Thu, 09 Jul 2020

Fun Games in the Classroom for Young English Learners

Games have many elements that make them a powerful learning tool, many of them related to communication, collaboration, and a competitive motive that drives children and adults to do their best, encourage them to be creative, and use imagination. Playing games in the classroom have so many benefits and applying different approaches is not only a necessity in today’s context but also a way for the teacher to feel personal satisfaction with their work. Researches show that game-based learning fosters student creativity and enhances learning levels. The classroom is the place, where students feel comfortable to participate in activities and to explore and to study. When teachers are in the classroom it is important to understand student’s behavior. Student’s behavior is what teachers see on the surface. Usually, under this surface, many other factors are good to be noticed when teachers are choosing a strategy to plan their lessons. Teachers must have in mind the teachings and feelings of the students, their values, beliefs, their priorities at this moment, their needs, and their fears. Each behavior has a reason. No matter what provoked it, the behavior has an aim and is influenced by the context. Its main function is to receive the required stimulus.

This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rozalina K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.

Reasons for using games

Teachers create connections and perquisites for interaction between students through different kinds of games as role-play games, activities, songs, group tasks, and projects. The sense of community is a key factor in a healthy psychosocial climate in the classroom. The games in the classroom take an important role in the acquisition of social skills and improving group work. The most important function of the games is an opportunity through games for all students to feel comfortable in the classroom, to enjoy the company of the others, and to form relationships with each other. Games are a useful tool in language learning and not only motivate learners and create a friendly atmosphere but also aim to develop all language skills.

The game is very important for young learners, for their emotional, intellectual, and physical development. Using games in the learning process has many benefits, which include increased motivation and higher educational outcomes that can contribute to class cohesion, monitoring children’s development, and more enthusiasm. Games can be played at all grade levels. In the role-playing game, students learn how to express their emotions and to recreate events that occur in their lives. Through these dynamic games students learn to communicate with others, they develop their social skills, they practice the language and ability to communicate and to use their imagination.

Also Read: The Best Places for Non-Native English Speakers to Teach English Abroad

Types of games

Constructive games as puzzles, creative games develop logical thinking and creativity in the students, and the ability to make decisions. In the other games with rules as board games, football, tennis, and basketball students learn to follow specific rules, to play a team, to help other players, and learn how to be fair and responsible. Through games, students learn how to treat each other, how to play roles, how to share, and how to follow rules, created by teachers. Also, students learn how to be part of the team or part of one entire community. Games give satisfaction and students can express their emotions like anger, dissatisfaction, fear, stress and they can find a way to get over these feelings. Games can be used as a less stressful way to demonstrate student’s knowledge and understanding of the topic.

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Students learn through the process of playing the game. While playing the game in the classroom students may be able to understand a new concept or idea or can decrease stress and learn how to give up on stress. Games are very good for practicing vocabulary and targeting grammar, stimulate and encourage interaction between students. It is very important to use games in the classroom because they aim to create a pleasant, positive, enjoyable learning environment. Playing games increase student’s motivation and stay focused on the subject and that way they make students more attentive to pay attention to the details. Through the motivation and interaction created by the games, students can acquire knowledge faster and more effectively. Using games in the classroom is very important because students improve their learning ability.

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