Ingrid Velásquez

• Help to involve learners actively in the learning process.

• Provide a challenge which encourages learners to stretch themselves

(in order to win). Most games involve learners in reactivating the languagethey have studied and in trying to use it meaningfully.

• Help learners to forget they are studying: they lose themselves in thefun of the game and the activity motivates them.

• Encourage collaborative learning. Team games require pooling of

knowledge, pair games require co-operation and turn-taking. Students canLearn from one another. A good reader with a more proficient speaker cancombine skills to make a winning team.

• Provide variety of pace. Games can be short, long and can involve writing,

speaking, listening or reading.

• Give extra practice without inducing boredom. Many games involve repetition of the same language over and over again. In normal circumstances this would feel artificial and be demotivating.

• The rules have to be as clear as possible.

• Don’t explain the game – demonstrate it.

• Don’t let games drag on too long.

• Try to use games where there is more than one winner.

• Assess the learning value of a game.

• Consider very carefully the language needed to play the game.

• Invent games which recycle language from the main textbook Balance the types of games you use.

• Don’t overuse games.

Basic Criteria

For judging what is or is not a game, the basic criteria, which not only apply to "games with rules", but to all games, is as important as the special criteria for "games with rules". Here are the criteria which all games have.

Diving into the world of the game

4.1 Common experience

Games bring people together, regardless of gender, generation, and race. Most games are multi-player games which lead to group experiences, which linger after the game is over. But there are groups of games which are played alone. These are the so-called solitaire games and most computer games.

4.2 Equality

In a game, all players are equal and have the same chance to win. Where else in this does absolute equality exist? I think that is one of the reasons that children love to play games, because in a game with adults, they are equal partners.

4.3 Freedom

Whoever plays a game, does it from his freedom of choice. He is not forced or coerced by anyone to play. Playing games is not work, not commitment, nothing you have to do. Therefore, we can say that playing games means being free. This freedom is basic to all games. Here the embracing game term has its value.

• Personalized or localize games. A game or quiz about famous people

can include not only internationally known stars but local people too.

• Adapt games to suit all levels if possible (to make the most of the

material you have prepared). The Famous Person game can work with

beginners asking: ‘Is he Italian?’ ‘Is he French?’ ‘Where’s he/she

from?

Invent games which recycle language from the main textbook.

If you note that learners have main lessons with their teacher, you can prepare a short time bingo covered

time-telling this week in their game with blank clock faces on cards. Each pupil fills in the clock

faces and then the teacher calls out a random

Card games

Example: Holiday destinations gameDialogue games with card prompts

Memory gamesBingo

Picture pairs/snap/happy familiesSpot the nonsense.

Games for asking questions

Games for fluency

These games do not just focus on using the right vocabulary or structures

but encourage learners to use all the language at their disposal to

communicate freely.

Dilemmas/Scruples/Taboo-type games

Charades

Revision games (or recycling textbook work in a fun way!)

Board games

Revision bubbles

•Question challenge based on the textbook

Example: Student questions for the category ‘Geography’ in a college.

‘Is Turkey in the EU?’

‘Where is the singer Dido from?’

‘What is the population of France?’

Playing means being active

Spiritual Areathinking, combiningplanningmaking decisionsconcentratingtraining your mindreceiving knowledgeunderstand the impact of systems

Emocional Arearules, accepting lawsto learn how to work with others

•to learn how to lose•use to learn more about yourself and others

•to fantasy and creativity

Motor AreaPractice to learn how to lose

use to learn more about yourself and others

to fantasy and creativity

Motor Area

Practice skillfulness

Practice reactivos•illfulness

•practice reactions

http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/WhatIsaGame.shtml

http://hippasus.com/resources/gameandlearn/slides/1_WhatIsAGame.pdf

http://www.addictinggames.com/funny-games/index.jsp

http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html

http://www.fungames.com/

http://www.gamesforboysfree.com/download-games/genres/free-strategy-games/?gclid=CKrc6JvCocECFfLm7AodVVgABQ