Games

[ingramml]

I am new to Teaching english. I have some classes where the previous teacher played games all the time. I can't think of any games that will be helpful in the learning proccess. Is it normal for the student to play games (especially the younger ones) that have nothing to do with learning english. If you have any good game ideas that would be great.

[tonelir]

It's a real shame for those students where their teachers play endless hours of games in the classroom. Parents are paying top money for English tuition, so games should only be played in the last 5 or 10 minutes max of the lesson.

And make sure to teach the kids what English words to use when playing the game. Eg:

- your turn
- whose turn is it?
- whose turn to roll?
- game over!

I have sat in numerous classes and see that the kids usually just talk in their own language when playing games.

If a game has nothing to do with learning English, then don't play it. There are enough ways to reward kids whilst at the same time having them learn.

[waixingren]

All the games I ever played with my young students had to do with spelling, writing, speaking, and behaving properly. That's why I don't teach kids anymore.

I used to have games like matching the word with the picture (for really young kids), spelling races (usually two students at a time), charades. It was always in large teams to keep things simple and only used at the end of class if/when the students were well behaved.

[Boke]

Originally Posted by ingramml

I am new to Teaching english. I have some classes where the previous teacher played games all the time. I can't think of any games that will be helpful in the learning proccess. Is it normal for the student to play games (especially the younger ones) that have nothing to do with learning english. If you have any good game ideas that would be great.

There's nothing wrong with playin games, just as long as you structure the lesson right. What's bad is having students who aren't motivated and feel no need to study.

I've got tons of games , are you looking for anything in particular?

[kellyd]

I would do games where there are lots of pictures involved, because then the students can learn to associate english words with what they see, rather than taking time trying to translate it in their head. It becomes a recognition thing, rather than a memorization thing. I used this method for my french students and it was very effective.

[ergonacad]

I have discovered an incredibly good website for helping students practice English vocabulary in a fun game format: Learning Vocabulary Fun (Test Preparation & Vocabulary Building for K-12 & ESL Students)

There are six games for students, and the vocabulary for the games is broken down into categories. So whether you are studying compound words, baby animals, bodies of water, or dinosaurs, you can find a category for your subject. There is a category listing on the site, so teachers can pick and choose the category they want students to practice with the fun learning games. And there are categories for every grade and skill level. Plus, the games let you choose your skill level as well. Terrific idea for ESL or just classroom practice. There are also some great articles on the site about teaching vocab. Hope you get a chance to check it out!

Kerry

[Boke]

I stumbled across that the other day too

[MASTERTALKER]

We at MASTERTALKER believe games in the classroom are wonderful for many reasons, eg, learner-centred activities, interaction and enjoyment. Although they must be for specific learning reasons.
We are currently developing an ESL/EFL specific board game for the classroom and would love to know what you think.
Please check out our site at MasterTalker and tell us your thoughts.

Justin
MASTERTALKER