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LEXIS GAMES MOTIVATION IN TEACHING ENGLISH Shamyradov Abdyrahman Bayramovich, D. Azady Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, Ashgabat E-mail: [email protected]
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Annotation. The main goal of the work is to explore how games can be used in arousing children's interest and motivating them in English learning, to overview the main pedagogical approaches to theoretical background in using games in English teaching, to study the nature of games as a highly-motivating part of teaching English to children and to observe typical kinds of lexical games in English teaching.
Key words: games, collective activities, vocabulary, advantages of using games, exploration, crossword puzzles, motivation.
English is one of important subjects in Turkmenistan from primary school to university. It's an essential stage for children in primary schools to acquire pronunciation and memorize basic vocabularies. Many young learners know nothing about English when they begin to learn it in schools. English learning takes them to a broader world and this will mean special to the children both in ways and in mind. They are interested in the "strange" thing, but they also feel a little fear about it. This uncertain feeling may be easy settled if the teacher has various teaching methods. The priority for English teachers is to arouse children's interest in studying English, because an interest in a language is known as a key to being motivated to learn.
Young children's attention can be easy taken, but it is difficult to keep it throughout the whole class. Then the teacher should have the ability and enthusiasm to design different activities that children enjoy to attract their attention. Using games and activities to practice vocabulary increases children's ability to memorize words, encourages their interaction, and enhances their motivation. Moreover, using games for young learners is one of strategies to make funny learning.
According to psychology researchers, children's attention last for different time:
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around age 5 to 7, they can pay attention for 10 to 15 minutes; age between 7 and 10 can pay attention for about 20 minutes; age between 10 and 12 last for about 25 minutes; and the time of attention of those older than 12 may reach to 30 minutes.
A famous psychologist Piaget (1967) protested that movement produces "thought". Movement is the beginning of learning. Cognitive frame is built up step by step whose joint is the movement but not the consciousness. Moreover, some psychologists claim that children should learn through play. Play is an activity performed for its own sake, highly motivated, often involving fantasy and characterized by intense involvement and concentration. In play, children explore and learn about their world. Play is sometimes called the child's work because it is such a significant mode of learning. The essence of play is that it grows from within the child or group of children who engage in it. It is a creative expression of their thoughts and dealings, based in their own life experiences. Play is the most important mode children have for clarifying and integrating all their experiences, both in and out of school.
An English teacher should try to use external stimuli to facilitate students' inner motivation transformed into their inner desire. If a student has positive attitude towards English, he will has a strong motivation to grasp this language, and this will help him to be markedly successful.
The exploration of using games in English class
Through the theories above we can easily know that children are active in playing games. Playing games is their nature. American psychologist and educational reformer John Dewey holds the notion that teaching material must be highly coherent with psychology. If the teaching material accords with children's psychology, they would be attracted by the interesting activities and accordingly learn and master the teaching material on their own initiative. Classroom games just answer for children's cognitive traits. At the games, the children get the pleasure and the satisfaction so that they are willing to learn English. Meanwhile, the using of games is helpful to create the relaxing atmosphere for language acquisition; it is effective in children's English teaching.
As Sarah Phillips (1993) in Young Learners claims that if the activity is interesting, it is easier to be remembered, and so is the language. Meanwhile, the children gain the satisfaction which can arouse their motivation of learning. Therefore, to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for language teaching is helpful. There is a study (Tang Lei, 2004) of 77 pupils about their attitude to the English teaching. 96.01% pupils respond that they like to play games in English class; 88.31% pupils think they can focus a great attention to the games; 93.51% pupils like the cooperative games. Moreover, the study shows that competitive activities share more commends than the others.
An advantage of using games in English classroom is that they add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target
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language. For many children between four and twelve years old, especially the youngest, language learning will not be the key motivational factor. Games can provide this stimulus. The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the target language to life. Through playing games, students can learn English the way children learn their mother tongue without being aware they are studying; thus without stress, they can learn a lot. Even shy students can participate positively. Playing games in learning may develop the sense of communication in English of the students. And the combination of the games may help them with a strong communicative ability.
Game is not only the most effective means to arouse the students' interest of learning; it also can make them all fully concentrate on what they are doing. Therefore, students will get deep impression of what they have learned and gain permanent memory of the content. Because of this, teachers can get the best effect of outcome. Teaching games are various. Teachers can use some new games every time. Then the students will be of an expected and new sense in class. And they will often be enthusiastic and never feel tires. While playing games, students can make a good use of their comprehension, their ability of analyses, judgment, imagination and logical deduction. At the same time, it requires that they have a quick mind, flexibility and creativity. Therefore, games can not only help students master the language points, but also be good for developing their intelligence and all kinds of skills.
Games make complicated grammatical points come out in simple forms. So it is quite acceptable for students. Take my teaching practice for example, when talking about the relation between a noun and an adjective, I gave the students a noun such as "book", let one of the groups to tell some adjectives which can modify the noun in turns. Meanwhile, if any student repeats or uses a wrong modifier, the whole group will fail. If this group can't continue giving a new word in three seconds, then, have another group do it. The group which is composed of four or eight student or even more that has got the most adjectives will be winners. After playing the game, the students know how many adjectives can modify the noun and what they are. Later, they get deep impression on the noun and the adjectives. This game not only helps students review the words, but also helps them memorize the new ones. And it stimulates the students' enthusiasm as well.
Games are also collective activities, and then the relationship between teachers and students will become more harmonious while playing. Because most of the games are played in groups, when doing them they develop the collective spirit of the students. Now, to take certain games during teaching seems more and more important in order to arouse the students' interest in learning for getting better results in teaching.
There are many advantages of using games. "Games can lower anxiety, thus making the acquisition of input more likely" (Richard-Amato). They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to
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express their opinions and feelings (Hansen).
Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson. Yet, as Lee observes, a game "should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do". Games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages. Rixon suggests that games be used at all stages of the lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen.
Famous British teacher and educator Andrew Wright in his books
"Language learning is hard work... Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time. Games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work."
"Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so must understand what others are saying or have written, and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view or give information."
Another distinguished scholar, Aydan Ersoz, of USA noted them following:
"Language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation."
"Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication."
In Korea a noted teacher Lee Su Kim distinguished games as follows:
"There is a common perception that all learning should be serious and solemn in nature, and that if one is having fun and there is hilarity and laughter, then it is not really learning. This is a misconception. It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself at the same time. One of the best ways of doing this is through games."
A great Polish educator the opinions of whom we mentioned within one of our chapters said,
"Many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value."
There are many advantages of using games in the classroom:
1. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class.
2. They are motivating and challenging.
3. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning.
4. Games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing,
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listening and reading.
5. They encourage students to interact and communicate.
6. They create a meaningful context for language use.
Why Use Games in Class Time
- Games are fun and children like to play them. Through games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment. (Lewis, 1999).
- Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. For many children between four and twelve years old, especially the youngest, language learning will not be the key motivational factor. Games can provide this stimulus. (Lewis, 1999).
- The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the target language to life. (Lewis, 1999).
- The game makes the reasons for speaking plausible even to reluctant children. (Lewis, 1999).
- Through playing games, students can learn English the way children learn their mother tongue without being aware they are studying; thus without stress, they can learn a lot.
- Even shy students can participate positively.
- A game must be more than just fun.
- A game should involve "friendly" competition.
- A game should keep all of the students involved and interested.
- A game should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself.
- A game should give students a chance to learn, practice, or review specific language material.
There are many kinds of games and activities which can be used in teaching English: riddles, puzzles, crosswords, puns, songs. Riddles encourage critical thinking skills. By listening to English songs, children can hear the native pronunciation of words. Music can also help shy children to express themselves. Crossword Puzzles are good because they work on the definition as well as the spelling.
Language learning is a hard task, which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation.
Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication.
In non-English environments, learners generally enjoy the process of learning
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English. Hence we can say that motivation plays a crucial role in foreign language learning.
We should use language games in our classroom because: Firstly, games are motivating and challenging. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort, so games help students sustain the effort of learning.
Secondly, they provide language practice in the various skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading.
Thirdly, games create a meaningful context for language use. They also encourage students to interact and communicate and increase motivation and provide authentic and meaningful language practice.
Games also encourage students to take risks and learn by trial and error. There is nothing that engages children more than teaching English through play and fun activities. Indeed a bored class will take in less than half of what a teacher says and retain none of it. As researchers write, attentive, interested and involved children, learning through English language games, will take in 100% of the lesson and retain up to 80% of it. Using language games in class has got to be one of the most exciting ways to teach children English.
References:
1. Abbott G., D. McKeating, J. Greenwood, and P. Wingard. The teaching of English as an international language. A practical guide. London. 1981.
2. Lee Su Kim. Creative Games for the Language. Class Forum Vol. 33 No 1, January - March 1995.
3. Lee, W. R. Language teaching games and contests. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1979.
4. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, Khuat Thi Thu Nga. Learning Vocabulary Through Games. 'Asian EFL Journal' - December 2003.
5. Rinvolucri Mario and Paul Davis. More grammar games. Cambridge University Press. 1992.
6. Rixon, S. 1981. How to use games in language teaching. London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
7. Wright A. Games for Language Learning. Cambridge University Press, 1984.
8. Wilga M. Rivers, Mary S. Temperley. A practical guide to the teaching of English as a second language. - Cambridge, 1978.
