THE ADVANTAGES OF USING GAMES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Games help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. Even though games are often associated with fun, we should not lose sight of their pedagogical value, particularly in foreign language teaching and learning. Games are effective as they create motivation, lower students’ stress, and give language learners the opportunity for real communication.
 According to J. Haldfield [1], “a game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun.… Games should be regarded as an integral part of the language syllabus”. This definition highly evaluates the importance of games in teaching. It shows that games serve not only as an ‘amusing activity’, but also as a technique to carry out many pedagogical tasks.
 Classifying games into categories can be difficult because categories often overlap. According to W. Lee [2], games can be classified into ten categories: structure games which provide experience of the use of particular patterns of syntax in communication; vocabulary games in which the learners’ attention is focused mainly on words; spelling, pronunciation games; number games; listen-and-do games; games and writing; miming and role play; discussion games.
 Let’s discuss some of the common advantages of using games in foreign language teaching and learning.
Games promote learners’ interaction. Interaction comprises the nature of classroom pedagogy and classroom behavior. Pair or group work is one of the main ways to increase cooperation. Many games can be played in pairs or in small groups, thereby providing an opportunity to develop their interpersonal skills such as the skill of disagreeing politely or the skill of asking for help. In the classroom learners will definitely participate in the activities. Therefore, in groups or in pairs, they are more willing to ask questions, communicate and discuss topics with their partners and think creatively about how to use foreign language to achieve their goals. The competition in the games gives students a natural opportunity to work together and communicate with each other a lot.
Games improve learners’ language acquisition. Thanks to the motivation and interaction created by games, students can acquire knowledge faster and more effectively than by other means. Games can stimulate and encourage students to participate in the activity since they naturally want to win. Apart from having fun, students are learning. They acquire a new language. Students begin to realize that they have to use the language if they want others to understand what they are saying.
 Furthermore, games can lower anxiety. In the easy, relaxed atmosphere which is created by using games, students remember things faster and better.
 The meaning of the language students listen to, read, speak and write in will be more vividly experienced in a game and, therefore, they will better remember the language they learn.
Games increase learners’ achievement. Games can involve all the basic language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and a number of skills are often involved in the same game.
 Games can motivate learners, promote learners’ interaction, and improve learners’ acquisition. As a result, games can increase learners’ achievement, which means that learners’ test results, ability of communication, knowledge of vocabulary, or other language skills can improve.
 C. Riedle emphasizes the advantage of games in improving learners’ achievements: “We are teaching a new generation of students, which requires unconventional teaching strategies to be put into practice in the classroom. And when schools use games, student benefits speak for themselves – a greater desire to learn and higher test scores.” [3].
 In brief, games prove to be a useful tool in language teaching. Games not only motivate learners and create a friendly atmosphere, they are aimed at developing all language skills. Consequently, games can motivate, promote learners’ interaction, improve their acquisition and increase their achievement.
 Let's summarize why we should use games in language teaching.
 §  Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class;
 §  Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning;
 §  They encourage students to interact and communicate;
 §  They create a meaningful context for language use;
 §  Games lower anxiety especially when played in small groups;
 §  Games can involve all the basic language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and a number of skills are often involved in the same game;
 §  Many games can be played in small groups, thereby developing their interpersonal skills;
 §  Games involve students in active learning;
 §  They can encourage students to draw on analysis, synthesis, evaluation;
 §  They foster a more positive attitude toward the classroom experience – more attention, better attendance, better participation;
 §  They improve retention, decision-making skills, and comprehension of general principles.

Let’s look at games the teacher can use in the class.

Activity1. Running Dictation

This useful activity requires students to use all four language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—and if carefully planned and well-controlled can cause both great excitement and exceptional learning.

Pair students up. Choose who will run and who will write. (At a later stage they could swap tasks.)

Print out some short texts (related to what you’re studying) and stick them on a wall away from the desks. You should stick them somewhere out of sight from where the students sit

There could be several numbered texts, and the students could be asked to collect two or three each. The texts could include blanks which they need to fill later, or they could be asked to put them in order. There are many possibilities here!

The running students run (or power-walk) to their assigned texts, read, remember as much as they can and then return to dictate the text to the writing student. Then they run again. The first pair to finish writing the complete, correct texts wins.

Be careful that you do not:

1. Let students use their phone cameras to “remember” the text.
2. Let “running” students write—they can spell words out and tell their partner when they’re wrong.
3. Let “writing” students go and look at the text (or let “running” students bring it to them).

Activity 2.   Charades

Charades is quite similar to Pictionary, but it uses actions to communicate the secret word in place of photos. This is a great game for those days when your class is dragging and people are falling asleep. Get them up and get them moving!

Write down words on slips of paper for students to choose. Verbs are likely to be the easiest, but you can also use more complicated words, provided you are sure most of the students know them.

Divide the class into two teams and have one person from each team choose a piece of paper and act out the word. The teams must guess the correct word before three minutes run out. For each correct word, that team receives a point. The team that hits ten points first is the winning team.

Activity 3.Pictionary

This is another game that works well with any age group; children love it because they can get creative in the classroom, teenagers love it because it doesn’t feel like they’re learning, and adults love it because it’s a break from the monotony of learning a new language - even though they'll be learning as they play.

Pictionary can help students practice their vocabulary and it tests to see if they’re remembering the words you’ve been teaching.

1. Whyuseit? Vocabulary
2. Who it's best for: All ages; best with young learners

Howtoplay:

1. Before the class starts, prepare a bunch of words and put them in a bag.
2. Split the class into teams of 2 and draw a line down the middle of the board.
3. Give one team member from each team a pen and ask them to choose a word from the bag.
4. Tell the students to draw the word as a picture on the board and encourage their team to guess the word.

• The first team to shout the correct answer gets a point.
• The student who has completed drawing should then nominate someone else to draw for their team.
• Repeat this until all the words are gone - make sure you have enough words that each student gets to draw at least once!

Activity 4.BoardRace

This game is plain and simple—a good, old-fashioned classroom favorite for the ages.

Divide the board into two halves, and divide the class into two teams. Call out a theme or category for learned vocabulary words and have students run to the board and write as many related words as possible.

For example, you might call out something like, “Animals you will see at the zoo!” and one student from each team must run up to the board and write as many English zoo animal names as they can think of within a certain time limit. This game gets students thinking quickly and creatively.

Activity 5.Call My Bluff / Two Truths and A Lie

Call My Bluff is a fun game which is perfect at the start of term as a ‘getting to know you.   It is also a brilliant ice breaker between students if you teach classes who do not know one another.

The game is excellent for practicing speaking skills, though make sure you save a time for after the game to comment on any mistakes students may have made during the game. (I generally like to reserve this for after the game, so you don't disrupt their fluency by correcting them as they speak).

With older groups you can have some real fun and you might be surprised what you’ll learn about some of your students when playing this particular EFL game.

1. Why use it? Ice-breaker; Speaking skills
2. Who it's best for: Appropriate for all levels and ages but best with older groups

Howtoplay:

1. Write 3 statements about yourself on the board, two of which should be lies and one which should be true.
2. Allow your students to ask you questions about each statement and then guess which one is the truth. You might want to practice your poker face before starting this game!
3. If they guess correctly then they win.
4. Extension: Give students time to write their own two truths and one lie.
5. Pair them up and have them play again, this time with their list, with their new partner. If you want to really extend the game and give students even more time to practice their speaking/listening skills, rotate partners every five minutes.
6. Bring the whole class back together and have students announce one new thing they learned about another student as a recap.

Activity 6. The Mime

Miming is an excellent way for students to practice their tenses and their verbs. It's also great for teachers with minimal resources or planning time, or teachers who want to break up a longer lesson with something more interactive. It's adaptable to almost any language point that you might be focusing on.

This game works with any age group, although you will find that adults tire of this far quicker than children. To keep them engaged, relate what they will be miming to your groups' personal interests as best as possible.

• Whyuseit? Vocabulary; Speaking

1. Who it's best for: All ages; best with young learners

Howtoplay:

1. Before the class, write out some actions - like washing the dishes - and put them in a bag.
2. Split the class into two teams.
3. Bring one student from each team to the front of the class and one of them choose an action from the bag.
4. Have both students mime the action to their team.
5. The first team to shout the correct answer wins a point.
6. Repeat this until all students have mimed at least one action.

Activity 7.Hot Seat

This is one of my students’ favorite games and is always at the top of the list when I ask them what they want to play.

Hot Seat allows students to build their vocabulary and encourages competition in the classroom. They are also able to practice their speaking and listening skills and it can be used for any level of learner.

1. Why use it? Vocabulary; Speaking and Listening
2. Who it's best for: All ages and levels

Howtoplay:

1. Split the class into 2 teams, or more if you have a large class.
2. Elect one person from each team to sit in the Hot Seat, facing the classroom with the board behind them.
3. Write a word on the board. One of the team members of the student in the hot seat
4. must help the student guess the word by describing it. They have a limited amount of time and cannot say, spell or draw the word.
5. Continue until each team member has described a word to the student in the Hot Seat.
   References:
    1.                Hadfield J. Beginners’ communication games / J.Hadfield. – Longman, 1999.
    2.                Lee W. R. Language teaching: Games and Contests / W.R.Lee. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.
    3.                Riedle C. Web 2.0: helping reinvent education / C.Riedle, 2008. – Available at: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21907.