lewis, 1999) Playing games in learning may develop the sense of communication in English of the students. And the combination of the games may help them with a strong communicative ability.Game is not only the most effective means to arouse the students’ interest of learning; it also can make them all fully concentrate on what they are doing. Therefore, students will get deep impression of what they have learned and gain permanent memory of the content. Because of this, teachers can get the best effect of outcome. Teaching games are various. Teachers can use some new games every time. Then the students will be of an expected and new sense in class. And they will often be enthusiastic and never feel tires. While playing games, students can make a good use of their comprehension, their ability of analyses, judgment, imagination and logical deduction. At the same time, it requires that they have a quick mind, flexibility and creativity. Therefore, games can not only help students master the language points, but also be good for developing their intelligence and all kinds of skills.Students greatly welcome games. They can create a cheerful and light-hearted environment and arouse students’ interest in learning English. Games are considered one of the most effective ways to improve efficiency in language learning. Games in class appear to be of considerable aid in involving the students in actively trying to utilize or challenge the concepts they are being taught. They are “sloppy” and hardly controlled. They are also a source for insight, for suggesting other types of experiments and for sweetening the intuition.Games make complicated grammatical points come out in simple forms. So it isquite acceptable for students. Take my teaching practice for example, when talking about the relation between a noun and an adjective, I gave the students a noun such as “book”, let one of the groups to tell some adjectives which can modify the noun in turns. Meanwhile, if any student repeats or uses a wrong modifier, the whole group will fail. If this group can not continue giving a new word in three seconds, then, have another group do it. The group which is composed of four or eight student or even more that has got the most adjectives will be winners. After playing the game, the students know how many adjectives can modify the noun and what they are. Later, they get deep impression on the noun and the adjectives. This game not only helps students review the words, but also helps them memorize the new ones. And it stimulates the students’ enthusiasm as well.Games are also collective activities, and then the relationship between teachers and students will become more harmonious while playing. Because most of the games are played in groups, when doing them they develop the collective spirit of the students. Now, to take certain games during teaching seems more and more important in order to arouse the students’ interest in learning for getting better results in teaching.The great educator Confucius said, “Teaching students in accordance with their aptitude,” He believed that learning should be a process of exploring andun derstanding of one’s own gift, so it is very important for the students to learn English by themselves, game is a good way to achieve this goal.The role of the teacher in playing game is to guide. I think that to guide well equals to learn well. As long a s the students like the teacher’s new teaching method, they can take an active part in learning something. What is more, Confucius was also skillful in arousing the students’ interest and eagerness in learning. He thought that only by making students interested in what they were learning, only when they were eager to learn, could they learn the knowledge well.Ⅲ. Some typical kinds of games in English teachingThe discussion above makes it evident that using games is a very effective means for teaching children English. In my teaching practice in primary schools in Shenzhen I collected many games which have been used very popular. I also tried to compose some in my teaching practice, from which I benefited a lot. Here I would like to share with other primary school teachers some of the games and their application in English class, hoping that we can make more efforts in exploring this teaching method.3.1Vocabulary and Phrase Games(1)BingoLevel: Absolute beginner to lower intermediateAim: to review or preview letters, or vocabularyMaterials: item list, bingo cards (students can make these)Procedure: Draw a 9-square box (as in tic-tac-toe) and ask students to draw a picture with the target words in each box. You might draw each picture on the board in random order and have the students draw them in their grid. (This is very useful since you can review the words together with the whole class as you go along and help students with ideas of how to draw them). Then draw the pictures in your box on the board and ask the students to choose a word. Choose the students at random. When they get a bingo (any three in a row), they get a team point, a card or a reward. A variation may be to reward them only if they get a bingo before you. This makes it more challenging and covers more vocabulary.In my teaching practice, I’ve used Bingo in reviewing vocabularies about animals. I found this game can not only practice the students’ listening but also their speaking. Students showed their great interest in it. What’s more, my students gave me some new ideas in designing games.(2)HangmanLevel: Absolute beginner to lower intermediateAim: to practice vocabularyMaterials: writing surfaceProcedure: First, the teacher thinks of a word and writes the same number of dashes, as there are letters in the word on the board. Then, students begin to call out letters from the alphabet. When a student guesses a correct letter, he/she will put the letter in its proper place. The letter may be repeated. If a letter that is in the word has not been mentioned, the teacher will draw one stroke for the hangman. If they can guess the word before the picture of the hangman is finished, they will win. Otherwise they will lose.Variation: This works best with phrases, not individual words. Scoring need not be a hanged man. It can be any picture, or word that has about 10 parts. The pictures can be drawn bit by bit or erased bit by bit.For a long time, remembering vocabulary is a kind of boring work for some students. In my teaching practice, I found it is no longer a truth after playing the game ‘Hang man’. Unlike other games, Hang man set an atwitter atmosphere; it gives the students a kind of pressure to save the man. Meanwhile, the students are more willing and active to remember a word.3.2Games for StructuresAdd A WordLevel: upper beginner to intermediateMaterials: Writing surface or blank word cardsAim: to practice sentence buildingProcedure: The teacher writes a short, simple sentence on the board. One by one, the students give the teacher one word and indicate where it fits into the sentence. It is then added and the next student takes a turn.Variation: Students may be allowed to add two or three words. Students may be allowed to replace a word with two words. The board can become crowded. To avoid this, words can be written on cards and the sentence constructed from the word cards.3.3Games for Listening and Speaking(1)Simon SaysStudents should only obey the commands if you preface each one with Simon says. If you omit the preface Simon says any student who obeys the command can no longer participate in the game. The last student to remain in the game is the winner. Children have just learnt some of the body words. In order to check whether children can understand them by listening, their teacher ask them to response what they hear with physical performances, that is, when the teacher says “Touch your nose”, the children give the response by touching his/her nose. In this way, the teacher may observe who can or cannot do it. If all of the children can follow, it gives the teacher a signal that he/she can move on his/her teaching. Otherwise, the teacher should do something to improve that.Non-verbal Responses: This technique fits very well within the Total Physical Response methodology for early language development (Asher, 1988) At the early stages of English learning, children need to be assessed by using physical performance responses and visual tools before they can speak confidently. This type of response can reduce children’s anxiety normally linked to assessment and may help children see it as a daily learning activities.In my teaching practice, I have used this game for several times. It is known that students are easier to be sleepy in the afternoon than that in the morning. Therefore, while the class in afternoon, I used Simon says as the warm-up game. This game helped my students get into the learning status easily.(2). Hide and FindAim: to practice directionsPreparation: paper cups and something to blindfold half the studentsProcedure: Number 12 paper cups on the bottom from 1 to 12, depending on thenumber of students. Divide the students into two teams. For larger classes, you could make three teams or more. Students on each team are paired. One student is blindfolded and the other student becomes the guide. Hide the cups all over the room but they should not be under anything. Assign team one cups 1-6 to find and team 2 cups 7-12. Guides cannot touch or lead their partners by the hand. They can only give them directions such as turn right, turn left, go straight, etc. They cannot use their native language, only English, to explain the cup's location. When they have found a cup, they must return it to the place that has been chosen by the teacher. I have them stack each cup on top of the cup they have just found. They remain blindfolded until they have completed finding and returning the cup to the proper place. Their partners must give them the directions on where to put the cup that has been found. As soon as a cup has been found and returned by one pair of students, the next pair goes, etc. The cups must be found and returned in order. The first team to find and return all the cups is the winner.(3) Chinese WhispersAim: to practice time and pronunciationProcedure: Have 2 teams in a U- shape facing each other: Team A and Team B. Call 2 representatives, one from each team, to your desk and whisper a time. Then they go back to their teams and whisper the time into the ear of the first person, who whispers it to the next person, and so on down the line. The last person writes it down and gives it to the person who whispered it first. Then the 2 original representatives run to write it on the board. If the words written on the paper and the board are the same, the fastest team scores a point; however, if it is not correct they have to go back and whisper it again. This encourages not only time recognition but good pronunciation, like distinguishing between 15 and 50 or 14 and 40. The students love this game.3.4Games for Revision(1)Jeopardy“Jeopardy” is a team competition. The class is divided into several teams, for example, the “Fruit team” and the “Vegetable team”. The children can choose their own team names. The teacher draws a table on the board with different points corresponding to different questions as shown below:Each team chooses an item and takes turns completing the task on the card. If the team picks the card, for example, card recognition, number 15, the teacher will show four flash cards for the child to say the matching English words. If the child says the words correctly, their team receives 15 points; however, an incorrect answer loss the team 15 points. More difficult or challenging items get more points. Therefore, card recognition number 20, the teacher can shoe eight flash cards. This game is very challenging for students. The team may win or lose more points when the children are giver more challenging activities to do. The team with the highest points scored wins the game.(2) The PicnicAim: to review vocabularyProcedure: This is a simple game that requires students to generate vocabulary in English. The class is asked to imagine that they are going on a picnic. Their job is to suggest things to bring along. The teacher says yes or no to each suggestion. What the students do not know is that the teacher says yes when a student suggests something whose first letter is the same as the first letter of the name of the student. The teacher says no if the first letter of the suggested object and the first letter of the name of the student do not match. For example: Alicia: I want to bring apples. Teacher: You canbring apples, Alicia. Alicia can bring apples. What do you want to bring, Marco? Marco: I want to bring a radio. Teacher: Sorry, you cannot bring a radio. If students need a hint, you can interject something like: Maria: I want to bring bananas. Teacher: Sorry, you cannot bring bananas. Why not ask Barbara to bring bananas? Usually someone figures out the game. Knowing the secret forces them to narrow their suggestions to words beginning with the same letter as their name.Ⅳ. ConclusionThe series of theories and activities described above offer a great deal of advantages in stimulating students’ interests and enhancing their involvement in learning English. Classroom games can lead children to learn and practice target language in group or pair work. They make conversation and communicate with English during the games. The teacher designs different games for various levels of children and for different aims. The process of game is important than the result “winning or losing”. Children do not need to win actually. They just need the experience and the happiness during the games. This is the best way to show “learner-centered” teaching mode.Children’s attention spans vary. So remember not to keep an activity so long in case the children lose interest. You may design different activities that are related to the theme which you’re working on. Then watch the students’ reaction and change activities at least 3-5 minutes to keep their attention or the pace of class quick. If you keep an activity soon, the children will want to go back to it soon, because they like to do interesting things over and over again. Feel free to repeat the activities as long as the children are still interested. Thus the target task can be well done.ReferencesEdward F. Zigler & Matia Finn-Stevenson (1987) Children Development and Social Issues.D.C Heath and CompanyEllis, R. (1986) Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press Eric Press & Paul Davies (2002). Success in English Teaching. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.Jane Willis &Dave Willis (2002) Challenge and Change in Language Teaching Shanghai Foreign Language Education PressRoberte E. Slavin (1997). Educational Psychology Theory and Practice. Allyn and Bacon Sarah Phillips (1993) Young Learners. Oxford University PressStephain Feeney, Eva Moravcik & Doris Christensen (1983) Who Am I in the Lives of Children. Charles E. Merrill Publishing CompanyXia Jimei (2003) Foreign Language Course Design Modern Theory & Practice Shanghai Foreign Language Education PressYue Meiyun (1994) Applied Linguistics. Nanjing University Press邓丽芝，（2004），玩活Bingo游戏，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第9期，37-38韩永昌，（2001），《心理学》，华东师范大学出版社贾冠杰，（2003），《外语教育心理学》，广西教育出版社李文，（2003），利用竞赛活动提高教学效果，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第8期，36-39 李晓东，（2003），《小学生心理学》，人民教育出版社沈德立，（2003），《小学儿童发展与教育心理学》，华东师范大学出版社唐蕾，（2004），试谈少儿外语活动型教学法，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第7期，21-24 王佳丽，（2004），小学英语兴趣教学，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第8期，21-22巫漪云，（1998），《少年儿童英语教学》，华东师范大学出版社徐晔，（2004），科学地开展小学英语教学游戏活动，《中小学外语教学》，第6期，10-13 于勤，（2003），寓小学英语教学于游戏中，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第10期，17-19 於雪梅，（2004），小学生英语学习兴趣的培养与保持，《中小学英语教学与研究》，第12期，29-30赵承福，（2002），《学生心理学》，山东人民出版社。
English Game Teaching in Primary School
English Game Teaching in Primary School【Abstract】Primary students learning English whether the effectiveness of teaching methods can not do without the charm, but the game of teaching is the children's favorite and most willing to accept the teaching methods. This paper mainly discusses the primary school English Teaching in the classroom need to play games and to analyze how the organization at the primary school English classroom teaching and design of the game.Keywords: Primary English Teaching GamesGerman educator Froebel said: "The games are the characteristics of children's activities, through games, children's activities and the inner life of mind into independent, autonomous external performance, to gain pleasure, freedom and satisfaction, and maintain internal and external balance. children's play is often accompanied by the expression of language, which is conducive to children's language development. "Practices at home and abroad also shows that the teaching of science using the game will be a boon. According to students the physical, psychological characteristics and the characteristics of primary school English curriculum, I believe that the need for English language teaching in primary schools use the game of science teaching. Therefore, this paper on how to use the classroom games at the primary school English, a preliminary study of teaching the game.Ⅰ. A primary English Teaching in the classroom is the need for the game(A) Primary English Course FeaturesChina's "Primary English Teaching basic requirements (for trial implementation)" clearly states: According to the physiological and psychological characteristics of pupils and the development requirements of primary school English curriculum is aimed, first is to stimulate student's interest and foster their positive attitude in learning English so that they initial set up self-confidence in learning English. This emphasis is clearly non-intelligence factors, intelligence and coordinated development of the idea, compared with the previous one-sided emphasis on developing intellectual approach, more in line with the Law of children's physical and mental development is conducive to students learning of English.(B) the game is teaching on the meaning of the Primary English TeachingPrimary English classroom to improve the efficiency of student learning is inseparable from good teaching methods, teaching the game students can effectively mobilize the enthusiasm, stimulate students interest in learning English teaching in primary schools has its own special significance.1, the game of teaching can be an active classroom atmosphere, enhance student interest in learning2, the game students to learn the language of teaching to get rid of the psychological pressure3, games, teaching can help students to better language acquisition4, the game students can improve the teaching of English listening and speaking ability5, games, teaching students to be able to explore the potential of leavened doughⅡ. Primary English classroom teaching the game classificationGame teaching in primary school English teaching in a wide range of applications can be used for letters, vocabulary, sentence patterns, and other new content teaching, the consolidation of old knowledge, but also can be used to explore the potential of students in all aspects of the development of non-intellectual factors. And the game player's number and participation in the way they are diversified. Therefore, the game could be teaching the game are as follows:(A) divided by content1, the letter game2, vocabulary gamesEnglish vocabulary is an important part, but the memory of words is sometimes dull, for a variety of primary and secondary students should be fully mobilized feelings, so that students see, listen, speak, touch, easy to remember the process of moving words.3, voice gameVoice communication between people with sound language, listening, speaking, reading, writing, "the four" basis. V oice teaching stage more boring, in which the game will not teach or consolidation of student voice was dull no interest, but also train students to distinguish between them and the correct pronunciation.4, sentence gamesSentence teaching is the focus of English teaching is also difficult. Teaching is mainly reflected language sentence structure. The purpose of English language teaching in primary schools is not necessarily enable students to master the grammar rules, but let students of language to express more standardized. Through the game, you can arouse students a rich imagination and inspire them to have learned to use the vocabulary and sentence patterns to express their thoughts. 5, dialogue gamesDialogue is the core of primary school English language teaching, which reflects the language communicative competence. Scenarios show the game is dialogue, teaching more popular among students of the game but the most frequently used6, digital gamesIn the digital teaching, the students heard that response is the focus of teaching, if he stubbornly ordered students read back, students are tired, not only fail to teaching purposes, but will reduce the student's interest. Body language to carry out the game easy to remember to achieve results.(B) the division of capacity development1, test memoryMemory is any learning. In the letters, vocabulary, voice teaching, we can do "What's Missing" game.2, than the reaction ofPrimary English Teaching students to take advantage of the characteristics of various aspects of responsive, high-density, fast-paced intensive training, so that students with learning, emotional always excited state, a large number of fast operation, the daily English conversation.3, match the speedMatch the speed the game mainly relies on teams to complete in teams as a unit than speed. The contents of the game is generally speaking the game (for example, messenger games), operating the game (for example, to hear the contents of the fight according to the word, etc.) and use of English to solve the problem than the speed of the game (for example, so that students in a limited period of time to complete as far as possible number of tasks, such as through things, find owner of lost property, etc.). Reposted elsewhere in the Research Papers Download 4, fast observationThe game of the materials provided to the students to observe two major categories, including images and text. If images need to carefully identify the students and used to talk about the relevant terms and reporting the results observed. Text observation is often refer to a set of written materials, as required quickly identify relevant content, such as in the following string of letters, press left to right direction to find out what they have learned over the word sithatenewhoureaday.Ⅲ. Primary English Class Teaching Organization and design of the game(A) The teacher's role in the game of teachingGames teaching first by teachers prior to teaching content as the material design, and then guide the orderly conduct of students. Games teaching the concept of "teacher-led, student-centered" Education Law.1, teachers should understand the characteristics of the students to master design skills Games teaching with a clear purpose, but for children, the game once to any forced, they lose their meaning. Therefore, teaching the game to make students to truly become the main body of the game to keep a child to participate in the activities of teaching the game to be their intrinsic motivation, which requires teachers to be able to aim and content of teaching content and rules of the game cleverly combined.2, teachers should ensure that all students have participated inIt is necessary to ensure the dominant position of students, but also to enable the game to focus on the teaching objectives to complete the task of teaching, teachers must do to enable all students to become the main body of the game. This is to ensure that the requirements of the quality of teaching, but also to measure the success of teaching the game logo.3, teachers should do the pre-game preparations of materials and sites4, teachers should make clear rules of the gameTo enable students to understand and master the rule of the game and the rules of the game can play up the premise, so the teacher to enable students to understand and master the rules of the game have to pay attention to methods.(1) Direct instructionIt applies to the rules is relatively simple, easy-to-expression, most students are familiar with the master of the game.(2) DemoIt is mainly used for students are familiar with and rely solely on teachers, professors hard to understand more complex verbal game. Teachers can choose a few students with a strong ability to understand the game and its presentation, but also teachers, to explain verbally explain or after, the game is allowed to demonstrate.5, teachers in the game to timely regulation and controlIn the course of the game, students are often due to over-excitement and the rules of the game are not familiar with and have some "chaotic" situation, teachers should be good at observing the overall situation, teachers can not forget oneself angry at this time, we must be patient with the "timely brake Law" "in recognition of France "to encourage students, orderly and there are rules to play games.6, teachers must be good after the end of the game summary and evaluation of After the game, teachers should be content with the game summary, to avoid the summary out of the knowledge, skills and the game irrelevant. Teachers should give full co-summary of a student for students to express their views, and mutual evaluation or elected representatives of the summary of the Panel, and then be refined by teachers to make the overall evaluation, recognition of priorities, encourage poor persons, to maintain the enthusiasm and interest of all students. (B) the game is teaching in primary school English classroom teaching and role of the timing of the use ofPlay activities are mostly part of the whole teaching of pre-designed order, according to the teaching of teachers to choose the timing requirements in order to determine which of course put a link in order to give students impressed.1, pre-class use, encouraged by the enthusiasm of studentsTeachers are often the attention of the students in order to be able to effectively transferred to the classroom, the quick access to language learning environment and state of ideas in the classroom is often the beginning of a number of ways such as: Zhi Risheng reports, and some teachers, some spoken prologue and so on. These opening remarks that there is a drawback: only one person or a small number of people in the performing, while others act as spectators. Therefore, teachers can try to use its collective game, so that each student be involved to mobilize the enthusiasm of all students for a class to prepare a formal full preparation.2, lesson used to promote absorption & ProductsGame teaching can help bring the process of teaching and students in the emotional experience in the game together, teaching the task and content through the diversification of activities and games shown, they called them to absorb new knowledge, expertise and potential to play to provide the conditions for expression. Teachers carefully designed in close cooperation with the teaching content of the game can help students learn the content of such monotonous learning words, sentences, voice and so on. Games teaching can help students better understand the content of texts, especially the emphasis and difficulty.3, after-school use, fun learning tirelessA lesson well-structured lessons with new courses of import, new knowledge to teach, practice exercises to consolidate the use of some major aspects. The consolidation of good, you can have a multiplier effect. The students in this stage is most likely to fatigue time. Psychology shows that the provisional class is the first 5 minutes or so students to more easily tired, distracted. In order to enable students to always maintain full of emotions, teachers can design some competition games, students can reduce the physical and mental fatigue can also be laughter in the end the lesson, so that pupils get enough feeling, music school without getting tired.IV. ConclusionPrimary English Teaching is a science is also an art, teaching the game is only primary-school classroom as a type of activity, so teachers should grasp the teaching focus and difficult, choosethe best time for the game, so that they no longer felt English is a boring subject, let them feel that English classes "can say", "able to perform," "can do" and "can play" …….References:1, Wu is also noticeable. Primary School Teaching Theory of the game. Jiangxi Education Press, first edition .19962, Hu Chun-dong. English learning theory. Guangxi Education Publishing House .19963, Liu Wei. Primary school children in Educational psychology. Higher Education Press, the year 1999 the4, the Ministry of Education. National Curriculum Standard (trial version) .20015, the Ministry of Education. Primary English Teaching basic requirements (Trial) .2001 reposted elsewhere in the Research Papers Download 。
Primary School English Game Teaching Methods
primary school students, encouraging them to participate more
actively in English learning.
02
Easy to understand and remember
Through games, dull knowledge points are made vivid and
The content of this research includes: the application of game teaching method in primary school English teaching, the classification and characteristics of game teaching method, the effect of game teaching method on students' English ability and interest, and the challenges and solutions of applying game teaching method in primary school English teaching
Research purpose and significance
This research aims to explore the application and effect of game teaching method in primary school English teaching
Through the research, we can provide a basis for teachers to select appropriate game teaching methods and improve the
英语课堂游戏-可用
- Available
目录
• Introduction • Types of games suitable for English
classrooms • Game design and implementation • The application of games in teaching • Game case sharing
Rules
Prepare clear and simple rules that students can
understand easily
Teacher's role
Prepare the teacher's role in the game, so as being
the timer or scorer
Game Preparation
01
02
03
04
Materials
Prepare all necessary materials such as dice,
cards, timers, etc
Space
Ensure that the classroom is large enough for the game to be played
Spoken language games
Role Play
Divide students into pairs and ask them to role play a given scenario using only English For example, a scenario where one student is a tour and the other is a local guide
HowtoUseGamesinEnglishTeaching游戏在英语教学中的运用
How to Use Games in English TeachingAs English becomes more and more accepted as an international language,interest in the English teaching to younger learners has been steadily growing in recent years. Accompanied with the carrying out of the new English Curriculum Standard by the Ministry of Education of Chinese government, there are a lot of new problems arising from the field of English teaching in the primary schools. This thesis holds the hypothesis that game-teaching approach should be adopted in children’s English teaching, and also probes into the reliability and pros and cons of using games in the teaching process.Games are a different kind of play activity. They are highly structured and include specific rules to be followed (Spodek Bernard and Saracho Olivia, 1994, p.132). Specially, teaching game is one of the kinds of the games. Byrne (1995) gave the definition to games as a form of play governed by rules. He suggested:“Games should be enjoyed and fun. They are not just a diversion, a break from routine activities, but a way of getting the learner to use the language in the course of the game.”(Byrne, 1995, p. 32).From the above, we can safely drawn a conclusion that “game” in language teaching (teaching game) can be defined as an organized activity that usually has the following properties: A. a particular task or objective; B. a set of rules; C. competition between players; D. communication between players by spoken or written language.There is a widely-held lay belief that younger second language learners generally do better than older learners. Children exercise a good deal of both cognitive and affective effort in order to internalize both native and second languages. Moreover, one of most essential thing that teachers teaching children’s English should make all means to motivate their spirit and sustain their interest in learning English. Therefore, most of those teachers chose the method by using games in the teaching process,because games using is closely related to characteristics of children for their age and their features of psychology. However, just as we know, language learning is no t easy work. In a word, games can help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and they play an important role in language teaching:It has been found that one appropriate strategy to encourage language acquisition is using language games. Children have a greater need to be motivated by the teacher or the material, and they are easier to be motivated.Many scholars agree that games in the language classroom have been considered a better way to arouse the interest of children, John Dewey claimed games were integral to schooling since they provided active and position learning experience. Games are also listed in the language skills for the learning stage of primary school in the New English Curriculum Standard. When using games in the classroom, it is beneficial for teachers to have a complete understanding of the definitions of games: a form of play concerning rules, competition, and an element of fun. Teachers should also consider the advantages of games: the ability to capture students’ attention; lower students’ stress; and give students the chance for real communication. (Campell Linda, Campell Bruce and Dickson dee, 1999).For adults and children, difference between the age group in learning styles, abilities and motivation entail corresponding differences in selection of materials and methodology and in lesson plan. Children have a greater immediate need to be motivated by the teacher or the material in order to learn effectively. Teacher can raise children’s motivation and enthusiasm by se lecting interesting activities. They are always curious about the interesting things. Games are one excellent means to maintain the curiosity in the English course. When the teachers ask the children to play games, they are prepared to enjoy. All this mean that it is easy to maintain a high degree of motivation and to make the English class into an enjoyable and stimulating experience for the children.To successfully teach children English requires specific skills and intuitions that differ from those that a teacher would use for adult teaching. Brown (1994) suggestedfive categories help the teacher to give some practical approaches to teaching children as follows:The first one is intellectual development. Since children (up to the age of about eleven) ar e still in an intellectual stage of what Piaget called “concrete operations,” we should remember their limitations. Rules, explanations, and other even slightly abstract talk about language must be approached with extreme caution. Play (game) is a way of m anipulating the outside world so that it serves a vital function in the child’s developing intellect and remains.The second one is attention span. One of the most salient differences between adults and children is attention span. Children have short attention spans. The short attention spans come up only when the teachers present stuff that to them is boring, useless, or too difficult. Since language lessons can at times be difficult for children, the teachers should try to make them interesting, lively, and fun.The third one is sensory input. Children need to have all five sense stimulated. The activities should strive to go well beyond the visual and auditory modes that we usually feel are sufficient for a classroom. As it is mentioned above, games use both visual and aural channels to activate the language production.The fourth one is affective factors. Children are often innovative in language forms but still have a great many inhibitions. They are extremely sensitive, especially to peers: What do others think of me? What will so-and-so think when I speak in English? Children are in many ways much more fragile than adults. Their egos are still being shaped, and therefore the slightest nuances of communication can be negatively interpreted. Teachers need to help them to overcome such potential barriers to learning.And the last one is authentic, meaningful language. Children are focus on what the new language can actually be used for right here and now. They are less willing to put up with language that does not hold immediate rewards for them. The need for meaningfulness in language learning has been accepted for some years. If the children are amused, angered, challenged, intrigued or surprised, the content is clearly meaningful to them., therefore the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speakand write will be more vividly experienced and better remembered. Games in language can meet the needsfor “meaningfulness”.OrganizationGames in language teaching can be divided into different categories. There are five types of language teaching games, consisting role-play, musical activity, intelligence games, sports games and drama performing, which met the need to develop students’ multi-intelligence.In games for language learning, the authors (Wright Andrew, Betteridge David and Buchby Michael, 1984) grouped the games according to their general and spirit (different functions as: picture games, psychology games, word games, true or false games, memory games, question and answer games, story games, guessing and speculating games and miscellaneous, which is easy for the teachers to handle.) Games can be found to give practice in all the skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), in all the stages of the teaching/learning sequences (presentation, repetition, recombination and free use of language) and for many types of communication (e.g. encouraging, criticizing, agreeing, explaining). Several characteristic of teaching games must be considered: First, a game is a closed activity. Games must have a beginning and an end. It must be easy for the players, or the teacher, to know who is about to reach the aim. Second, a game needs less supervision from the teacher. This must be understood as linguistic supervision. Sometimes the game is conducted by the teacher who acts as judge, scorer and/or referee. Third, it is easier for students to keep going. Compared with pair or group work, a game has a lucid element that other interaction patterns do not have. This makes the activity more attractive.There are four types of games as cooperative games, competitive games, communication games and code-control games, which has been greatly adopted and will be stressed as following:The first one is Cooperative Games. In this type of game, the main action is centered in trying to reach the aim in cooperation. Players or teams work together towards the common goal (Jill Hadfield, 1984). This type of game is excellent toencourage the shy students, since it requires the participation of all the members of a team, group or pair. Some typical activities may include the completion of a drawing, putting things in order, grouping things, finding pairs or finding hidden things. Students are involved in the exchange of information to complete the task and in giving instructions. For example:Title: Cards on the TableAim: To memorize the correct spelling of words in an enjoyable way.Procedure: First, give the students one letter card each, and clear a space in the classroom and put a table in the middle. Then have the students stand in a circle round the table, 3 or 4 meters from it. Each student has one letter card each.Then the teacher calls out words he wants to revise, one at a time, and any student who holds a letter that is in that word must run forward and put the letter on the table.The last person who puts his letter down must spell the word and give its meaning. If unsuccessful, he/she is out of the game, and the teacher gives the correct answer. Students should take back a different letter from the table each time, i.e. they should swap with someone else.The second one is Competitive Games. In this kind of games, players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal. As the name indicates, in this type of game there is an overt competition between teams, or sometimes of an individual against the rest of the class (as in 20questions). The competition may also be of individuals against other individuals. The object of this type of game is finishing of reaching the end before the other competitors, making more points, surviving elimination, or avoiding penalties. The rules may require the players to produce correct language as part of the game and force students to draw conclusions more quickly. For example: Title: Slap itAim: To recognize words and listen for relevant informationPreparation: A set of 10-15 pictures of different kinds of food items for each team of 4 to 6 people.Procedure: Put the items on a desk and the students sit around the desk. The teacher describes the food item. When a student has an answer, she/he slaps the cardand says the word aloud. If the student is correct, he/she gets a team point. If the student is wrong, he/she is out of the game. Alternatively, in each group each student plays independently. If the student slaps the correct picture, he/she keeps the card as a point. The person or team with the most cards/points wins.The third one is Communication GamesThe main objective in this type of the games is getting the message over to the other players and reacting appropriately to their messages. For example when giving instructions, the player must be clear about rules, and the player following them must do exactly what he is required to. The tasks are usually practical, like following instructions, drawing, persuading other players, etc. this means that players will concentrate on the task rather than on the language, besides, students can see the results of their use of language at once, which will help to build students’ confidence.The thesis shows another illustration to this point at follow:Title: Have You Seen My SheepAim: to encourage careful description and listening about dressProcedure: A circle is formed with one player called IT outside the circle. He/She moves around the outside of the circle and taps someone on the shoulder asking, "Have you seen my sheep (or dog, cat, goat...)?" The Student responds: "Yes I have seen it." IT asks, "What's it wearing?" or "How is it dressed?" The student must describe someone in the circle e.g. green shirt, brown shoes, long hair. On recognizing that he/she is being described, the student must run round the outside of the circle away from IT. If caught before getting back to his/her place, he/she takes the place of IT.The fourth one is Code-control Games. This type of game requires that students produce correct language: structures, spelling, pronunciation, etc. the production of correct language will make the players of the team win points. For example: Title: Listen and ActAim: understand the meaning of some verbsProcedure: after learning some verbs, such as: run, walk, sit, stand, and swim, and so on, teacher say one word of them fast. Then have students stand in front of the blackboard and show the correct actions. Then continue.At the end of this part, one major problem must be mention about is that how can teachers adopt teaching games to sustain young learners’ interest in those teaching games. There lays a fact that those teaching games must changeable and variety. The teacher should find “new” games through different channels includi ng newspaper, radios and television programs. It is a wise precaution to collect and file games for use whenever you happen to come across them. Nowadays we also can surf the net get more information including the new games. The games we discussed above re fer to the games in classroom. After class we can encourage the children to use the games on the Internet if the condition permits. Thus, the language level is determined by the type of use, not just by the structures and vocabulary items.ConclusionThis thesis aims to examine the assumptions about game-teaching approach for children English teaching in the light of some literature and research, and also probes into the reliability and pros and cons of using games in the process. One useful strategy to encourage language acquisition is using language games which are defined as a form of play concerning rules, competition, and an element of fun. Games have the ability to capture students’ attention; lower students’ stress; give students the chance for real communication. All this mean that it is easy to maintain a high degree of motivation and to make the English class into an enjoyable and stimulating experience for the children. Games provide not only a learning experience but an enjoyable activity as well. Students, in the informal atmosphere of game playing, are less self-conscious and therefore more apt to experiment and freely participate in using the foreign language. Therefore, it may be challenging for teachers to try to add some games in class in order to develop students’ English proficiency of the target language.References中国基础教育司（2001年7 月）.国家英语课程标准（实验稿）.中国基础教育司工作组出版.Cesar Klauer.（2001）.Teaching with the brain in mind. Association for Supervision&Curriculum Development.Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century.New York, NY: Basic Books.Jill Hadfield, (1999). Elementary communication games .Oxford University Press. Spodek, Bernard; Saracho, Olivia (1994). Foundations of early childhood education.Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Hall Canada.Wright Andrew, Betteridge David and Buchby Michael. (2001).Reframes of mind: Thetheory of multipleintelligences. New York, NY: Basic Books./book_details/index2.php?isbn=0133267377&type= classification&mysearchterms=JDD... - 27k/nyutoday/archives/14/09/green.nyu - 7k/yingyu/xinwen3.htm - 23k。
幼儿园英语教学游戏 Teaching games(英文版)
幼儿园英语教学游戏Teaching games（英文版）Teaching gamesThe games for step 1A The touching gameType of game: Whole class or single kidResources needed: Flash cards, blow-up hammersRules of the game:1.For level 1, the teacher could show one card to one kid and ask the kid read the wordor the sentence three times, then the kid could touch the card gently.2.For level 2, at first the teacher will put down all the cards in different places of theclassroom. Then invite two kids to come to the front and start to look for the word they are told by the teacher. After that the kids should hit the card and go back to the teacher and say the word or the sentence three times.3.For level 3, the teacher will prepare two tables first, putting two blow up hammers onone table and some cards on the other table. Then the teacher will invite two kids to come to the front, after they are told the order:” please touch the …., one, two, three, go” they will repeat three times and then take the hammer and see who can hit the correct card first with it. When they finish, the kids must put the hammer on the table and then go back to their seats.B Loudly and softType of game：Small group gameResources needed: flash cardsRules of the game1.For level 1, the teacher will show the cards to the kids and let all the kids read afterteacher three times. Then the teacher will tell them, when the teacher raises the card high, the kids will read it three times loudly. And when the teacher puts down the card, the kids should read it softly.2.For level 2, first the kids will divide into two groups. One is for boys and one is forgirls. Then the teacher will ask them the sentence they are learning, let the two groups have a match. Which group is louder and faster, which one will get a point. At last which team get more points , they will be the winner.3.For level 3, the teacher could change the actions. For example, the teacher will tellthe kids tapping the face means say the sentence loudly and touching the face means say it softly.C The fruit gameType of game: Small group gameResources needed: cardsRules of the game：Divide your class into groups of two or three. Give each team one name. Such as: Apple Team, Orange Team, Banana Team, Pear Team and so on. Then teacher takes one card and begin the game. Eg: Teacher says: “Apple” Little kids crouch and say: “apples down, apples down, apples down then bananas down.”Then this team points another team to do like this. Thing to consider:1.This game is suitable for large or middle kids in the kindergarten.2.Crouching can be changed to different actions, such as swinging, jumping, etc.D Traffic lightsType of game: Small group gameResources needed: Flash cards, two pieces of paper (one has a picture of a red light; the other has a picture of a green light drawn on it), blindfold,Rules of the game：1.First the teacher will tell all the kids to stand up and make a circle, inviting a kidto come to the centre of the circle with a blindfold on.2.When the kid in the centre says, “green light”, all the other kids will walk aroundthe circle, at the same time repeating the target language sentence, such as, “I like ice cream” or “I like bread”. The content of the target language will be based on the flash card that the teacher holds up for the students to see.3.But when the kid says, “red light”, all the kids must stop and squat down quietly. Thekid in the centre will try to tag somebody. When he/she touches somebody, all the other kids should ask, “What do you like?” The one who was tagged will answer according to the card. All the kids repeat the same sentence three times.4.Change the kid in the circle. Continue the game.Things to consider：This game is only suitable for the kids of level 2 and level 3. Monitor the game well to make sure the student who tags others does it gently and avoids hitting others in the face. Demonstrate how you want the students to tag others.To make the activity more fun you can ask the students to hop around the circle, fly around, swim around… Keep in mind safety and classroom furniture or other hazards when letting the students be more active.E The train gameType of game：Small group gameResources needed: cardsRules of the game：First, the teacher drive the train to be the locomotive, drive the train to the front of a child. The teacher asks: “What’s your name?” Children say three times:”My name is~~.”After the children draws the teacher's clothes on the small train. The teacher and children drive the train to the front of second child .Then the second child say three times :”My name is~~.” The second child who answers right and loudly can pull the first child clothes on the train. Go on to ask, until make a long train.Notice:1. A small child asked to answer the question can only number can be less 4-8 people.2. In the army of the children can ask their children to read the sentence. The t rain can be a little more, the number of 6-10 people.3. In the army of the children can play several groups of people at the same time. At the same time, each group chooses a child to be the locomotive. The teacher in charge of children answers and asks.F Raising the cardsType of game: Group work or pair workResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：1. For level 1, the teacher should divide all the kids into three groups, and put down different cards in front of the three groups. When the teacher says the word loudly according to the card of group 1, all the kids of group 1 have to repeat it three times and stand up with their own arms rising. Then continue this game by using the card fromgroup 2 and then group 3.2. For level 2, the teacher can invite 6---8 kids to the front and stand behind them. Each kid should hold one card. After the teacher walks to one kid’s back, all the other kids will say the word or sentence showing on his/her hand three times. Then the kid who is holding the card should raise the card and say it loud as soon as possible. If the kid doesn’t do this he/she needs to go back to his/her seat. The one who is the last one to go back is the winner.3. For level 3, the teacher should invite 6---8 kids come to the front and face back to the other kids. Each kid need hold one card. At first, all the other kids will ask a question, and the teacher should point at one kid. Then he/she should turn around and show the card to them, at this moment all the other kids should say the sentence three times together. When the 6---8 kids finished, they can act as a little teacher, showing the card to each kid sitting on the chairs and ask a question, and the kids sitting on the chairs have to answer the question according to the different cards. At last, the teacher should collect the cards and the new game goes on.G Colorful footprintsType of game: small group gameResources needed: Flash cards, different colour footprintsGame rules for level 11.The teacher will put down different colored footprints on the floor. The number offootprints will be determined by the colors the students are learning.2.The teacher invites 4---6 kids to come to the front. The teacher then shows the kids atthe front of the class a flashcard, and asks them with the help of all the other kids, “What color is it?” First, the 4---6 kids answers the teacher three times, then look for the same color footprints on the floor and quickly put their own foot on it. This game could be dangerous if children run into each other or stomp on each other’s feet. Encourage the children to be careful, to look out for others and not to run or stomp on others. Also, you can make giant colored feet, so students can stand on it together, you can make many little feet of the same color so that they all have their own colored foot to stand on, or you can put a small colored foot in the middle of a hula-hoop and the students can place one foot into the hoop not directly into the colored foot.Game rules for level 2 and 3 (This can be done as a relay)1.The teacher puts all the footprints on the floor in one line.2.Divided the kids into two groups and line them up in two lines at in front of the lineof colored feet, with one line of students on one side of the footprints and the other line of students on the other side. When the teacher says, “One two three, go!” The first kid at the front of each line starts jumping along the footprints. The two kids will be jumping side by side with the colored feet in between them.3.The teacher and the other kids will ask, “What color is it?” continuously. The kidswho are jumping will answer according to the color of the footprints. They keep jumping to the next one and then the next one calling out the color each time. After they finish all the footprints, they run back and must clap hands with the second kid in their own group.4.The game continues until all the members of the same team finish. The team, who is faster,is the winner.Make sure the kids don’t just jump from foot to foot without saying the correct target language. Space the feet out so that the students don’t have to jump too far each time. Demonstrate to the students how to jump down their lane and then return on the same side to their waiting team mate. If the students in line are not behaving well, sit them down and only let the jumping students stand.H Throwing the diceType of game：Group work or whole class gameResources needed: Flash cards, a big diceRules of the game：1. For level 1, teacher should prepare a big dice before the class, sticking six cards on different sides. At the beginning of the class, the teacher should lead all the kids to learn the six words and sentences. The teacher throws the big dice, and then asks: what do you see? (or some other questions). All the kids need to answer it three times according to the picture on the top side of the dice. Next round, the teacher should invite one kid to throw the dice, then the teacher and all the other kids should answer it.2. For level 2, the teacher can mark the number 1---6 on the six sides of the dice. Prepare 6 flash cards and number them from 1 to 6. At the beginning of the class, the teacher should lead all the kids to learn six words and sentences together. Then the teacher throws the dice first, after it falls down, the kid needs to choose the picture from the teacheraccording to the number on the top side of the dice. And teacher asks:”what do you see?”The kid answers the question. At the same time all the other kids must repeat after him/her three times.3. For level 3, the teacher should mark the number 1---6 on the six sides. At the beginning of the class, the teacher should lead all the kids to learn the six words and sentences. Then the teacher needs to write down six old sentences on the black board. Then the teacher throws the dice, after it falls down, the kid should choose the sentence according to the number on the top side of the dice. And asks all the other kids, all of the kids should answer it three times or after the dice falls down, the number on the top side is 5, all the kids should repeat the sentence five times.I Clapping my handsType of game: Pair work or the whole classResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：1.For level 1, first the teacher does a demo, clap hands twice, and then clap legs twice.Then the teacher organizes all the kids to do the same actions. When they are familiar with the actions, the teacher will ask them to say ‘ It’s a book. ’ at the same time of clapping hands. When they clap the legs, say nothing.2.For level 2, first the teacher does a demo, clap hands twice, and then clap legs twice.Then the teacher organizes all the kids to do the same actions. When they are familiar with the actions, the teacher asks the kids ‘What’s this’ at the same time of clapping hands. When all the kids clap the legs, they should answer ‘It’s a book. ’ And then the game goes on.3.For level 3, firstly the teacher orders the kids to count 1, 2, 1, 2… then asks all theNo. 1 kids to stand up, shake their hands and sit down. After this, the teacher asks all the No. 2 kids to stand up, jump and sit down. Then all No.1 kids have to make pairs with the person who is on the right. In each pair, both of them have to clap their own hands when they ask questions. During answering, both of them have to clap their partner’s hands.The games for step 2A The guessing gameType of game：Whole class or group workResources needed: flash cardsRules of the game1.For level 1, the teacher will show the card to all the kids first and ask them repeatthree times. Then teacher will put down all the cards on the floor, and put the last card facing down. The teacher will request all the kids to read the words or sentence which they are learning three times, when they see the last card the teacher asks all the kids to guess what it is. After this, put the card on the first place and put the last card facing down. Go on the game.2.For level 2, firstly the teacher will review all the flashcard, then show part of theflash card which is covered with a white paper and ask all the kids to guess what it is.Also the teacher could divide all the class into 3 groups, inviting one by one group to attend the game.3.For level 3, the teacher marks all the cards with number of 1---6, then put the cardsfacing down. Let all the kids or one group of kids guess what the No 1 card is and then No 2,…B Turn and shoutType of game：Group game or pair workResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：1.For level 1, first, the teacher should invite two kids to come to the front and give eachof them a flash card to hold in front of their bodies.Then ask them to stand back to back.When teacher says ‘1, 2, 3, go’, the two kids need to start slowly walking forward.After the teacher and all the other kids finish saying the question three times, the two kids should turn all around and shout out the sentence according to their partner’s card.2.For level 2, the teacher should invite two groups of kids to the front. And give a cardto one of the kids in each group. Then follow the same rules as No 1 above.3.For level 3, the kids should put the cards on their own back as the teacher and the otherkids say the question sentence three time, the kids with cards on their backs should turn around and around. When the teacher and other students stop talking, the two kids should shout out the sentence according to their partner’s card.C Whispering gameType of game：group gameResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：The teacher should first let all the kids sit in a semicircle, and then divide them into two groups.The teacher should then invite the first kid of each group to come to the front and tell them a sentence, phrase or a word. (This should depend on the range of ages and levels) When the teacher says, one two three go! The two kids will go back and tell the next kid in their group.Finally, the last kids from each group will come to the front and speak out what they’ve heard.D What’s the next one?Type of game：Group game or whole class gameResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：1.The teacher will show all the flash cards one by one to the kids, and review them withall the kids.2.The teacher put all the cards on the floor or the blackboard that all the cards are facingdown.3.The teacher divides all the kids into three groups, first the teacher will ask the kidsof group 1, what’s this? The kids of the group 1 answer together by guessing the first card This is a … At this time, the teacher will pick up the first card. And then the group 1 will ask the kids of group 2, and the kids of group 2 answer it by guessing the second card. Then the kids of group I and 2 ask group 3, the group 3 answers. At last, all the kids ask the teacher, and the teacher answers.E Changing chairsType of game: Whole class gameResources needed: flash cardsRules of the game:Have all the students sit in a circle or semicircle with the teacher standing in the middleholding a pile of flash cards. The teacher reveals one of the cards that they are holding and asks the students, “What do you like?” The students answer according to the picture on the card. The teacher then says, “One two three, change!” The students stand up and then exchange seats. At this point the teacher enters the game and sits down in a seat, causing one student to miss out on a getting a new seat. This student then takes a different card from the teacher, shows it to the class and asks three times, “What do you like?”The class answer three times according to the flash card. Once again the teacher calls out, “One two three, change!” The game continues for as long as the teacher decides. The teacher can give other instructions or change the sentence pattern according to the lesson objectives. Such as only students wearing red can change seats…Things to consider:This game can be played without the teacher stealing a chair. The teacher can create a game atmosphere and let the students compete for the chairs. If the teacher is not involved in stealing the chairs then they will need to choose someone each round to start, or they need to reduce the students’ chairs by one to begin with.If the language content is too difficult for the junior class, then make it easier for them and only have the students repeat the sentence, don’t require them to practice the question sentence at the same time.The senior level students should practice both the sentence and the questions for each round.F Pick up peasType of game: small group gameResources needed: Flash cards, colourful peasRules of the game1.The teacher will put down many colorful peas on the table and floor, and then put somebaskets on the table.2.The teacher will invite 6---8 kids to come to the front and will show them a flash card.After the teacher asks, “What color is it?” the kids must answer three times, for example, “It’s red, it’s red, it’s red.” The teacher will then say, “One, two, three, go”, the students take a basket and start to pick up the same color peas as shown on the flash card. When the teacher and other students finish saying the sentence It’s red five times, all the kids should stop picking up peas and put down their basket. The teacher will showa new card to the kids and repeat the activity.3.After several times, the game is over, all the kids should count how many peas they haveand tell the other kids.4.Change to another 6---8 kids, and continue the game. Make sure the students pay attentionto any furniture in the room and other students. If playing with peas on the floor, there is a risk that students might bump their heads together if they rush or bend down to pick up the same pea or basket. To avoid this you can start the students in different places or have them start from a squatting position, so they can’t move too quickly and they won’t blindly bend down. Place the baskets around the room and use lots of peas so they all have enough to collect close to their position. If playing at a table, space the students around the table and make them aware of each others’ fingers. Anyone who is grabbing too roughly or too quickly can be told to sit out the game. Demonstrate how you want them to collect peas in a safe manner before starting the game.G The bomb gameType of game: Group work or the whole classResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：1.For level 1, the teacher shows all the cardsand marks one card (as a bomb). The teacherpoints to the cards by order. Have all the kids read. Explain to the kids whenever they see this marked card they should keep quiet.Note: teacher should show a demo before the whole class are ready to do it.2.For level 2, the teacher shows all the cards and then marks one or two cards. Explainto the kids whenever they see this marked card they should keep quiet. Before doing the game, the teacher should divide all the kids into two groups. For the first time, the kids of group 1 act as teachers, they should ask group 2. Group 2 answer the question according to the card which is pointed by the teacher. Then exchange. Group 2 act as the teacher.3.For level 3, the teacher shows all the cards and marks one or two cards. Explain to thekids whenever they see this marked card they should say:”Mom, mom I love you” three times. Before doing the game, the teacher should divide all the kids into three groups.Firstly, each of the first kid from the three groups can be invited to attend the game.When they heard the other kids’ question, they must answer it as soon as possible, and the quickest one can get one point for his own group. And then continue the game. Finally,the group gets the highest score will be the winners.The games for step 3A Name fourType of game：group gameResources needed: Flash cardsRules of the game：First the teacher and all the kids will ask something they have learned.For example: “What animals do you like?”Then the teacher will ask one kid to stand up and answerKid 1: “I like cats.”All the other kids should repeat three times.Secondly, the teacher and all the kids should ask the same question. Invite kid 2.Kid 2: I like cats and dogs.All the other kids should repeat three times.Then the teacher and all the kids ask the same question and invite kid 3 to answer.Kid 3: “I like cats, dogs and rabbits.”All the other kids will repeat three times.Finally, the teacher and all the kids ask the same question. Invite kid 4 to answer. Kid 4: “I like cats, dogs, rabbits, and tigers.All the other kids should repeat three times.The teacher can change the question. And according to the children’s levels, let the kids ‘Name three’ or ‘Name five’.B .What’s this?Type of the game: whole class; group work; pair workResources needed: flash cards, teacher’s pointerRules of the game:1.For level 1，the teacher should face all the kids and then show themone card and ask them, “What’s this?” Ask all the kids to answer together.2.For level 2, first the kids should be divided into two groups. The teacher will inviteone group to come to the front and act as the teachers, and then ask the other group to come to the front to answer.3.For level 3, the kids should be put into pairs. The No 1 kid acts as a teacher, askingthe No. 2 kid. The No. 2 kid should answer as quickly as they can.C What’s missing?Type of the game: group work; pair workResources needed: flash cardsRules of the game:1.For level 1, the teacher will show all the cards to the kids and put them downon the floor. Then the teacher should ask all the kids to cover their eyes. Once all the kids have their eyes closed, the teacher should take one card away. After this the teacher should let all the kids open their eyes and read the remaining cards with the teacher three times. Finally, the teacher will ask all the kids, “What’s missing?”2.For the level 2 and 3, the kids could be separated into 3 or 5 groups. Theteacher can invite the kids to do the game one group at a time. The teacher may take away one or two cards.D Yes or noType of the game: small group or pair gameResources required: flash cardsRules of the game:Divide the class into two groups. Place two chairs in the front of the class, one chair represents “yes” and the other represents “no”. Ask two students to stand up to compete against each other. The teacher then makes a statement about the flash card, for example they hold up a picture of a yellow balloon and say, “The balloon is yellow”. If the balloon is yellow, then the students race to the “yes” chair. If the balloon is not yellow, they race to the “no” chair. The child who is correct and the first to sit down gains one point for their team. Alternatively, the teacher holds up a flash card and asks a “yes” or “no”question. For example, they hold up a picture of a yellow balloon and ask, “Is this a yellow balloon?” Again the students race to the correct chair. The teacher then asks the next pair of students to play and the game continues.Things to consider:For level 3, the students could be put into 4 teams and set up two pair of chairs for thefour teams to race again each other. But make sure the students are clear which pair of chair they are competing for. For example teams one and two compete for the first pair of chairs, while teams 3 and 4 compete for second pair of chairs.E Wolf is comingType of game：Small group gameResources needed: cardsRules of the game：The teacher takes a flash card in their hand and shows it a group of students and then asks the group of students to stand up. After the teacher shows the students the flash card they should ask the students a question. The students then need to answer the teacher’s question according to the flash card. The students who answer correctly and promptly can take one step forward. The students who are incorrect or too slow to answer cannot take a step forward. The teacher should continue to change the cards as the game continues. When the teacher reveals a blank flash card, the teacher should call out in a loud voice, “Wolf is coming”. The students must then rush back to their seats. The students who are slow t return to their seats must sit out the next round of the game.Things to consider：1.For level 1 kindergarten class, make the groups smaller, between 4 to 6 students pergroup. If the content is too difficult you can have the students merely repeat the answers the teacher gives according to the flash cards2.For level 2, the groups can be larger, between 6 to 8 students per group. Have thestudents ask the teacher questions and then answer according to the flash card.3.If the students are already familiar with this game, you can ask one student to cometo the front to act as the wolf.F Hug gameType of game: Group work or whole classResources needed: flash cardsRules of the game:1.For the level 1, firstly all the kids make a circle and walk around. When the teachershows the flash card to the kids, all the kids should ask the question three times ‘How many … do you see?’ The teacher answers ‘I see 2 birds’. At the same time, 1 kid mustsnuggle up to another kid. The kid with no partner exits and next round, he/she should be with teacher and answer the question ‘I see…’2. For the level 2 and 3, firstly all the kids make a circle and walk around. When the teachershows the flash card to the kids, all the kids should ask the question three times ‘How many … do you see?’ and then all the kids should answer three times ‘I see 2 birds’.After they finish saying the sentence, 1 kid must snuggle up to another kid. The kid with no partner exits.Some of other games:Teacher Says or Simon SaysTeacher gives simple commands. If teacher says ‘Simon says’. you need to do the action. If teacher doesn’t say ‘Simon says’, you don’t need to perform it. If you do it, you will lose and quit the activity. The children who leave the activity at last will be the winners.Passing GamePassing the cards or some papers, when the kid holds the card, he must speak it loudly pass it to the next one.Who is the quickest one?Divide the whole class into three groups. And then invite one kid of each group to the front, after the teacher says a word or a sentence, the kids will touch the card quickly. The quickest one will get one point for the group. And then go on the competition.Duck, duck, gooseBeach Ball GameYou stand in one large circle or several small circles. Teacher names the topic. One child says something about the topic and throws the ball to another child. The one who catches the ball continues this action. Teacher may change the topic every few minutes Example:Teacher: What fruit do you like? Child A: I like apple.Child A: What fruit do you like? Child B: I like banana.Child B: What food do you like? Child C: I like bread.If there is a large class, the teacher could prepare 2 or 3 balls for the kids and play the game at the same time.。
游戏教学法在小学英语教学中的应用
若云軒论文英文题目: Application of Game Method in Primary EnglishTeaching论文中文题目: 游戏教学法在小学英语教学中的应用本科毕业论文（设计）目录ContentsAbstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 摘要----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1Ⅰ. Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21. The definition of game teaching method2. The development of game teaching method3. The classification of game teaching methodⅡ. The Positive Effect of Game Teaching Method ------------------------------------------- 41. Activate classroom atmosphere and create a pleasant surroundings2. Create students’ captivities and initiative3. trengthen the memory effect and cultivate the study habits4. Train the general quality and show the humanity qualityⅢ. The Application of Game Teaching Method in Primary English Teaching Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 61. The trim of the application of game teaching method2. The procedure of the application of game teaching method3. After the application of game teaching methodⅣ. The Foremost Criterion of the Game Teaching Method -------------------------------- 81. The game should have a certain purpose2. The game should be fit to students from different levels3. The game should have the principle of participation4. The game should be universal5. The game teaching method should be more creativeV. The Problems we Should Pay More Attention in the Teaching ----------------------- 111. The intent of the game is not distinct enough2. The design of the game is not simplified3. The rule of the game is not strict enough4. The time of the game should be more flexibleⅥ. Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Bibliography ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13Application of Game Method in Primary English TeachingAbstractPlaying game in English is one of the effective ways in English study and it is suitable for the development of physiological characteristics of pupils. From the significance of games in English teaching of the children, the thesis introduces the reliability of application of games teaching in English and its importance. Game teaching is benefit to arouse abundant imagination of students and strongly creation awareness, fully developed their characteristic and cultivates the sense of competition and collectivism spirit. Using game teaching not only can develop the interest of students but also arouse the ability of thinking, making students have a right study method to improve study English interests.Keywords: primary English game teaching interest developed摘要游戏教学是一种有效的英语学习方法，它适合孩子身心发展的特点。
小学英语课堂游戏Games for English Teaching
Teacher asks two students back to back, each of them holds a card in front of the body. When teacher counts one, two, three, the two students
– Passing Words or Sentences
Teacher will divide students into two groups, then murmur a word or sentence to the first two students. Then the two students should pass the word or sentence to the next student. Which group is faster, which group is the winner.
g) Cross the River
Teacher puts a rope on the floor, then makes the rope like a river, and puts some flashcards in a row in the river, when teacher reads one of the words, students should jump over the card and read aloud the word.
a) Touching Game Teacher reads the words and students touch the cards with hands, hammers, or fly pats. b) Matching Game Teacher asks the students to match the letters, like A and a, B and b;picture and word. c) Jumping or hopping to the flashcards Teacher reads the words and asks students to jump or hop to the flashcards. d) Yes/No Chair/Wall Game Teacher reads a right or wrong word or a
老师英语教案：从游戏中学习新单词
In today's society, learning a second language has become more and more important. As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, English has become an essential subject in many schools, and teachers seek for innovative and effective ways to help their students acquire this language. One of the ways teachers can make learning English more fun and interactive is by incorporating games into their teaching. In this article, we will discuss how teachers can use games to help students learn new English vocabulary.The Importance of Vocabulary AcquisitionLearning English vocabulary is a crucial part of languageacquisition. To be able to communicate effectively in English, one needs to have a rich and diverse vocabulary. Moreover, knowing a wide range of words and phrases can enhance one's reading comprehension and writing skills. Therefore, it is essential for English language learners to acquire new words and phrases constantly.The Benefits of Using Games in Vocabulary AcquisitionUsing games in English language teaching has been proven to be an effective and enjoyable way of learning. Games provide a fun, motivating, and interactive way for students to learn, making it easier to remember newly acquired vocabulary. Moreover, games help students practice their newly acquired vocabulary in context, making them more likely to use it in their everyday lives.Furthermore, games can be adapted to suit different levels ofEnglish language learners. They can be used to support bothbeginners and more advanced students. Games can also be adjusted to suit different learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. With so many benefits, it is clear why games have such a positive impact on English vocabulary acquisition.How to Incorporate Games into English Vocabulary AcquisitionThere are so many types of games that teachers can incorporate into their English teaching. Here are a few examples.1.Word AssociationsThis game is fun and straightforward. The teacher can write a word on the board and ask students to write down as many words as they can think of that are related to that word. The student with the most correct answers wins.2.Picture BingoIn this game, the teacher can create picture bingo cards that have pictures of different vocabulary words. The teacher will call outthe word in English, and the students will need to find the corresponding picture on their card. The first student to get a full row of pictures wins.3.MemoryFor this game, the teacher can create flashcards with illustrations of vocabulary words on one side and the word on the other side. Students will then play 'Memory' with the cards. They will shuffle the cards, lay them face down, and take turns flipping over twocards to match the word with its corresponding illustration. The student with the most matches wins.ConclusionIncorporating games into English language teaching can help students improve their vocabulary acquisition. Games provide an interactive, fun, and motivating way for students to learn, making the language learning process more enjoyable. Teachers can use a variety of games to suit different learning styles and levels, creating apersonalized learning experience for each student. With the numerous benefits that games provide, teachers should consider incorporating them into their English language teaching.。
游戏在英语教学中的应用
游戏在英语教学中的应用【摘要】Games have been widely used in English teaching to enhance students' learning experience. In this article, we explore the various benefits of using games in English language education. Firstly, games can improve students' interest in learning, making the learning process more engaging and enjoyable. Secondly, games help reinforce vocabulary and grammar knowledge through interactive and repetitive practice. Additionally, games can cultivate students' communication skills by encouraging them to practice speaking and listening in a fun and relaxed setting. Moreover, games promote collaboration and competition among students, fostering teamwork and a sense of achievement. Lastly, games create a challenging learning environment that motivates students to strive for improvement. In conclusion, games have a positive impact on English language education by engaging students, promoting language acquisition, and enhancing overall learning outcomes. Looking ahead, the future of games in English teaching looks promising as they have the potential to unlock students' learning potential and inspire them to succeed in language acquisition.【关键词】英语教学、游戏、学习兴趣、词汇、语法、沟通能力、合作、竞争、挑战性、影响、发展前景、潜力1. 引言1.1 游戏在英语教学中的应用In the realm of English language teaching, games are used to achieve a variety of educational objectives. They can help to enhance students' vocabulary and grammar knowledge by presenting language concepts in a context that is relevant and meaningful. Games also provide opportunities for students to practice their speaking and listening skills in a relaxed and informal setting.2. 正文2.1 提高学生学习兴趣Furthermore, games provide a break from the routine of traditional language lessons, offering students a chance to relax and have fun while still learning. This can help reduce stress and anxiety related to language learning, making students more receptive to new information and more willing to take risks in using English.2.2 增强词汇和语法知识When it comes to enhancing vocabulary and grammar knowledge in English teaching, games play a crucial role in engaging students and making learning enjoyable. Through various language games, students can actively practice and reinforce their understanding of vocabulary words and grammar rules in a fun and interactive way.2.3 培养学生沟通能力Games are a powerful tool for enhancing students' English communication skills. Through gameplay, students are able to practice speaking, listening, and interacting with their peers in a fun and engaging way.2.4 促进学生合作与竞争意识Games can be a powerful tool to promote cooperation and competition awareness among students in English teaching. Through various game activities, students have the opportunity to work together, strategize, and communicate effectively to achieve common goals. This not only enhances their teamwork skills but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and mutual support in the classroom.2.5 创造具有挑战性的学习环境Creating a challenging learning environment through games is essential in English teaching. By incorporating games into the classroom, teachers can stimulate students' critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and resilience in the face of challenges.3. 结论3.1 游戏对英语教学的积极影响Games have become an increasingly popular tool in English language teaching, and their positive impact on students' learning outcomes cannot be understated. One of the key benefits of incorporating games into the classroom is that they can significantly enhance students' engagement and motivation. By making learning fun and interactive, games capture students' interest and help them stay focused on the task at hand. This increased level of engagement often leads to improved retention of language knowledge and skills.3.2 未来游戏在英语教学中的发展前景The future of using games in English teaching is promising as technology continues to advance and provide more interactive and immersive experiences for students. With the development of virtual and augmented reality, students will have even more opportunities to practice English in realistic scenariosand improve their language skills. Additionally, gamification techniques such as leveling up, earning rewards, and competing with peers can motivate students to engage more actively in their learning.3.3 游戏能够激发学生学习的潜力Games have the potential to significantly enhance students' learning in the English classroom. By introducing games into the curriculum, teachers can tap into students' natural motivation to play and compete, ultimately leading to increased engagement and retention of language skills.。
Teaching English through Language Games英语游戏教学法
Procedure: (In case a wall picture is used) divide the claikes 1
Ss have to guess what various members of the class (in turn)
Wanted!
‘The first criminal is John Smith: he is quite distinctive as he is tall, about 6 feet, with a black beard. His brother , Jack, is the second criminal. He is known to be short-sighted and wear glasses. Like his brother, he has black hair but no beard. He is shorter than his brother, being 5 feet 6 inches. It is believed that John constantly wears a blue peaked cap. He is known to be a non-smoker. Jack, on the other hand, is constantly smoking a pipe: it is hardly ever out of his mouth. ‘The third criminal is known as “Tom Jones”, but it is believed that his real name is Tim Johnson. He is bald except for a little hair at the sides above each ear. He also has a small moustache. We understand that Tom Jones recently had a slight accident and is wearing two pieces of plaster in the shape of a cross on his left cheek. ‘We have no description of the fourth criminal.’
Use of Songs, Rhymes and Games in Teaching English to Young
游戏在英语教学中的应用
游戏在英语教学中的应用【摘要】The use of games in English teaching has become increasingly popular as a fun and effective method to engage students in learning. Games are beneficial in many aspects, such as improving students' motivation to learn English, enhancing their speaking skills, expanding vocabulary, fostering teamwork, and promoting learner autonomy. The importance of incorporating games in English teaching is evident in the positive impact they have on students' learning experience. Looking ahead, games have the potential to further revolutionize English teaching by incorporating technology and adapting to different learning styles. However, there are also challenges such as ensuring that games are educational and impactful, and addressing the accessibility and equality of game-based learning resources. By recognizing the importance of games in English teaching, addressing current limitations, and implementing improvements, educators can maximize the benefits of incorporating games in the classroom.【关键词】游戏在英语教学中的应用，学生学习积极性，英语口语能力，词汇量，团队合作意识，自主学习，重要性，发展前景，不足，改进措施。
Primary+School+English+Teaching+Games
03
Application Strategies of Games in Primary School English Teaching
Using games to stimulate students' interest in learning
Vocabulary relay game
The teacher gives the beginning of a word, and the students relay it one by one. Each student says an English word, and the next student continues to say the last letter of the previous word, and so on.
Guessing game
The teacher prepares some English riddles for students to guess answers, which can exercise their English thinking ability.
Improving Students' English Application Ability through Games
Writing games
Writing Challenge
Provide a writing prompt and ask students to write a short story, paragraph or presence in English Enhance creativity and expression while focusing on grammar and vocabulary usage
英语如何利用学习游戏提高学习效果
英语如何利用学习游戏提高学习效果As an experienced English teacher, I have witnessed how learning games can significantly enhance the effectiveness of English language acquisition. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which English learners can utilize learning games to improve their language skills. Let's dive in!1. IntroductionLearning English through games not only makes the process enjoyable but also helps to engage students actively. Incorporating games into language learning can foster a positive and immersive environment that motivates learners to practice and improve their English proficiency.2. Vocabulary Building GamesVocabulary forms the foundation of language learning. Engaging in vocabulary building games can drastically enhance the memorization and retention of new words. Here are a few effective games to try:a) Word Association: Players take turns saying a word related to the previously stated word. This game prompts learners to recall and expand their vocabulary knowledge.b) Flashcard Challenge: Create a set of flashcards with English words and their meanings. Play a memory game where players need to match the word with its corresponding definition.c) Hangman: An age-old classic, Hangman allows learners to guess letters to complete a hidden word. This game enhances spelling, word recognition, and contextual understanding.3. Grammar GamesGrammar can often be perceived as tedious and complex. However, by incorporating grammar games, learners can grasp the rules and structures more effectively. Consider the following games:a) Sentence Scramble: Jumble a sentence and have students rearrange the words to form a grammatically correct sentence. This game improves sentence formation, word order, and understanding of verb tenses.b) Grammar Tic Tac Toe: Create a tic-tac-toe board with various grammar topics. For example, one square could be "present continuous tense." Students answer questions related to the chosen square, aiming to win three squares in a row.c) Grammar Musical Chairs: Prepare flashcards with different grammar rules and scatter them on the floor. Play music and have students walk around. When the music stops, they sit on a flashcard and explain the corresponding rule.4. Conversation and Communication GamesEffective communication is key when learning a language. Encouraging conversation through games can enhance speaking and listening skills. Below are a few conversation-focused games:a) Role-Playing: Assign learners different scenarios and characters to act out. This activity promotes creativity, fluency, and confidence in using English in real-life situations.b) Just a Minute: Give students a random topic and challenge them to speak about it for one minute without hesitation or repetition. This game helps improve speaking skills, time management, and coherent expression.c) Guess the Emotion: Show pictures of various emotions and ask students to identify and explain them in English. This game hones listening comprehension, vocabulary usage, and the ability to express emotions accurately.5. Online Learning GamesWith the advancements in technology, numerous online platforms offer interactive English learning games. These games provide additional opportunities for practice and progression. Some popular options include:a) Duolingo: A widely-used language learning app that incorporates game-like elements to motivate learners to complete lessons and earn rewards.b) FluentU: This platform offers language immersion through real-world videos, presenting interactive quizzes and games to reinforce language learning.c) Fun English Games: Websites like provide a wide range of entertaining and educational games suitable for learners of all ages, covering various language skills.6. ConclusionIncorporating learning games into English language acquisition can significantly enhance the learning experience. From vocabulary buildinggames to grammar exercises, conversation-focused activities to online platforms, the possibilities are vast. By embracing learning games, students can enjoy the process, learn more effectively, and ultimately improve their English proficiency. So, let's make learning English fun and engaging through games!。
如何激发学生的英语兴趣英语作文
如何激发学生的英语兴趣英语作文How to Make English Fun and Exciting!Hi there! My name is Emma and I'm a 4th grader who loves learning English. I know a lot of kids think English class is boring, but I actually find it really cool and exciting! I want to share some ideas on how teachers can make English class more fun so more students get interested in it.First of all, teachers should use games and activities to teach English, not just having us read from textbooks or do worksheets all the time. Games make learning way more enjoyable. Some of my favorite English games are hangman, bingo with vocabulary words, and finding little phrases or idioms hidden in a word search puzzle. We could also play charades or Pictionary using English words and phrases. Games with a little competition, like seeing who can come up with a sentence using a new word the fastest, make it exciting to learn new vocabulary.Another way to get kids engaged is by teaching English through songs, movies, books, and other media we actually like. Studying grammar from a textbook is just so dull. But analyzing the lyrics to a cool English song, or reading quotes from a book or movie we're interested in, makes it much more fun. We couldlisten to songs and try to fill in missing lyrics, or watch movie clips and discuss what's happening. Books and movies expose us to English in a more natural, conversational way.Field trips would also make English class a lot more interesting! We could go to places where we need to use English in real-life situations, like restaurants, stores, museums, or community centers. Getting to practice English outside of the classroom by talking to English speakers would make it feel useful and meaningful, not just something we learn from a book.Having classroom guests who are native English speakers would be very motivating too. We could ask them about their cultures, hear them tell stories from their lives, or get advice from them on how to improve our English skills. Interacting with English speakers in person would get us more excited about becoming fluent so we can communicate easily with people from other countries.Incorporating technology and media could engage students in English too. We're constantly using computers, tablets, and smartphones already, so using them for English lessons would feel relevant. We could make videos of ourselves speaking English, have video conversations with students from other schools who are learning English, play online vocabulary games,or watch English lessons on apps and websites. Using technology just makes everything seem more modern and cutting-edge.Honestly, a lot of English lessons feel kind of babyish and make us lose interest. But if they were geared towards our actual ages, interests, and life experiences as preteens/teenagers, we'd be way more enthusiastic about learning English. The content should be at an appropriate level for our ages, with more grown-up, real-life topics, conversations, and contexts that we care about and can relate to.Lastly, teachers need to find ways to make English learning more personalized for each student. Let us pick some of the content based on our individual interests, cultures, hobbies, or future goals. If I'm really into sports, use sports examples. If someone loves fashion, bring that into the lessons. When we can connect English to our existing passions, it becomes much more motivating and meaningful.So in summary, here are my ideas for making English class super engaging: use games, songs, books, movies, field trips, guest speakers, technology, age-appropriate materials, and personalized lessons based on our interests. If teachers make English come alive and feel relevant to our real lives, way more kids will get excited about becoming fluent English speakers!Those are just some thoughts from a 4th grader who really enjoys English class - I hope teachers out there found my advice helpful! Let me know if you need any other suggestions. Thanks for reading!。
游戏在英语课堂教学中的作用
The Role of Game in English Classroom TeachingOutline1Introduction2Categories and Functions of Game in English Classroom Teaching2.1Categories of Game in English Classroom Teaching2.2Functions of Game in English Classroom Teaching3Roles of Game in English Classroom Teaching3.1Changing the Teacher-Centered Classroom Teaching into the Student-CenteredClassroom Teaching3.2Motivating S tudents’ Interests3.3Helping Students to Make and Sustain the Effort of Learning3.4Providing a Relaxing Study Atmosphere.3.5Providing Language Practice in the Various Skills--Listening, Speaking,Reading and Writing3.6Encouraging Students to Interact and Communicate3.7Creating a Meaningful Context for Language Use4ConclusionThe Role of Game in English Classroom Teaching[Abstract] Classroom game is one of the most useful means of teaching. This paper discusses the categories and functions of game in English classroom teaching. It shows some practical examples of English classroom teaching game to expound the role of game in class. At last, it explores the value of English classroom teaching game.[Keywords] role; classroom game; English teaching游戏在英语课堂教学中的作用[摘要] 课堂游戏是最有效的教学手段之一。
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Teaching English Using GamesGames For All AgesYou might like to try some of these with your adult classes too!Why Games?Games make us laugh. We all like to laugh. Pleasure is very motivating. Laughter makes us more awake and relaxed – and not only I say so, so does the Department of Cognitive Psychology, University College, London. Laughter raises blood pressure just long enough to increase oxygen and blood supply to tissues. It alters the breathing cycle so that more oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide exhaled. Muscles throughout the body tense and relax during laughter in exactly the same way as with stress reduction techniques such as yoga.∙If we find something funny, it is often memorable as it strikes a resonant chord within us.∙Many games are competitive and while I do not like the idea of making children feel like failures when they do not win, team games promoteco-operation and if teams are regularly mixed up, everyone’s a winner.∙Some games rather than being amusing, encourage us to use our knowledge of the world around us rather than linguistic knowledge,which brings the world into our classroom.∙If lessons are long or daily we need to have plenty of variety, while still focussing on English language development – games provide variety.∙Games can be used as a ‘carrot’ with less motivated students. The promise of a game at the end of class may encourage them tocomplete less inspiring activities well.THE GAMESNot all may be suitable with all ages, especially with the under eight year olds. You know your students and what their language level is, but don’t underestimate what they are capable of especially when it’s presented as a game.Game 1 – Noughts and CrossesPossible for all ages depending on the questions asked. Great for general knowledge.How to play:∙Draw a noughts and crosses grid on the board. Write number 1 – 9 in the corner of each square. Click here for a ready-made grid. (PDF27K)∙Divide the class into two teams. One team is X and the other O.∙Decide on the topic of the questions you will ask – they could refer to the previous unit in the course book, be general questions aboutEnglish, be on general knowledge or on subjects the children study intheir own language at school – on anything at all.∙In turn each team decides which square they want to nominate.∙Teacher asks a question. If the team get it right their symbol is written in that square.∙The first team to get a line of three symbols in any direction across the grid is the winner.You can play this game any number of times and keep score.Worried about running out of questions? Get the students to write them for the opposing team – great practice in question formation.Game 2 – Fishing for EnglishEnglish is everywhere these days – in advertisements, menus, the media. To raise awareness of this, set the following homework – over a weekend perhaps.Ask students to ‘collect’ any English they find in their environment – this could include literally collecting some adverts from magazines that include English or menus from MacDonalds etc or writing down English words or phrases they notice spoken on local television or even words they and their families use that have been integrated into their mother tongue. A lovely display could be put together on the classroom wall with this collection.Game 3 – A to Z RaceA great vocabulary revision game.Divide the class into two teams each standing in line at the board.∙Give them a topic like food and drink, sports, countries etc (they must be very large lexical sets).∙The student at the front on each line runs to the board and must write a word in this lexical set beginning with A on the board.∙She then hands the chalk or pen to the next person in the row (and runs to the back of the line), who adds a word beginning with B untilthey reach Z.∙If they cannot think of a word beginning with a particular letter they can leave a space, but the team with most words at the end is the winner. Example of a board during a game.Game 4 – Mime GameSome students love mime and others are not so keen. Adolescents can get very self-conscious and embarrassed, so don’t push it upon them. Students between 8 and 12 usually love them. I have had many adult students who liked them too.Prepare slips of paper with instructions like these;- You’re knitting on a fast train.- You’re eating spaghetti with chop sticks.- You’re sweeping leave outside on a windy day.- You’re washing a big, angry dog.- You’re a clumsy waite r.- You’re a drunk tightrope walker.These can be relatively easy or very complicated linguistically depending on your students.∙Give a slip of paper to one student with the instructions that she is going to mime the activity and the others must guess what she is doing.No words, in any language, can be spoken.∙The first person to guess –in English what she’s doing is the winner and gets the next slip of paper. (If the same students always guess, let others have a chance to mime).Once they get the idea of the game, get students to write similar instructions on slips of paper. This can get incredibly funny.Game 5 –Kim’s Game or The Memory GameA quiet game of concentration for when the laughter gets too much.Collect around 20 objects – ruler, pen, comb etc. Just look around the classroom, teacher’s room, your handbag or kitchen for objects that your students know the words for. This game can even be played with 5 or 6 year olds if you limit the objects and ensure they know the vocabulary. Place the objects on a desk in the class covered with a scarf or something similar. Tell the students they will have 4 minutes (vary the time depending on the class) to look carefully at the objects and remember them. After 4 minutes cover the objects again and students must write down what they saw. They can do this individually or in small groups.The winner (s) is the student who remembers most.Game 6 – The Circle GameGreat for listening. Arrange chairs in the classroom so that everyone is sitting in a circle. Give instructions like:- Everyone who has a sister change seats- If you live in a flat or house with an even number change seats- If you are wearing brown shoes change seats- Everyone with blue eyes change seatsAgain instructions can be graded so that even students with little English can play – using colours, clothes, family etc.Those who fit the description must stand and change seats, the others remain seated. After a few turns, remove a chair at each instruction, so that one person does not manage to get a seat and they are out – they could then give the next instruction. The last student remaining is the winner.Be careful with boisterous classes – there may be some overenthusiastic pushing.Game 7 – Triple PelmanismsThe pairs version of this is quite well-known. Students have a number of cards in front of them upside down and they must take turns turning over two. If they get a word that matches the picture they keep the cards. The student with most pairs at the end is the winner.This version is more challenging and I have had classes of teens thoroughly enjoying the challenge.The version below is based on lexical sets, but you could choose the three parts of the verb (go, went gone, drink, drank, drunk etc).Prepare cards like the ones below∙Cut up the cards, ensuring you cannot read the words when the card is upside down. Spread them on the floor upside down and mixed up.∙Divide your class into up to five teams.∙Each team must nominate a secretary who will choose the cards.∙One at a time each secretary will ask the teacher to turn over three cards (great for ‘on the right’, ‘that one near your foot’ etc).∙The team only wins the cards if the words are all in the same lexical set.∙Otherwise the teacher turns them over again in exactly the same place as they were.∙The teams with mos t ‘threes’ at the end is the winner.Students really focus on the position of the cards and think carefully about meaning of words and how they connect.Game 8 – Making Sentences or Cows enjoy politics in AprilFind an English magazine or newspaper and cut out about 40 words ensuring you have a balance of parts of speech and stick them onto a sheet of paper in no particular order something like this:Give out copies of the sheets to students in groups of up to four. Print this set of words.They have seven (depending on level and complexity of task) minutes to create: one sentence with three words, one sentence with four words etc depending on level.Sentences may be like this:3 words - Radio is free.4 words - Most parents are happy.5 words - Cows enjoy politics in April.This game encourages creative use of language and after the sentences are produced, the students could choose one and write a story or newspaper article that this sentence is a title or headline to.There’s a game thereMany activities can be made into games by making them competitive. For example course books usually have grammar exercises. I get my students to work on these in ‘teams’. The teams with most right get a point and we collect points on the board during a lesson, so that points from later games and exercises can be added. The team with the most points at the end is the winner. I rarely give prizes (teachers are not rich!) but the joy of winning is enough. Again I must stress that I mix up teams form one lesson to the next so that the same students are not always the winners!For great photocopiable ELT games click here for:Play Games with English by Colin Granger。