how can I negatively influence students by using games?

[Luba]

Dear colleagues,

I would like to ask you to write some ideas on the following topic: What should I be aware of while using games and funny activities at English lessons? or What can happen if I dont use these activities the right way?

I was asked to give a seminar on Games topic and I would like to see it from different perspectives and share the ideas and opinions with my colleagues.

Thank you very much for your time and effort.

Have a beautiful day,

Luba from Slovakia

[Brian]

From my own experiences, there's a danger of the language taking second place and the focus moving to scoring points or winning the game.

I've had this happen a few times, where students scrawl answers hurriedly on paper or shout across a room with awful grammar and pronunciation - the goal of the lesson is lost, but the students have a whale of a time.

I realise this is my own fault, and it's important to set these activities up carefully so that the students are aware of the real purpose. It's great for the students to have fun, but if the learning point is going out the window, what's the point?

Brian

[mesmark]

The biggest problems with games that I can think of is competition and how losing destroys some kids' spirits. Other students just aren't competitive and may just shutdown when they would normally try.

Mark
www.mes-english.com

[Luba]

those are quite good points, thank you. But I think that games are not necessarily only about being a winner or a loser. but i do admit that most of the games have their winners. i guess it is also about the definition of "a game".

[shahramca]

Hello,

I am not a native speaker of English but I am teaching English in a program called LINC. LINC=Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada. It is a national program with unique standards and expectations.

I cannot decide whether this is a comment or a teaching idea. I would like to express my regrets regarding the name of this game. We as the language teachers need to show much more cultural and social sensitivity toward immigrants, refugees, and international students. We must look much deeper into the issues, rather than simply follow others and use the same name(s).

I have NOT been using the name Hangman in my lessons. Instead, I have been using the names "Living man" or "Making a man". I use a technique for spelling of words for the beginners, gradually making the same game more difficult for higher levels by introducing simple and then more complex context in the sentences. I reverse the order of Hangman to draw limbs to make a man. I create a person as they respond correctly step-by-step to complete their task or objective. I make the learning process a positive one. The students try to do something positive and learn at the same time. If they don’t have the correct answer during the allowed time, they try harder next time. This prevents them from seeing somebody die because of their failure to complete a language-learning task.

Whoever created the name Hangman, did not have any consideration for the lives of human beings. Developed countries symbolize civilization and respect for human rights; however, a simple language- learning game contradicts those very important and universally expected principles.

New immigrants and refugees do not need to see similar images to what they have already experienced in their countries. I had discussed this matter with several of my colleagues and they have agreed with me.

I hope all teachers of English will remove that name from their materials and spread the word on other web sites and among their colleagues.

Best regards,

shahramca

[Luba]

thank you for your reply. I know what you mean. I draw a house with windows, a door and a chimney instead of a hung man. Try that

L.

[mesmark]

Whoever created the name Hangman, did not have any consideration for the lives of human beings. Developed countries symbolize civilization and respect for human rights; however, a simple language- learning game contradicts those very important and universally expected principles.

That game is played among elementary school children all across the US and I'm guessing Canada as well as else where. That may be why some ESL teachers use it in their classes and feel it to be innocuous. I have to admit that I have played the game in the past, but refrain from doing so now. I never had a problem with the game, but I heard the argument about cultural insensitivity and stopped using the game. (Although the argument I heard was more to open the eyes of the teacher, not chastise them for their ignorance.)

My question regarding this is has anyone ever actually had a problem with that game in class? Not, a friend of a friend's story. Again, I'm not for the game I'm just wondering if people are agressively attacking urban legend.

Back to the topic:
Another problem sometimes with games is bullying. Sometimes when I have tried to be funny or amusing with an activity it has opened the games for some students to harass others.

Example: possessives activity with whose that went wrong

Amungst a group of objects, I had a hand-drawn picture of a boy and a girl. "I asked whose girl friend is this?" and one student answered it's Ken's and everybody had a good laugh. Then I went on to mix it up and argue with Ken that it was my girlfriend and he can't have her. Again, a good laugh.

We went on with the boy and whose boyfriend is this. One student chose a girl and she denied it and said it was someone elses. Again, a good laugh and I thought all was going well.

We broke up in groups for an interview/scavenger hunt type game. The students were supposed to define which things were whose. Well, the group that had the boyfriend said it was the boyfriend of another boy in the class. I didn't catch it before the activity went live and what was supposed to be a fun activity went really wrong.

[xtaticfeeling]

If they are competitive. There are non-competitive games which are far better.

[Senorita Daniels]

The main problem with games is not to use them all the time. You don't want the students to think that the class is just a place where you do nothing but have fun.
Hangman- I have used this some with my students. After reading someone's post about how Bosnian or Kosavar (don't remember which group) reacted to this, I decided to try something a little different with a begining reading group. I drew something from the story. They could use any word in the story, and the book to help figure out words. These kids were in first grade and advanced kindergarteners. They enjoyed it.