Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fred zepplin]

Ok, this may sound a little stupid to some people but I need some help with the games. I have no problem finding great lesson plans and ideas, but I do find that many of the activities and games aren't expalined very well. I think to have any confidence of pulling off a game in a PS elementary class you gotta know the game inside out.

Has anyone got any links that might help me this problem, or any general advice.

[Ramen]

i know how to explain but not explaline.

[winterfall]

Lots of newbies get hung up on the idea that they've got explain every game in minute detail. I did it too when I first started. Found out, uts not necessary and boring as hell.

General rule of thumb, if it takes you more than 15 seconds to explain / show how it works. It's too hard / complicated. You need to cut it down

If you don't mind spending 10 minutes on a practice round with the class that works too

The kids are smarter than we give em credit for. They don't need to know all the nuts and bolts. Just give them the framework. Chances are they're find a better way of doing it

[Kaypea]

Yeah, I've found there's lots of games that other teachers swear by, which don't work for me for some reason. Simple games are great, like BAAM games/ Bomb Games, where the rules are... answer the question, get the points, but if you get the bomb, you lose all your points.

Guessing games are good and easy too. You say: I'm thinking of an animal. Students: Is it big? You: yes. Students: is it a bear? You: No. Clue number two. It's grey... etc. These are great for students of all levels, and they'll want to play them all day (probably because it's not really studying ... so maybe you shouldn't... play them all day, that is)

[lifeinkorea]

Another thing to do is go in with an incomplete game. Just make up some general rules. I made a flash battleship grid, simple one with just fields for letters (lettered and numbered on the sides). Every class played it differently. Sometimes we spelled words, sometimes we made sentences. Sometimes, they earned points, sometimes we just counted the squares not covered.

When you play (small or large class), you will have a few students who want to enforce the "rules". This is part of the fun in playing, you can go with their viewpoint or if they say something outlandish you can have some fun with it.

If you are planning your lessons out from beginning to end, you might as well become a lecturer at a university. This is about interaction and getting students to participate.