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Games in the classroomOne of the most challenging aspects of teaching is getting the students attention and keeping them motivated. A big reason why many people struggle with learning a second language is because they are stressed by thinking about it too much. Games not only lessen the stress, but it helps motivate the students through fun. Many, especially younger students need an incentive to motivate them to learn a language. Studying a language can be frustrating as it requires consistent strong efforts in order for a student to gain progress. Frustration can demoralize a student?s motivation to learn. Games pose as less threatening to learning, as students in general will more likely be willing to tackle content if it is done through a game. Therefore, we as teachers, it is our job to provide the students with an atmosphere where they can learn and have fun at the same time. Games are not only fun, it serves as a break time for the students, while learning the practice of the language at the same time. What can games work on? Many classroom games revolve around team work as the class is usually broken up into separate teams where they compete against each other, or have an individual game amongst their group. Either way, the students are forced to participate and interact with each other. This develops rapport and good chemistry in the classroom. If the games are put into practical use, students can employ meaningful use of the language on how it relates to real life situations. Furthermore, games give students feedback on their own learning progress. How to apply games to the classroom? When applying games to the class, the goal should be for the student to have fun, and at the same time, learn the language without realizing it. Games can work on a number of aspects such as, reading, writing, speaking, listening, conversation, comprehension, phonics etc... When choosing a game, it should be closely related to the content being learned and suitable towards the level of the class being taught. When the game begins, the teacher should not interfere nor correct a student unless it is necessary. This should be the time for the teacher to observe the students knowledge of the content being learned. The teacher can learn what are the strengths and weakness of the students, and what needs to be worked on. The last thing to remember, while games are fun, the class should not be dedicated to only games. It only supports the content being learned. The class should be equally spread out amongst study time and game time. Conclusion No matter what age, learning a language is usually done best when the person does not even realize it. For a student to maximize their learning ability, they must first be comfortable with it. Games can really ease the students with speaking the language. For that reason, as a teacher, it is imperative to have a classroom of motivated students that look forward attending class rather than dreading it. In conclusion, for a student to learn a language, they are going to have to want to learn it, and games provide the students with that incentive for this.
