Games and Methods For Teaching ESL

Why Use Games to Teach ESL? Language learning is a hard task Constant effort is required to understand language Well-chosen ESL games are very useful Provide meaningful and useful language in real contexts. Games are highly motivating They encourage and increase cooperation

Language learning is a hard task

Constant effort is required to understand language

Well-chosen ESL games are very useful

Provide meaningful and useful language in real contexts.

Games are highly motivating

They encourage and increase cooperation

When to Use Games As a short warm-up activities When there is time left at the end of a lesson At all stages of the lesson To execute review exercises To help learners recall material

As a short warm-up activities

When there is time left at the end of a lesson

At all stages of the lesson

To execute review exercises

To help learners recall material

How to Choose Games Games should: be more than just fun involve "friendly" competition keep all students involved and interested. keep students focus on the use of language help students learn, practice, review language material

Games should:

be more than just fun

involve "friendly" competition

keep all students involved and interested.

keep students focus on the use of language

help students learn, practice, review language material

Advantages of using games in the classroom Help make and sustain the effort of learning. Create a meaningful context for language use. Encourage students to interact and communicate. Provide language practice in the various skills They are motivating and challenging Games give students a break

Benefits of Using Games in the ESL Classroom Benefits Affective: lowers affective filter encourages creative and spontaneous use of language promotes communicative competence motivates fun Cognitive: reinforces reviews and extends focuses on grammar in a communicative manner Class Dynamics: student centered teacher acts only as facilitator builds class cohesion fosters whole class participation promotes healthy competition Adaptability: easily adjusted for age, level, and interests utilizes all four skills

Affective:

lowers affective filter

encourages creative and

spontaneous use of language

promotes communicative

competence

motivates

fun

Cognitive:

reinforces

reviews and extends

focuses on grammar in a

communicative manner

Class Dynamics:

student centered

teacher acts only as facilitator

builds class cohesion

fosters whole class participation

promotes healthy competition

Adaptability:

easily adjusted for age, level,

and interests

utilizes all four skills

Concentration Aim: Word Association How to play Lay the cards, face down Cards can be placed in rows If the cards match, player keeps them Player is awarded one point It is the next player’s turn. If cards don’t match, player returns them Player looses turn. Level and Language Learning Level 1: Cards only have pictures Level 2: One card has the picture, other card has the word. Level 3: Both cards have only the words.

Aim: Word Association

How to play

Lay the cards, face down

Cards can be placed in rows

If the cards match, player keeps them

Player is awarded one point

It is the next player’s turn.

If cards don’t match, player returns them

Player looses turn.

Level and Language Learning

Level 1: Cards only have pictures

Level 2: One card has the picture, other card has the word.

Level 3: Both cards have only the words.

Flash Cards Aim: Sentence building, finding synonyms and antonyms How to play The word is written on one side of a card The teacher flashes the cards The students read it instantly. Cards can be shuffled and read by the student.

Aim: Sentence building, finding synonyms and antonyms

How to play

The word is written on one side of a card

The teacher flashes the cards

The students read it instantly.

Cards can be shuffled and read by the

student.

Suggestions to the Teacher Games should be regarded as supplementary activities. Teachers should carefully choose appropriate games. Teachers should not compel students to participate. Some learners may not want to participate. Forcing students does not have successful results. Always give clear instructions .

Games should be regarded as supplementary activities.

Teachers should carefully choose appropriate games.

Teachers should not compel students to participate.

Some learners may not want to participate.

Forcing students does not have successful results.

Always give clear instructions .

Michelle Rodriguez E00033870 [email_address]