Games in language learning Introduction

Children love playing games. Playing games is a vital and natural part of growing up and learning. Children learn by experimenting with their environment and the world around them and playing games is one way that they can discover this. You as language teachers can enlarge your students world by including the playing of games in teaching your students the English language.

Games can make a lesson much more interesting especially for those children who are not so motivated. Playing a game can bring variety to a lesson. Using a foreign language in playing a game immediately makes the learning of the words useful for them. It brings to life the whole reason for learning the language.

What is a language game? One main vital strategy is to ensure the children use their knowledge of the language and apply their skill along with other skills in the game.

How to include games into your syllabus Think carefully about your class. Another consideration is the whole personality of the class. There are games that wake the class up and games that will settle a class.

A game must be more than fun Playing different games from lesson to lesson Vary the order in which you play games Always end an activity when the fun is still at its peak. Think ahead

Some useful game playing terms Its my/your/her/his turn Whose turn is it? Youre out Roll the dice Shuffle the cards Take….Give……Wait………. Dont peek (look) No cheating Move…spaces forward / backwards Make a circle Line up Turn around Shut your eyes Pass the (ball, cup) Spin the………. Throw away Deal the cards You are out. Congaratulations on winning... Dont cheat! Youve won!

How to choose the person who begins/ leads the game? Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a spider on your toe. If he wriggles let him go. Whos it not you. Keep doing this until the last person is the starter. One potato, two potato... Whos it not you. Peas pudding hot peas pudding cold, peas pudding in the pot nine days old. Whos it not you.

Game type Movement games Card games Board games Dice games Drawing games Guessing games Role play games Singing and chanting games Team games Word games