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cooperatively, compare with each other, strategize, think in a different way, compare and share knowledge, learn from others, learn from
mistakes, work in a less stressful and more productive environment, and allow people to have fun.
Therefore, it is important that teachers should not see games as time fillers or tools designed for fun only, but integrate them into their
foreign language teaching programmers. Competition, which is associated with games, plays a crucial role
as for the nature of games requires. Learners are excited by competition because the question of who will win or lose remains unanswered until
the game is over.
b. The Significances of Games
Games provide language teachers and learners with many advantages when they are used in classroom. One of those advantages is
that learners are motivated to learn the language when they are playing a game. As Ersoz 2011: 1 holds that games are highly motivating because
they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication.
Lee 1980: 1 also said “They banish boredom and so make for willing learners.”
Based on Huyen and Nga, games bring in relaxation and fun for students, thus help them learn and retain new words more easily. Then,
games usually involve friendly competition and they keep learners
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interested. These create the motivation for learners of English to get involved and participate actively in the learning activities ELF Journal.
Chen 2000: 2 states that there are some benefits of using games in language-learning. Games:
- are learner centered.
- promote communicative competence.
- create a meaningful context for language use.
- increase learning motivation.
- reduce learning anxiety.
- integrate various linguistic skills.
- encourage creative and spontaneous use of language.
- construct a cooperative learning environment.
- foster participatory attitudes of the students.
So, games making learning easier in an enjoyable way suggests that games are full of fun which leads to successful learning. In many
games, learners are required to cooperate to achieve the goal and most learners enjoy cooperation and social interaction. It is believed that when
cooperation and interaction are combined with fun, successful learning becomes more possible.
c. Types of Communicative Games
Classifying games into categories can be difficult, because categories often overlap. Hadfield 1996: v explains two ways of
classifying language games. She divides language games into two types:
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Linguistic Games and Communicative Games. Linguistic games focus on accuracy, such as supplying the correct antonym. On the other hand,
communicative games focus on successful exchange of information and ideas, such as two people identifying the differences between their two
pictures which are similar to one another but not exactly alike. Correct language usage, though still important, is secondary to achieving the
communicative goal. Lee 1980: 2 added that communicative games are not necessarily
lengthy or complex. There is something to be communicated to others or to be found out from others, and the learners want to keep the game
going because they are interested in it. Moreover, Hadfield 1996: v-vi classifies language games into
many more categories: a.
Sorting, ordering, or arranging games. For example, students have a set of cards with different products on
them, and they sort the cards into products found at a grocery store and products found at a department store.
b. Information gap games
In such games, one or more people have information that other people need to complete a task. For instance, one person might have a
drawing and their partner needs to create a similar drawing by listening to the information given by the person with the drawing.
Information gap games can involve a one-way information gap, such
