Applying games to an English class
DONG NAI EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT
NAM HA HIGH SCHOOL
Code :
THE INITIATIVE EXPERIENCE
APPLYING GAMES TO AN ENGLISH CLASS
Teacher : DUONG LE THANH THUY
Research field :
Education management : ……………
Teaching method : English ………………
Methodology : ………………
Other fields : …………………
Attachments :
Object
Software
Film
Other things
School year: 2011 - 2012
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
CURRICULUM VITAE
I. PERSONAL INFORMATION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Full name: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Date of birth: February 20th, 1977
Sex: Female
Address: 141/ 114 – Tan Phong – Bien Hoa – Dong Nai
Telephone number: 0918090244
Fax: E-mail :
[email protected]
Work: Teacher
Place of work: Nam Ha high school
II. Training standard
-
Diploma: Bachelor
Graduation year: 1998
Major in: Teaching
III. Scientific Experience
-
Major in: teaching
The length of service: 13 years
The initiative experience:
1. Combination of various skills in teaching “Word study” (2006 – 2007)
2. Teaching Speaking in a Reading period (2007 -2008)
3. How to check the previous lesson effectively (2008 – 2009)
4. Raising the effect of using English (2009 – 2010)
5. Developing students’ listening skill by varifying exercises (2010 -2011)
Index
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
I.
The purpose of the chosen subject
A. The purpose of the subject chosen
B. The foundation from the fact
II.
Advantages and Disadvantages
A. Advantages
B. Disadvantages
C. Objects and Researching methods
III.
The content of the subject
IV.
The sample of teaching lesson
V.
Effect of application
VI.
Requirements
VII.
Conclusion
VIII. Reference data
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
A. The purpose of the subject chosen
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
Nowadays teaching as well as learning English is compulsory for all grades (from the
primary school to the university or especially after the university) because it plays an important role
in communicating, updating the information or doing researches.
To teachers, how to teach effectively, applicably and attractively?
To students, how to learn the lessons by heart fast and easily as well as use them correctly?
This is always a big question for teachers before each teaching period and for students when
studying a foreign language (especially English). Basically, there have been many changes in
content and the methods of teaching foreign languages (in general), English (in particular).
The purpose of curriculums and books is helping students obtain the main knowledge of the
modern practical English and know how to use English as a means of communication. However,
students are still under pressure, students aren’t really active and creative because in Vietnam,
teaching and studying a foreign language (especially English) at the high schools as well as at other
grades mainly focus on grammar, that’s why an English class becomes boring and passive. To break
the silence in class and how to find out the solutions to this hot topic. It’s still a problem for teachers
of foreign language at the professional work-shops.
In fact, to find out the best solutions to the problems teachers often meet while teaching and
studying foreign languages, all groups and departments related to education usually carry out the
movements, the contests or the discussions which help teachers have opportunities to gather, talk to
and learn experiences with each other.
Thanks to the annual plan for writing the creative teaching experience of Nam Ha high
school and Dong Nai Education and Training Department, I think of the way to make an English
class more interesting and students feel relaxed while studying. With the 13-year teaching
experience, I have had an idea and applied it to the fact. That idea is named:
“ Applying games to an English class.”
B. The foundation from the fact:
-
To enable English classes more interesting and more fascinating.
-
To help students feel relaxed from the beginning to the ending of a learning period.
-
To help students get not only the knowledge but also the studying methods after each class.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES
DURING MY PREPARATION
OF THE SUBJECT
A. Advantages:
-
Realizing the importance of studying foreign languages, many parents have paid more
attention to their children’s studying.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
- There are various teaching techniques supporting for an English class (computer, screen and
flash light).
-
The head-staff board always suports and helps teachers during the teaching period.
-
There are many experienced teachers in the Foreign language group.
-
In school, many teachers who are good at the I.T help us design games.
-
More students are interrested in learning English.
-
Teachers are always enthusiastic and creative in teaching.
B. Disadvantages:
-
Students’ capacity is much limited and at different levels. Some of them are quite deficient
in the base of learning English.
-
Some students pronounce habitally wrongly and the teachers feel in vain in correction.
Moreover, they transcribe English into Vietnamese without using the International Phonetic
Alphabet. This wrong study leads their lack of English knowledge. The teachers must face
this problem – A great difficulty in our teaching.
-
The majority of students have lack of self-confidence in listening to teachers’ expanation in
English.
-
Most students, for the sake of the university entrance examinations, consider some other
subjects, such as: maths, physics, chemistry, even biology more important than English. As
the result, they learn English with a rather ignorant attitude.
-
Time for a teaching period is relatively short.
-
In Bien Hoa city, there aren’t many opportunities for students to communicate in English.
-
Students fail to study properly and don’t have enough time to take part in the English
speaking clubs.
C. Objects and the methods of doing the research:
-
Objects: students at Nam Ha high school (class 11A1 – A2 – A3 – C2)
-
The methods of doing the research:
+ Read books as well as other documents.
+ Learn experience from the colleagues.
+ Do some experiments – make statistics – consider the results.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
CONTENT
With the following games, we can apply them to all the skills as well as the steps of teaching and
learning foreign languages ( particularly English). To make a teaching period more effective and
fantastic, teachers must be flexible in choosing the proper games for each lesson or each skill.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
1. BRAINSTORMING/ NETWORKS
Eg : English 10 Unit 6 (Listening and Speaking)
Requirement : In this game, students can do it individually to show their feelings, thoughts and
ideas based on teacher’s given questions.
Performance : teacher makes questions – students answer.
Example:
1. Do you like traveling?
2. When do you often go?
3. Where do you like to go?
4. What do you often prepare for your trip or picnic?
Aim : This game can be used to introduce or enforce a lesson, such as “ Listening” or “Reading”.
Its purpose is helping students guess the subject and the information about the lesson. Moreover
students can review the previous knowledge and learn the new words by heart at the same time.
2. RUB OUT AND REMEMBER
Requirement : In this game, students can do it individually, in pairs or groups.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
Eg: English 12 Unit 14 (Reading)
Performance :
-
Teacher gives a short passage or some sentences with the missing information.
-
Students read and fill in the gaps with the words they have just learnt. (Note : teacher asks
students to close all books and notebooks while doing the game.)
WORLD CUP, the international football
tournament, is held every four years. It is considered
the most popular sporting event in the world. The
World Cup is followed with passionate interest around
the globe- the final game of the 2002 World Cup
tournament attracted more than one billion viewers.
Aim : This game is for the consolidaion of a lesson, such as “ Listening” or “Reading”. It helps
students review the words they have just learnt. Besides, this game is vey useful for the lesson
having many difficult words because of its data and logicality.
3. CROSSWORD
Requirement : A class is divided into four groups in this game.
Performance :
-
Teacher gives the topic and some suggestions (the initial letters and pictures)
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
- Students guess and write the answers.
-
When time is up, a representative of each group writes the answers on the board. The winner
is the group having more right answers. Teacher should give the winner a present to
stimulate their enthusiasm in the next class.
Eg: English 12 Unit 10 (Listening)
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
In another form, the teacher can give the questions
Eg : English 11 Unit 3
1
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
2
3
4
5
6
1. My mother often makes a………….. for my bithday.
2. On your birthday, you often receive a lot of …………………
3. The day when you were born is called…………………………
4. A piece of paper which you often write best wishes on for your friends on New
Year or Christmas Day. It’s a ………………..
5. ……………… is on December 24th.
6. January 1st is the day of ……………………
1 C A K E
2 P R E S E N T S
3 B I R T H D A Y
4 C A R D
5 C H R I S T M A S
6 N E W Y E A R
Aim : This game is used in “ Listening” or “Speaking”. Especially, we can use it to introduce or
conclude the lesson because students can guess the topic of the lesson or list the words and then
learn them by heart.
4. NOUGHTS AND CROSSES
This game is like “ ca ro” in Vietnamese. It can be done at the end of the lesson.
Requirement : A class is divided into two groups.
Performance :
-
Teacher forms a frame with a signal for each group. “ Nought” (O) for this group and
“ Cross” (X) for the other (colors instead).
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
- Each group does the game in turn. If the group has the correct answer, its signal or color will
appear on the screen. When time is up, the turn will be exchanged if that group has no
answer. If all two groups don’t have the answers, teacher will erase the signal or color. When
the group has three signals in one line, that group will be the winner. On the contrary, when
no group has enough signals as required, the winner will be based on the number of the right
answers.
Aim : we can use it to consolidate the lesson.
Eg: English 12 Unit 12 (Listening)
5. LUCKY NUMBERS/ STARS/ FLOWERS
Requirement : A class is divided into two groups.
Performance : This game is like “ The Road to Olympia Mount”
-
Teacher forms a frame with numbers.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
- Each group does as required with the chosen numbers. In this game, if they choose the lucky
number, they will be able to get a prize.
Eg : English 10 Unit 13 (Writing)
In this game teacher can give some questions related to the beneath picture.
1. What vehicles are used in the sea ?
2. What works were written by Walter Lord?
3. Which film made Leonardio Dicapro, an actor, become famous?
4. In which film did Leonardo Dicarpro act with Kate Winslet?
5. What is Kate Winslet’s nationality?
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
Aim :
-
This game should be used for introducing or consolidating a lesson such as “
Listening”,“Reading” or “Writing”.
-
We can combine this game with another game (ex: description) in “ Speaking” period or
“ More exercise”.
6. DESCRIPTION
Requirement : Students can play this game in pairs or groups.
Eg : English 11 Unit 1 (Speaking)
Performance: Teacher can give not only pictures but also suggestions and then make an
example.
- This is a baby girl.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
- She is wearing a sleeveless dress with flowers and having some bubbles in hand.
- She looks very beautiful because she has white complexion,round black eyes, full lips, a
straight nose and short black hair.
- She looks very happy.
Aim : This game is often used in “ Speaking” period or “ More exercise” because it can help
students to recall and use the words they have learnt in “Reading” period effectively and
correctly.
7. QUIZ
Requirement : Students can play this game in pairs or groups.
Performance: Like “Ring the gold bell” game on VTV3, class should be divided into four
groups.
Then, teacher makes questions and students write answers on the boards (each group has a
small board).
Next, teacher will give one point for the group having the right answer.
At the end of the game, the winner is the group having the most points. They will be given a
prize and a special prize for the group having the right answer for the difficult question.
Aim : this game not only provides students with the basic knowlegde but also reminds them
of the applied vocabularies. It’s very useful for “Test yourself” period.
1. What mouse can go on 2 feet ?
(Mickey)
2. What mouse can’t go ?
(computer mouse)
3. Please tell the name of the national cities in China.
( Benjing, Shanghai, Trung Khanh and Tianjin)
4. What is the highest Mount in the world ?
(Mount Everest)
………………………………
8. MATCHING
Requirement : Students can play this game individually, in pairs or groups.
Performance: Like “Olympic English” program which is conducted by The National
Education and Training Department. Thanks to the information technology, we can let two
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
lines of words run about three times for students to observe, remember and match them with
each other correctly.
Merry
Year
Happy
Ending
Sing
Claus
Santa
Chrismas
New
A song
Aim : this game helps students to react fast. It can be used in “ Listening” or “Reading” period.
The example lesson: Unit 3 - “Reading” - Grade 11.
I.
Warm up
BRAINSTORMING :
- Teacher gives students a game with some questions to discuss within 5 minutes.
- Students guess the answers.
- Teacher checks students’ answers and give some presents for the pairs or the groups having
more right answers to increase the excitement before beginning the lesson.
Example:
1. Do you like going camping?
2. Who do you go camping with?
3. Where do you often go camping?
4. What do you often prepare when you go camping?
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
STRONG POINTS
Students can guess the content and the vocabularies of the lesson in advance or learn the
words they have just learnt by heart.
It can ease the Reading comprehesion lesson for students .
All students at any levels can take part in this game.
II. Pre- reading
VOCABULARY:
Teacher
- Teacher can give students some keywords to
guess the kinds of words as well as their
meanings .(students can do the preparation at
home.)
1. celebrate
2. anniversary
3. adult
4. joke
5. milestone
6. silver anniversary
7. golden anniversary
Students
- Students do the exercise teacher gives
(v) làm lễ kỉ niệm
(n) ngày, lễ kỉ niệm
(n) người trưởng thành
(v/ n) nói đùa
(n) cột mốc, mốc lịch sử
(n) kỉ niệm đám cưới bạc
(n) kỉ niệm đám cưới vàng
Students learn these provided words visually within 5 minutes before beginning the new game.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY
Applying games to an English class
MATCHING
silver
celebrate
milestone
anniversary
golden
anniversary
cột mốc, mốc
ngày, lễ kỉ
kỉ niệm đám
làm lễ kỉ niệm
lịch sử
niệm
cưới bạc
kỉ niệm đám
cưới vàng
anniversary
Using the information technology to let 2 lines of words run in parallel for about 3 times for
students to match the words meaningfully. The winner is the group having the most right
answers.
STRONG POINTS
Students can learn the vocabularies by heart at the class.
It enables students to learn vocabularies in groups .
All students at any levels can take part in this game.
III. While- reading
READING COMPREHENSION
Teacher
Students
- Let students read- comprehend the
lesson individually, in pairs or
groups.
- Students read- comprehend the lesson individually,
in pairs or groups.
School year: 2011 – 2012
written by: DUONG LE THANH THUY