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Games in the classroomGames in the classroom are a common and useful tool when teaching english. They can be used to review material, excite unmotivated students, allow students to familiarize themselves with technology and promote teamwork and encourage competition. Games serve as an important tool for engagement and review. If a class is interesting or fun then a student is more likely to retain the knowledge that is taught. When a game, even a short one, is played at the end of each class it gives students something to look forward to and encourages them to pay attention during the lesson. There are times when every teacher is faced with a group of students that for whatever reason are extremely unmotivated. Incentivizing student learning can sometimes be achieved through games. Younger students often enjoy the competition and recognition of getting the right answer. Younger learners are usually content with stickers or stamps, sometimes other small prizes can be given to reward individuals or teams. Older students who are unmotivated tend to need more stimulus and greater rewards. The game needs to be tailored more carefully to their interests; stamps and stickers no longer hold much appeal for this age group. Finding out what older students are interested in and what type of game will engage them is class specific and may require trial and error. Today many classrooms are equipped with the potential for high tech games. Some classrooms have touch screens that allow students to manipulate programs as well as games. In most developed countries children are familiar and quite skillful when using new technologies. It is important to further expose them to useful technologies that they will be using in the future. These technologies offer a greater degree of creative control for the teacher in designing games and have the potential to engage students more effectively. Currently the most useful tool for creating and designing games is PowerPoint. PowerPoint is great tool for those who are fortunate enough to be teaching in an environment that possesses a computer as well as a large TV or projector. There are many game templates available online that only require the teacher to program the questions and make a few minor modifications. Occasionally a teacher may find games that specifically cover the specific material they wish to review. The main benefits of a well-designed PowerPoint game is that it can provide additional visual and auditory stimulus to students that can make them more engaged in the content being taught. Low tech games can require more preparation in physical materials. There are many great ideas online for those teachers who do not have access to a more modern classroom. Some games, such as ?pass the ball?, can be quite simple and effective for lower level learners. All that is required is a ball and some flash cards. If the target sentence is ?I like ______.? or ?I don?t like ______.? The teacher can stop the music as the ball is being passed from student to student. The student holding the ball when the music stops must look at a flash card and the teacher?s face (the teacher will display a sad or happy face) and produce the correct target sentence. When using a game in the classroom, it must be decided if the game will be team centered or focus on individual achievement. Class size is a factor in making this choice. A smaller classroom may be better suited to a game of individual competition. A larger class might benefit from a team game where the team must consult each other for the correct answer. In this case not every student might get to answer a question but they will feel that were part of the game. Depending on the structure of the game, two or more teams may be selected. For example, if a game has the potential to be lopsided in points, more than two teams might be desirables so that teams with fewer points can still hope to catch one of the other teams. Team games are particularly useful because they promote both competition and cooperation. These games give students a chance to bond with each other and their teachers in positive way.
