Teach English in MeihuA Zhen - Yongzhou Shi

If we think about a definition of a word ‘game’ and try to find it in dictionaries or encyclopedias then we will clearly see that apart from amusement value a game is considered to be a useful educational tool. Undoubtedly different games are used mainly to entertain and bring fun and only the secondary aim can be perceived as having teaching or educational significance. Regardless of whether students can or cannot understand teacher’s hidden aim in applying games during a lesson the process will definitely bring fun, relaxation and interaction while result will be meaningful and long-lasting. Teachers usually think of games when having young learners and thus the elder learners we have the less our focus shifts on applying games during the classes. Adults are thought to be more serious, motivated and goal-oriented and therefore there is no need to play games instead of productive course book based studying. In practice we often notice that adult learners are eager and open to play games during classes as they rarely do it in their ordinary lives. Even active moving games bring unexpected positive educative results with pleasure, not with suffering or tremendous efforts. Whenever you ask your young and very young learners about what shall be done next they unanimously and without a second of hesitation answer – play a game. They show us as teachers what is better for them right now and all the time. Their brain works better when they move and so studying should involve at least minimum possible movements. Children love competitions. Thus having teams and striving to bring victory to the team is the greatest motivator and impetus. As children have short concentration span you should change the activity all the time so they switch and work and are not bored. Games are irreplaceable tool to help teachers with this. No ESA lesson is possible without playing games during engage, activate and even study stage. As a warm up activity teacher may ask one of the students to choose a letter and then all students should write a sentence (it may be even senseless) in which every word starts with this letter. To make students think English during engage stage a teacher may use visuals to draw attention and raise interest. Students should write down as many words related to the particular picture or all of them as they can. The winner gains the opportunity to help teacher distribute the worksheets or write on the blackboard necessary information. Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, memory games, pictionaries, anagrams, word search are integral part of any study stage of a lesson. Teaching new vocabulary, memorizing grammar rules, useful language structures, reading and listening, dictations should be done in the form of a game. Games not only reduce the tension of studying and learning but also variegate lessons and language. Sometimes students are reluctant to play games and it often happens when a teacher proposes or imposes to play improper game for particular learners’ age. Bearing in mind that five to nine year olds like talking, singing, shouting and dislike being static and quiet least of all should the teacher try to play memory game when children sit and listen to others sentences, trying to remember them and then to repeat. Instead mingle games will arouse much more interest and support. Miming activities are highly welcomed with very young learners as they adore acting, performing and pretending to be someone else. On the contrary nine to thirteen years old are usually embarrassed performing in front of others and so miming games will not always be accepted. Instead of total banning smart phones during English classes we may set up tasks to pairs of students involving using the Internet and finding information there and then presenting it to other students. A good teacher will always adopt any game to the needs, interests and even peculiarities of the students. Teachers are creators of learners’ attitude to studying, languages and result. Learning is impossible without fun and pleasure – we have games to provide it. Language should be very applicable to real life situations – games can create such situations and train students’ skills. Result is directly linked to constant repetitions and revision – use games to refresh and renew and not to be bored.