Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2 Games
We use games because they are fun, they provide security, increase confidence and reinforce
language in a natural way.
What are some difficulties that you think you may encounter when using games in class?
Teachers need to ask themselves the following questions when they are planning to use
games in class.
As with all classroom activities, it is important to remain conscious of the practical value of
games, not simply the extent to which pupils enjoy them.
There are three main criteria by which the value of games can be judged:
Pupil involvement: Are most pupils involved most of the time, with all getting
equal chance to participate? Can less able pupils participate without feeling
frustrated?
Integration with language work: Does the language context have a clear
focus? How much do children practise English? Can new vocabulary or grammar
be substituted into the game? Are there opportunities to link new language with
old?
Pupil learning and initiative: How much choice and initiative do pupils have in
the game? How far can pupils demonstrate and participate in organising the
What do teachers need to do to ensure the full potential of games are exploited?
Teachers need to think about effective technique to give instructions, using pictures,
gestures and demonstrations. These should then be checked with questions, asking pupils
to sequence the stages or identify a missing stage, before commencing the task.