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A good teacher should be kind and patient, lively and entertaining as well. A good teacher should make interesting and motivating classes, so students will gladly attend, and learning process will be a beneficial adventure for them. As an ESL teacher I have different kinds of students: adults and young learners. According to my experience all of them enjoy playing interesting games and learn at the same time. All classroom games could be applied for divergent goals: vocabulary, drilling, pronunciation, spelling, listening, critical thinking, etc. Most students expect to be entertained in class, and they want learning to be an enjoyable experience. The key to effective use of games in the classroom is making them educational so that they meet the learning objectives. If a game is fun and organised well, students will be able to work together in an enjoyable competitive atmosphere to review topics already introduced in class. Games also make great rewards for students who do well in class, or as a ‘treat’ if the class focuses on their core work during the body of the lesson. Students learn through the process of playing the game. By playing a game, students may be able to understand a new concept or idea, take on a different perspective, or experiment with different options or variables. Games provide a context for engaging practice. Students need a lot of practice to internalise important vocabulary and structures. For the practice to be meaningful, students must be engaged. Through lively games students willingly use the vocabulary and structures, repeatedly gaining much-needed practice Through games, students can learn a variety of important skills. There are countless skills that students can develop through game playing such as critical thinking skills, creativity, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Games influence learning and teaching by making them visible and assist students to develop a positive attitude. The students can learn the concepts of by physically participating in playing games. Usage of games provides the students with an opportunity or freedom to repeat the assignment or task after failing without negative repercussions (TED Talk, 2010). Students can make various mistakes and see the outcome of their mistakes without fear. Lastly, gamification provides educators with ideal tools to guide and reward the students. The teachers can award points to students when they perform a particular task well. While playing games, students develop a variety of connections with the content and can form positive memories of learning. The fun, silly or interesting moments tend to stand out in students’ memories, and they latch on to the vocabulary/structures we are studying. A positive emotional connection can facilitate learning. Furthermore, many games feature a variety of different stimuli; some students might remember the vocabulary words from acting them out, others remember reading the clues, and other students remember hearing classmates call out answers. Games can provide a variety of sensory experiences for students. Games grab students’ attention and actively engage them. Educational games in the EFL and ESL classrooms are great because students enjoy them very much. They are highly motivating, and they also encourage students to work together and answer questions quickly while focusing on a task at hand.
