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УДК 803.0:378
Г.П. БАКИНА,
Н.А. ЗБОЙКОВА
ЧТО ТАКОЕ ИГРА
ПРИ ОБУЧЕНИИ АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ
Для интенсивной практики английского языка целесообразно вводить игры, включающие грамматический и лексический материал изучаемой темы, приближенный к реальной ситуации. Одновременно игра - это диагностический инструмент, при помощи которого легко можно определить степень усвоения материала, типичные ошибки, ведущие к трудностям в общении, кроме этого, игра вносит хорошее настроение и элемент радости как для студентов, так и для преподавателей.
A game is an activity with rules, a goal and elements of fun.
There are two kinds of games: competitive games, in which players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal, ad co-operative games, in which players or teams work together towards a common goal.
The main idea of games is a successful communication rather than correctness of language. Games should be regarded as an integral part of the language, but not as an amusing activity for Friday afternoon or for the end of term.
The games provide an opportunity for bridge between the classroom and the real world. They are also a diagnostic tool for a teacher, who can note areas of difficulty and take appropriate remedial action.
The games in my «Teaching Aids» are chosen for beginners and elementary students, so a very limited knowledge of the language is necessary to complete them. Each game has a specific lexical area and grammar material. They are used by the students right from the very first «Unit» after the «Pronunciation Course». The games are arranged in approximate order of difficulty, following a traditional structural progression. Before the game a teacher should check the students if they are familiar with new words and grammar rule (they should be given in advance).
The technique of each game is described at the beginning of the game. The techniques used include: matching, search, exchanging, collecting, combining_card games, problems, role play and others.
For example, «Unit 1» of my «Teaching Aids» includes there games: «The five-families game», «Opinion Poll», and «Where am I». The techniques used here are guessing, collecting, research. The main type of activity are: pair work, involving two partners, small group work, involving groups of three or four and whole class activities. («Five-families game»).
A game «Opinion poll» needs a low level of knowledge, it’s whole class activity. A teacher should prepare the cards in advance (they are given in «Teaching Aids»).
Function practised to be+adjective, to have, giving an opinion.
Giving an opinion Agreeing Disagreeing
I think that... I agree Oh, I don’t...
I don’t think that. I think you’re right I’m not sure you’re right
In my opinion, he. You’re absolutely right I really don’t agree with you.
Cards
Card 1
Michael Jackson Smoking Alla Pugacheva Television
handsome a bad habit beautiful boring
Card 2
Michael Jackson Smoking Alla Pugacheva Television
awful
a waste of money sexy
a waste of time
Card 3
Michael Jackson Alla Pugacheva Smoking Television
good singer pretty enjoyable interesting
Card 4
Michael Jackson Alla Pugacheva Smoking Television
good dancer attractive harmful a waste of time
Card 5
Michael Jackson Alla Pugacheva Smoking Television
sexy
vulgar
a waste of money interesting
Card 6
Michael Jackson Alla Pugacheva Smoking Television
nice
good singer enjoyable a waste of time
Copy one card for each student, distribute the cards. Before the game, write new words on the board, to describe people.
They are: handsome, boring pretty, enjoyable, awful, sexy, attractive vulgar.
Tell your students to write sentences in their exercise books
(a noun + be + adjective).
A teacher should write the first sentences on the board and ask everyone to express his/her opinion about the person or event.
Ask the students to dictate you the adjectives which are on their cards (opposite Michael Jackson).
Example:
Michael Jackson 1. handsome (card 1)
2. awful (card 2)
3. sexy (card 5)
4. nice (card 6)
5. good singer (card 3)
6. good dancer (card 4)
After that ask your students in turn to characterize him. Their opinions will be different. The teacher should correct the mistakes and remind them to be polite.
Example:
The first student «I think Michael Jeckson is handsome and he’s a good singer».
The second student «I’m not sure I agree with you. In my opinion, he is a good dancer but he is a bad singer» and so on.
Many games include an element of role-play. Players are given the names and some characteristics of a fictive character («Eyewitnesses» - Unit 5). The role cards in these games do not require the imaginative projection into character. The game requires an exchange of personal information or social interaction. When
playing this game, a teacher should restrict the language, because it’s impossible to make use of the full potentialities of role-play at this level.
Many games require some flexibility in the organization of the class-room, but at our University they are very small, so I had to change some rules and even techniques of some games.
When students have to move around the class («Five-families games»), they can freely circulate in the empty area in front of the board and near the teacher’s table. The traditional arrangement of front-facing decks can easily be adapted to pair work with people at adjoining desks working together, while small groups can be formed by two people turning their chairs round to face the two people behind them.
Games are best set up, especially at this level, by demonstration rather than by lengthy explanation. The teacher should explain briefly what the game involves, hand out the copied cards, giving the students a little while to study them, and then demonstrate the game with one of the students in front of the class. It will be found that the idea of the game is probably easier for students to grasp from seeing the cards than from a verbal explanation, and that as they become more familiar with the idea of games and the techniques used, any initial problems caused by unfamiliarity will quickly disappear.
The teacher’s role in these activities is that of monitor and resource centre, moving from group to group, listening, supplying any necessary language, noting errors, but not interrupting or correcting the mistakes. It is a good idea to carry paper and pen to note any persistent errors or areas of difficulty. In many cases, the game could then be played again with different partners or with different role-cards. In other cases, mostly in those activities involving puzzle-solving, this will not be possible. However, a similar game with different information could easily be constructed to practise the same exponents, and suggestions have been made for this where appropriate.
G.P. BAKINA, N.A. ZBOYKOVA
WHAT IS A GAME WHEN TEACHING ENGLISH
The inclusion of games as an integral part of any language syllabus provides an opportunity for intensive language practice, offers a context in which language is used meaningfully and as means to an end, and acts as a diagnostic tool for the teacher, highlighting areas of difficulty. One of the most important reasons for using games is simply that they are immensely enjoyable for both teacher and student.
