Game e Metho od in Pr reschoo ol Engl lish Tea aching

13 Pages·2016·0.33 MB·English

Intternational Jouurnal of Englissh Language EEducation
ISSN 22325-0887
2016, Vol. 4, No. 1
Gamee Methood in Prreschoool Engllish Teaaching
WWan-Chuan YYu
CLALL, Guangdoong Universsity of Foreiign Studies, Guangzhouu Guangdonng 510420, China
IFLCR, LLingnan Normal Univeersity, Zhanjjiang Guanggdong 5240048, China

Receiveed: Decembber 21, 20155 Acceptted: Januaryy 6, 2016 Published:: January 111, 2016
doi:10.55296/ijele.vv4i1.8845 URL: httpp://dx.doi.orrg/10.5296//ijele.v4i1.88845

Abstract
Interestt is a great mmotivation for the studdy of almostt everythingg, particularrly for L2 study. To
preschoool students, games aree quite attraactive. Thereefore game method is a good wayy to help
studentss to learn EEnglish, esppecially in kkindergartenns. It fits thhe characterristics of prreschool
studentss, providinng learningg motivatiion, loweriing studennts’ stress and offerring the
opportuunity for real communnication. Noowadays, mmore and mmore teacherrs are usingg games
effectivvely in classs to improvve their teacching. In orrder to applly game meethod effecttively in
teachingg English in kindergarrtens, gamees must be ddesigned puurposeful, iinteresting, various,
heuristiic and studdent-orienteed. During the coursee of games (pre-gammes, in gammes and
post-gammes), somee details shoould be paidd more attenntion to.
Keywords: game mmethod, mootivation, Ennglish Teachhing, preschhool studenntt

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1. Introoduction
In 19788, the 75th NNobel Laureeates conferrence was hheld in Pariis. Pyotr Leeonidovich Kapitsa,
the leadding Soviet physicist aand Nobel PPrize winner in Physicss laureate, ggot such a qquestion
“Whichh period inn your whoole life mmeans most??” “In the nursery”, Kapitsa annswered
peacefuully. An enthhusiastic appplause lastted quite lonng for this rreply. It reffllects that prreschool
educatioon may givve people far-reachingg implications and immpact throuugh their liife. And
nowadaays, more annd more atteention are bbeing paid too preschooleducation.
With thhe boomingg tide of Ennglish learnning globallly, early L22 ELT attraacts more cconcerns
from paarents, nurssery schoolss and reseaarchers. Sinnce 1990’s, early Engliish trainingg classes
and maaterials havee flocked innto the publlic educatioon area. Most Chinese kindergarteens have
opened English claasses to meet the needd. Now earlyy English leearning in ccities has beeen very
popularr and so manny bilingual kindergarttens named “Chinese-EEnglish Biliingual Kinddergarten”
and “Fooreign Langguage Art KKindergartenn” have spruung up like mmushroomss after rain.
Up to nnow, it is abssolutely nott a question whether orr not to teachh English inn kindergarttens, but
what too teach and how to teaach it well. Most schollars, educators and teaacchers agreee on that
the objeective of kinndergarten EEnglish teacching is to cultivate intterest in thee language, develop
basic coommunicatiion skills annd crude undderstandingg of foreign culture.
Charless Darwin onnce recalledd: “Lookingg back as wwell as I caan at my chharacter duuring my
school life, the only qualities which at thhis period ppromised wwell for the future, werre, that I
had stroong and divversified tasstes, much zzeal for whatever interrested me, aand a keen ppleasure
in undeerstanding aany complexx subject orr thing.” (CCharles Darwwin, 1887:66) It’s belieeved that
most leearning demmands intereest. To somee extent, lannguage learrning needss more interrest than
other suubjects. Hoow to evokee the learneers’ interestt and keep their passioon in learnning is a
teacher’s initial tassk and challenge. Gamme method iis an efficieent way to aachieve thiss goal in
Englishh teaching. The article will mainlly illustratee the reasonns why we should usee games,
what ruules we shouuld obey, annd how to deesign goodgames in prreschool Ennglish teaching.
2. Gammes and Teaaching
2.1 Deffinition of GGames
There aare a varietyy of definitiions for gammes. Jill Haadfield (19884) defined games as aactivities
in whicch players eengage in aartificial connflict, are ddefined by rrules, and hhave a goall and an
elementt of fun, wwhich resullts in a quuantifiable outcome. SSimilarly, SSpodek Berrnard &
Sarachoo Olivia (19994:271) deeemed that “games aree a different kind of pllay activitiees. They
are highhly structureed and incluude specificc rules to bee followed.”” Brown (1996:176) arrgued “a
game could be anyy activity thhat firms a technique iinto each unnit that cann be scored in some
way.” JJohann Huizinga (19988) defined games as ffree activitiies standingg quite connsciously
outside “ordinary”” life as beeing “not seerious”, butt at the samme time abbsorbing thee player
intenselly and utterlly.
In vieww of the abbove, we caan learn thhat a “gamee” means aan activity which is ddone for
amusemment, often with challenge, and an activity in which the learnerrss play and usually
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interactt with otherss.
2.2 Gamme Method in Teachingg
According to the explanationn of Longmman Dictioonary of Laanguage Teeaching & Applied
Linguisstics, a “gaame” in lannguage teacching can bbe defined as an orgaanized activvity that
usually has the folllowing propperties:
a. a pparticular taask or objecttive;
b. a sset of rules;
c. commpetition bbetween playyers;
d. commmunicatioon between players by spoken or wwritten langguage.
(Richhards Jack CC, Platt Johnn, Platt Heiddi, 1992:191)
Games are activitiees governedd by rules, inn which thee player will enjoy andd have fun. TThey are
not onlyy a diversioon, a break from routinne activitiess, but a meaasure in whiich learner uses the
languagge in the gamme (Byrne, 1995).
Lu Ziwwen (2005) ppoints out thhat Englishh teaching ggames are pllaying activvities with ddramatic
conflictts, with thhe purposee of utiliziing Englissh knowleddge and hhelping to acquire
commuunicative coompetence. He emphaasizes four indispensabble charactteristics of English
teachingg games:
a. Drramatic. Thee characteristics of “draama” are differing fromm the ordinaary activitiees;
b. Playable. Parrticipation, ppresentationn, multi-sennsory, and mmultiple inttelligence aactivities
aree compliantt to the players’ interestts and menttal features, and with cllear rules;
c. Edducational. GGames are pplayed for laanguage leaarning.
With thhose points, we can look game teacching upon as: an efficcient teachinng method iin which
by utiliizing a set of playing activities, pplayers gett involved iin certain taasks to acccomplish
teachingg purposes.. In some CChinese kinndergartens, game teacching has ggrown into popular
teachingg techniquees most frequently useed. The teaachers emplloy various game activvities in
teachingg to help thhe children tto develop ttheir Englissh competennce as well as consoliddate their
learningg.
2.3 Currrent Researrches in Chiina
In Chinna, extremeely great immportance hhas been attached to eeducation siince anciennt times.
Many eeducators nooticed the roole of games in early chhildhood edducation lonng ago. For instance,
early inn Song andd Ming dynnasty, teacheers not onlly taught chhildren the daily routiines and
moral rrites, but aalso manageed to fosterr children’ss interest inn learning. They stresssed the
necessitty to make learning eenjoyable. CCheng Yi (AA prestigious educatorr in Song ddynasty)
noted thhat if your tteaching waas boring, nnobody coulld learn welll. Wang Shhouren (an eeducator
in Mingg dynasty) cclaimed thatt early teachhing shouldd make childdren happy and enjoyeed. Thus,
a varietty of game eelements likke singing, ddancing, annd story-telliing were addded to the tteaching
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processs, in order too make childdren learn kknowledge wwith a light heart (Wu YYexuan, 19996:33).
A numbber of recennt researchees also showw their prefference andd passion inn game teacching. Li
Shaoquun (2011) ddemonstratess that the aadvantage oof games iss not only hhelping teachers to
finish thhe teaching objectives successfullyy, but attraccting studennts to take a more activve part in
learningg English. Xie Guihuua (2006) pproves thatt games caan spur coooperation bbetween
studentss and help them to leearn from each other and make progress ttogether during the
teachingg process. HHao Hong ((2011) demmonstrates, ““During claassroom gammes, studennts focus
on the aactivity and end up withh a subconsscious absorrption of lannguage knowwledge.”
The eduucational vaalue of gamme method hhas been apppreciated evver and agaiin. It is noww widely
believedd that gammes are commmendablee teaching aids in Ennglish teachhing, especcially in
preschoool. Therefoore, it is of ggreat signifiicance to revvisit and exxplore the prractical use in more
detail inn order to drraw on it mmore effectivvely.
3. The VValue of Game Teaching
3.1 Theeoretical Foundation
3.1.1 Thhe Multiplee Intelligencces Theory
The theeory of multtiple intelliggences was pproposed byy Howard GGardner in 11983 to anallyze and
better ddescribe the concept off intelligencce. Gardner expounds tthat the conncept of inteelligence
as tradiitionally defined in psychometriccs (IQ tests)) does not sufficientlyy describe tthe wide
variety of humann cognitivee abilities. In fact, ggenerally iindividuals have eighht basic
intelligeences: Verbal-lingguistic iintelligencee, Musiical-rhythmmiic intellligence,
Logicall-mathematiical intelligence, Visuaal-spatial inttelligence, BBodily-kineesthetic inteelligence,
Intraperrsonal intellligence, Inteerpersonal iintelligence and Naturaalist intelliggence.
The theeory of Mulltiple Intelliigences conncentrates onn the diverssity, differennce and uniiqueness
of intellligence whhich validattes teacherss’ everyday experiencee: students think and learn in
many ddifferent wayys. It also pprovides teaachers with conceptual frameworkk for organizzing and
reflectinng on curricculum assesssment and pedagogicaal practices. In turn, thiis reflectionn has led
many teeachers to aadopt game method thaat might beetter meet thhe needs off various leaarners in
their claass.
3.1.2 Thhe Construcctivism Learrning Theorry (CLT)
CLT reffers to the cconcept that humans ggenerate knoowledge andd meaning ffrom an intteraction
betweenn their expeeriences annd their ideaas. Formalization of thhe theory oof constructtivism is
generally attributeed to Jean Piaget, whho articulateed mechanisms by wwhhich knowledge is
internallized by leaarners. He suggested that througgh the proccesses of acccommodattion and
assimilaation, indivviduals connstruct neww knowledgge from theeir experiennces. The core of
learningg process iss not the teaacher but stuudents. The teacher only plays a rroole as an orrganizer,
a directtor, a helper and a ppromoter. TThis methoddology focuses on mmaking the students
activelyy construct their knowwledge learnning themseelves (Tobias, S.; Dufffy, T. M. 22009). It
requiress the teacheers change ttheir roles tto be the guuiders, helpeers or prommoters insteaad of the
knowledge fillers aand suppliers. The studdents shouldd be the connstructors oof knowledgge rather
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than passive receivvers.
3.1.2 Pssychology TTheory
Early laanguage leaarning is likely to resullt in long-term outcomee if learningg is maintaiined and
reinforcced later. Penfield & RRobert’s (1959) study on lateraliization demmonstrated tthat it is
better tto start to learn a fforeign lannguage befoore pubertyy. Howeverr, results oof other
experimments indicaate otherwisse. Lateralizzation occurrs before four years oldd, and that ddoes not
interfere with the language acquisition (Krashen, 1973). Latteralization can take place at
differennt ages for ddifferent people, and thhe critical pperiod is not a certain aage (Scovell, 1981).
Howeveer, researchh suggests that childrren do havve advantagges in speeech percepttion and
mentaliity. Generallly speakingg, preschoollers have soome psychoological advvantages whhich can
facilitatte the learnning of a foreign lannguage. Baased on preeschoolers’ psychologyy, some
teacherss have triedd to transfoorm languaage learningg to interesting gamess so as to ooffer the
studentss with sufficcient commmunication ccircumstance.
For thee sake of aage, most preschoolerrs’ ability to control and regulaate their mmind and
behavioors is still weak and they are ssusceptible to most distractions so that theey can’t
concenttrate for a long time. According to Cooperr, Moodley & Reynelll (1978), chhildren’s
attentioon develops as they groow older. In the third yeear, single-cchannel atteention devellops and
attentioon must be fully obtainned to shiftt to a differrent task. Inn the fourthh year, childdren can
control their own ffocus of atteention to somme extent. IIn the fifth yyear, they ccan performm another
activityy while listeening to thee teacher whho is givingg directionss. By the sixxth year, thhey have
developped flexiblee and sustaained attentiion. To hellp kids sustain their aattention, a teacher
should manage to prevent theem from beeing distractted by irreleevant things and focuss on one
task.
3.2 Advvantages of Game Teaching
3.2.1 Beeseem the PPreschool Sttudents
Most off the studennts in kinderrgarten are aat the age of 3 to 6, whho love fun aand playingg games.
Mark PPennington (2008) stattes that moost studentss share the following characteristics: (1)
Curiouss and williing to learn things thhey consider useful; (2) Enjoy solving “rreal-life”
problemms; (3) Neeed to feel part of a ppeer groupp, consistingg of boys and girls, and are
influencced by peer pressure and conforrmity to theeir group; ((4) Prefer aactive over passive
learningg activities that involvve working with their peers; (5) NNeed adult support, guuidance,
and calmm directionn. In kinderggarten, the 33-year-olds can sustain their attenttion for 3-5 minutes,
the 4-yeear-olds aboout 10 minuutes, and thhe 5-year-oles 10-15 minutes. Thee praise and support
from thhe teacher caan serve as an importannt source foor self-regulation in thee kindergarteen. With
teacherss’ encouraggement andd disciplinne, childrenn are moree likely too develop positive
self-esteeem, becomming more rresponsible,, and will foollow through assignedd activities. English
teachingg which strresses grammmar learniing and meemorizing mmay make the kids loose their
interest and motivaation. Games fit the pssychologicaal features oof preschoool students, for they
can easily grasp thhe students’attention aand improvee their interrest in learnning Englishh. When
playingg a competittive game, sstudents aree trying their best to wiin or stand oout on the bbehalf of
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their teeam. They mmay behave very actiively while playing beecause theyy want to hhave the
chance to show, too score and tto win. By means of ggames teacher can accoomplish the purpose
of learnning in playiing, and plaaying in learrning.
3.2.2 Prrovide Learrning Motivation
One of the main rreasons whyy games aree considered necessaryy learning aaids is that learners
are mottivated to leearn the langguage whenn they are inn a game. MMcCallum (11980:9) empphasizes
that “gaames autommatically stimmulate studdent interestt, and a prooperly introdduced gamee can be
one of the highestt motivatingg techniquees.” “Gamees spur mottivation andd students gget very
absorbeed in the coompetitive aspects of games; mooreover, theyy try hardeer at games than in
other ccourses” (AAvedon, 19971). In otther words,, games sttimulate stuudents’ intterest in
classrooom activitiees and as a rresult, studeents becomee motivated and are willling to learnn.
To partticipate in a game, thhe studentss need to mmaster the new ideas, words, grammar,
knowledge, and soo on, which the teacher have presennted to themm before. It can be cleaarly seen
that gammes can caapture studeents’ attentiion and participation. They can provide a learning
motivattion to studdents whichh urges theem to learnn more. Evven in a veery easy gaame like
dictatioon, students also must bbe very conccentrated inn order to wiin.
3.2.3 Loower Studennts’ Stress
Anotherr advantagee is that sttudents’ anxxiety in lannguage learrning decreeases as games are
employyed. In convventional language classs, learners often feel stressful beecause they have to
be conffronted withh the unfamiliar target llanguage. BBesides, learrners may bbecome too anxious
about bbeing criticiized and puunished by their teachhers when tthey make a mistake. Schultz
(1988) argues thatt stress is aa major hinndrance in language leearning proocess. This process
[Learninng language in traditioonal way] iss by its natuure time connsuming annd stress proovoking.
It raisess the stress level to a ppoint at whiich it interfferes with sttudent attenntion and effficiency
and unddermines mmotivation. One methood has beenn developedd to make sstudents forrget that
they aree in class, reelaxing studdents by enggaging themm in stress-reeducing taskk (games).
Games are advantaageous at thhis point beecause they reduce anxiety, increaase positive feelings
and immpprove self--confidence because leearners will not be affraid of likkely punishment or
criticismm while praacticing the target languuage freely in games (CCrookal, 19990:112).
3.2.4 Offer the Oppportunity foor Real Commmunicationn
To deveelop an efficient and effective leaarning systemm, teacherss need to prrovide an oppen, and
flexiblee learning environmentt for learnerrs, for learnning environnment playys an importtant role
in English class. GGames bringg in real-lifee situations to the classsroom, provviding learnners with
more opportunitiess to use thhe target lannguage. In playing gaames, variouus contextss can be
created to enablee unconscioous learninng because learners’ attention iss on the mmessage
conveyeed, not on tthe linguisttic forms. TTherefore, wwhen studennts focus onn a game, tthey can
acquire language to some eextent in tthe same wway they aacquire theeir mother tongue.
Celce-MMurcia (19779:54) notess that “in ggames, languuage use taakes precedeence over language
practicee, and in this sense gammes help brring the claassroom to the real woorld, no mattter how
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contriveed they mayy be.” Playying games in the classsroom can enormouslyy increase sstudents’
ability in using language beecause studdents have more channces to usse languagee in the
situationns providedd.
4. Effecctive Gamee Teaching
4.1 Thee Principle oof Designingg Games
There aare a great number off games forr teachers too choose inn language class (see Andrew
Wright,, 2006). Howwever, in deeciding whiich game too use in a paarticular claass and whicch game
will be the most apppropriate aand most effficient withh their students, teacheers must takke many
factors into accounnt.
4.1.1 Puurposeful
First off all, games must be deesigned witthh specific ppurposes. They should not be regaarded as
marginaal activities, filling in oodd momennts when teaachers and cclass have nnothing better to do.
Becausee classroomm games arre devices ffor teachingg, they must be closeelly related wwith the
languagge knowledgge. If a gamme designedd only to mmake studennts happy, itt is only ann ordiary
game nnot fit for llanguage teaching. A classroom game mustt be approppriate and ccarefully
plannedd. Brumfit, CChristopherr, Moon, Jayyne and Rayy Tongue (11995:33) deemonstrate tthat “we
should consider whhether the ggame-like aactivity is foor children only to maake the lessoon more
attractivve and proteect them froom being boored or wheether we tennd to revisee and practice some
particullar part of grammar, vvocabulary,, etc. It is important not to wasste our timee. Some
activitiees have too complicateed rules or oon the otherr hand, some activities are too simmple, and
both thee cases makke children sspeak their native languuage, whichh we definittely want too avoid.”
So, when designinng a classrooom game, we shouldd consider ssufficiently about the key and
difficultt points of llanguage leaning to covver, and whhat knowleddge or abilitty we want students
to acquuire throughh the game.. In generaal, the following aspeccts are alwaays included in the
outliness of designinng the classsroom gamees for teachiing English in kindergaarten (Jiangg, 2010):
a. Maake the studdents revieww the words they have llearnt and enlarge theirr vocabularyy.
b. Immprove theirr interest in learning Ennglish and hhelp them ennjoy learninng.
c. Deevelop the students’ abiility of listenning, speakking and commmunicatinng.
d. Ennhance the ccooperative spirit.
4.1.2 Innteresting
One off the functioons of gammes is to immprove studdents’ intereest in learnning Englishh. If the
games are boringg or dull, how can tthey implement this function? IIn additionn, being
interesting is one of the mosst prominennt elements that should be takenn into accouunt first.
When wwe designinng a game, wwe should mmake sure thhat the gamme is attractiive enough to grasp
studentss’ attention and make them eager tto take a paart.
Howeveer, it shouldd be kept in mind that tthe main fuunction of gaames is teacching languuage, but
not justt making fuun. It is nott advisable to play gaames only ffor games’ ssake, that iis, while
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enjoyinng playing, students mmiss the oriientation tootally to prractice the target langguage as
requiredd. What’s mmore, if studdents get tooo excited, it’s hard forr teachers tto control thhe class.
The deggree of enjooyment shouuld be evaluuated and obbserved accordingly.
4.1.3 Vaarious
Althouggh most gammes are inteeresting, it ddoesn’t impply that teacchers can fixx on one orr several
games. If the teachhers don’t aalter the formms of gamees flexibly, students aree liable to gget tired,
and gammes will beecome borinng and losee its amazinng function. For exammple, a teachher may
choose the guessinng game to tteach vocabbulary in unnit 1, unit 2, and unit 33. When it ccomes to
unit 4, bbefore the vvocabulary class, the sttudents migght already figure out wwhat they arre going
to do annd lose the interest in it. But if thhe teacher uuses Bingo in unit 1, RRiddle in unnit 2 and
Compettition in unnit 3, then iin unit 4, thhe studentss will be exxpecting soommething noovel and
eager too get well pprepared forr it. So teachhers can chhange differeent forms oof games altternately
when ddesigning the class. Varrious and crreative Gammes can helpp to keep sttudents’ entthusiasm
in learnning Englishh.
4.1.4 Heuristic
It is a ccommon sennse now thaat in L2 claass teaching language kknowledge iis far from enough,
and devveloping stuudents’ commpetence foor communication has become thee main objeective. It
requestss that the teeaching activvities shoulld be closelyy related to real life, insspiring imaagination
and enlightening too innovationn. So the gaame designned for the uuse in the cllassroom shhould be
heuristiic. When pllaying gamees, teachers are suppossed to give some tips oor directionss to lead
studentss to think inn English aand use Engglish, insteaad of just prresenting thhem the neww words
and struuctures and ask them too practice.
4.1.5 Sttudent-centeered
In the ttraditional cclass, teachhers used too play a rolle as a leadder and domminator (Yuu & Niu,
2010). AAnd what sttudents need to do is liistening to tthem and takking notes, trying to mmemorize
what iss taught annd recall it in examination. Howwever, Consstructivism theory deeems that
teachingg should bee centered on studentss rather thaan on teachers so as too achieve thhe main
objectivves of teachhing. Teachhers are exxpected to ggive more time to thee students to learn
throughh more commmunicationn practice inn class. Onne of the fuunctions of game methhod is to
developp students’ oral compeetence and tthe games are student-focused acctivities. In playing
games, learners aree encourageed to take mmore active role in theirr learning pprocess. As a result,
they caan have a chance too develop ttheir comppetence rathher than juust learn language
knowledge.
4.2 Thee Procedure of Game TTeeaching
It is neccessary for those who want to usee games as a learning aaid to be cooncerned about how
to use thhem effectivvely. What should theyy do in pre-ggames, whille-games annd post-gammes?
4.2.1 Prre-games
First off all, determmine the puurpose. We know that games are not just foor fun. The teacher
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should kkeep in minnd what studdents wouldd learn throough these ggames. So bbefore usingg a game
in class, teachers shhould confiirm the purppose of this game. If they want to uuse a game to teach
vocabullary, they shhould ensurre which woords studennts are requiired to mastter during thhe game
first. Buut what theyy should pay more atteention to is tthe knowleddge they chhooose to teacch in the
game sshould fit thhe level off the studennts’. Here is an episoode excerptts from Claassroom
Activityy 5 Nov, 15, 2006.
Episodee 1:
Numberr game is aa game to coonsolidate tthe numberss. Accordinng to the teaaching mateerial and
teachingg plan, the ssimple nummbers are arrranged to bee taught in UUnit 6 PEP11 for Grade 3.
T: Now let’s count the numberrs from one to ten then ten to one.
One, twwo, three, foour, five, sixx, seven, eiigght, nine, tten, ten, ninne, eight, seeven, six, five, four,
three, twwo, one. Haands up
Ss :(maany of the stuudents put ttheir hands up but somme students ddo their otheers things.)
Ss: Onee, two, threee, four, five,six, seven, eight, nine,, ten, ten, niine, eight, sseven, six, ffiive, four,
three, twwo, one.
S1: Onee, two, threee, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,, ten, ten, niine, eight, sseven, six, ffiive, four,
three, twwo, one. (OOthers laughh with hahahha)
T: Very good, a gamme for you!!
Miss HHee says one ((showing onne finger), yyou should 一个人站。。 Miss Hee says two ((sshowing
two finggers), 两个个人站在一起起，没有找找到朋友的回回到自己的的座位上， back to youur seats.
Miss HHee says four (showing foour fingers),, 4个人站在在一起，没没有找到朋友友的回到自自己的位
子上，back to youur seats.
Understand? Who is the winner? Come oon, leave your seat, 离离开位置。
Ss: OK!!
(While 6 boy studeents sit all thhe same.)
T :( Sayy to the 6 stuudents) Comme on, let’s pplay.
S1: 老老师师，我不想想玩，太幼幼稚稚啦， 太太简简单啦，不不想玩。
S2:就是是啊，我们们大大了，才不不玩这种游游戏戏呢。
T: Neveer mind, noww listen, onee.
Ss: Stannd lonely.
T: Two
Ss: Stannd in pairs. (a boy stannds with a bboy and a ggirl stands wwith a girl inn pairs andd the last
boy hass to stand wwith the girl but they staand far aparrt.)
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Intternational Jouurnal of Englissh Language EEducation
ISSN 22325-0887
2016, Vol. 4, No. 1
T: Three
Ss: Stannd with otheer two childdren (standdiing with thee same gendder as beforre. At last ttwo boys
and twoo girls havee not foundd their friendds. They doo not want to leave theeir friends with the
differennt sex. At lasst, two boyss go to theirr seats direcctly with thee words “ 我我们回去好好啦，不
玩了，我才不跟女女孩子一组组呢”。 Twoo girls havee to go back to the seatss too.
Since thhe game is too easy, some studennts lose inteeresting in pplaying the game. In thhe same
way, iff the game beyond thee current linnguistic levvel too mucch, it also ddecreases sstudents’
interesting.
Second, choose thee pattern. Because gammes are varioous, teacherrs should chhoose one paattern of
them wwhich is thee most suittable for thhe purpose of this gamme. Such aas they cann choose
guessinng game, binngo, charaddes to teach vocabularyy, use role-play, make ddialogues, suurvey to
teach grrammar, or tongue twisster, songs, gossip to teeach oral Ennglish and soo on.
Then, mmake out thhe rules stepp by step. BBefore explaining the rrules to thee class, the teachers
should first undersstand clearlyy how the ggame is plaayed. It concludes wheenn to use thiis game,
whetherr the studennts will be ddivided intoo pairs or ggroups, what the studennts are askeed to do,
what thhey cannot ddo, and so on.
The lastt one, makee the preparation. Sincee it is ratherr difficult too find a gamme that meetts all the
needs oof the purpooses, carefull preparatioon of teacheers is necesssary. Teacheers may neeed some
extra eqquipment oor materials to play thhe game, buut most of tthe time thhese equipmment and
materiaals are not aavailable in the. So theyy should maake a good preparationn before plaaying the
game.
4.2.2 WWhile-gamess
When iit is time too play the game, teacheers should eexplain its rrules to stuudents first and in a
direct aand non-commplicated wway. If the students caannot underrstand howw to play thhe game,
there is no educatioonal purposse in playingg the game. So it may bbe necessarry to use thee mother
tongue to explain tthe rules, ass they are juust preschool students who merelyy touch Engglish for
a short time. In adddition, demmonstrations may also be necessaary, becausee they can help the
studentss to understtand the rulees clearly annd easily.
Episodee 2
T: Now let’s play aa funny game, 我们来玩玩一个有趣趣的游戏。
Ss: Greeat!
T: Do aas T Say, 找找我说的做. 当我说 AAct like A, 你你们就2个个人或者三三个个人合作，用身体
部位摆摆出相应的字字母A。如如果果我说 Acct like B, 你你们该怎么做做呀？
Ss: 两人人合作摆出出一个B。
T：Greeat！ Now let’s begin。Act like A..
Ss posee A
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