Diversity is the necessary feature of a perfect teaching. It maintains interest and motivation in learning process, exploits and develops curiosity. A teacher of English has to search for effective means and ways of working both at the lessons and extra activities to reinforce and raise learning English level. It’s very important for a student to show a keen interest in learning, to be an active participant of this process, to study with great pleasure. Without any doubt a game aims at motivation of the students’ active involvement in learning process and creation of a numerous opportunities to social interaction. It provides a joyful and relax atmosphere, designed to mutual understanding and help. It makes students feel excitement and emotional experience, let them express themselves and also be sure and successful.
I often use games in my work just because it is the most entertaining way to refresh learned material. A game is an ideal opportunity to relax after hard training exercises or a tiresome material. It helps a shy and a poor student to feel confidence, in case it is a fun, and not only points to win.
When should a teacher play? Anytime he wants to. I often start the lesson with playing especially on Mondays to make students’ involvement in the process easier, to fresh their memories and to provide interest in a new material for learning. Sometimes I spontaneously interrupt the lessons for playing when I notice distraction. After that the students are attentive and “fresh” enough to continue working.
A game is also a good idea at the end of the lesson. Why not finishing a lesson with a game that encourages your students looking forward to your next lessons?
In my opinion one of the most effective ways to encourage students work and to provoke interest from the very beginning is to ask questions relevant to natural situation. Here is a sample of a short dialogue which can be arranged at the lesson.
Why are you so gloomy? Are you OK.?
No, I’m not. I have some problems with Maths.
- Have you got a poor mark?
- Definitely.
- Sorry to hear that. I hope you will be lucky next time. Don’t worry. Cheer up!
- Thanks for encouraging me.
- My pleasure.
“Apply to me” game develops speech habit skills “on the spot” and can be also planned at the beginning of the lesson.
The aim: spontaneous speech habits developing.
The procedure: The students in turns ask a teacher a wide variety of questions:
Have you ever been to London?
Do you speak English well?
- Have you a pet?
- Where did you study English?
- Are you married?
“The Envelope, please”
This game is aimed at revision of any known material.
Procedure: Make a list of questions for repeating a known material, cut it and put each question into a separate envelope. Then give it to students before starting a lesson and inform about extra time given at the end of the lesson to answer the question they will have. The students are allowed to ask their schoolmates for help.
Vocabulary practice can be realized through rebuses, charades and puzzles. For example:
Rebuses
- линейка ``` de (rude)
- dr + больной (drill)
- a + очень ` возраст (average)
- находить V2 `` родственные отношения (foundations)
- свеча + палка (candlestick)
- 6. re + пара (repair)
- b + сова (bowl)
- b ` город + cy (bouncy)
Charades
- The first is the verb for giving salt at the table (pass)
The second is where you can see a lot of ships (port)
The whole is an important document for each person (passport) - The first is a sign after a film finishes (end)
The second is the comparative degree of “little” (endless) - You can see it on the fields
It’s cows’ favourites (grass)
Also it’s a special world for children,
Called after a famous person, who had created it in Los Angeles. (Land)
Puzzles
Guess what the word is if…
- Rhymes with theatre (matter)
- Starts with b… (back)
- Means the opposite of kind (strict)
- Means the same as “be late” (miss)
- Ends in …re (retire)
- Means “return” (come back)
- Is opposite to begin (come to an end)
- Means the part of your body (back)
- Names your chief action at school (work)
- Ends in …ow (allow)
“Duel”
The aim: Vocabulary practice.
Equipment: Cards with the names of known topics.
Procedure: A teacher lays the cards with topics out before playing. Then he divides class into two groups and asks two students from each team to choose a card. Next a team names as many words as they can remember during two minutes. A winner is a person who names the most number of words.
There are also several grammar games, which are successfully used in the classroom and resulted in a more positive attitude to learning grammar.
TIC-TAC-VERB
The aim: Present Perfect practice.
Procedure: Each of nine cells is filled with a verb, above which “?”, “+”, “-“signs should be added for practicing different types of sentences in Present Perfect Tense. After that the team is divided into X and O. A person, who would like to start, chooses a verb from the box: “I choose ‘drink’”, for e.g. and make up a sentence in Present Perfect: “I have just drunk juice”. If it’s correct, a teacher will put O or X sign instead of the verb. If there is a mistake, the square will be left empty. The game lasts until one of the teams fills in 3 squares down or across.
The same game can be used if you need to practice several Grammar Tenses.
In this case you point out a certain grammar tense in each square.
Phrasal verbs are common in English, so understanding what they mean is very important as they are often met in colloquial speech. This game will help you to make the process of learning more unusual and fascinating.
The aim: Phrasal Verbs revision
Necessary material: Cards with phrasal verbs
Procedure: A pack of cards is put upside down. All students sit in a circle and in turn take one card from the top of a pack. If a person makes correct sentence, he keeps the card to himself. If he is mistaken, the card should be put on the bottom of a pack. A person, who picks 5 cards, will be the winner.
“Deafman” is a game for practicing reported speech.
Material: Cards with different types of sentences.
Procedure: The students are divided into groups of three. The first student asks a question or says affirmative sentence written in a card. The second pretends a deafman and asks the third person what the first student has asked or said.
The first student: “I will go shopping tomorrow”.
The second student: “What did you say?”
The third student: “She said she would go shopping next day”