The Significances of Games

2. 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 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. 28 Lee also said “They banish boredom and so make for willing learners.” 29 Based on journal of Agnieszka Uberman, Hansen 1994:118 stated that “they are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings”. While Zdybiewska 1994:6 “Games to be a good way of practicing language, for they provide a model of what learners will use the language for in real life in the future”. 30 Further support comes from Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen and Khuat Thi Thu 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 interested. These create the motivation for learners of English to get involved and participate actively in the learning activities. 31 Basen on Lee Su Kim, there are many advantages of using games in the classroom: 28 Aydan Ersoz, Six Games for the EFLESL Classroom; The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 6, June 2000. http:www.aitech.ac.jp~itesljLessonsErsoz-Games.html . Retrieved on January, 12 2011 29 W R LEE, Language Teaching Games and Contests, 2 nd Ed, Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 1. 30 Agnieszka Uberman, The Use of Games For Vocabulary Presentation and Revision, Forum, Vol. 36 No 1, January - March 1998 Page 20. http:exchanges.state.govenglishteachingforumarchives1998docs98-36-1-d.pdf Retrieved, Janury, 12, 2011. 31 Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen and Khuat Thi Thu Nga, Learning Vocabulary Through Games, Asian EFL Journal - December 2003. http:www.asian-efl- journal.comdec_03_sub.Vn.php . Retrieved on January, 12 2011 a. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class. b. They are motivating and challenging. c. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning. d. Games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing, listening and reading. e. They encourage students to interact and communicate. f. They create a meaningful context for language use. 32 In addition, McCallum 1980 explains that there are many advantages of games such as: a. Focus students’ attention on specific structures, grammatical patterns, and vocabulary items. b. Can function as reinforcement, review and enrichment. c. Involve equal participation from both slow and fast learners. d. Can be adjusted to suit the individual age and language levels of the students. e. Contribute to an atmosphere of healthy competition, providing an outlet for the creative use of natural language in a non-stressful situation. f. Can be used in any language teaching situations and with all skill areas reading, writing, speaking or listening. g. Provide immediate feedback for the teacher. h. Ensure maximum student participation for a minimum or teacher preparation. 33 According to Martha Lengeling and Casey Malarcher as they wrote in their journal, they divided the general benefit into four aspects: a. Affective: 1 Lowers affective filter 2 Encourages creative and spontaneous use of language 3 Promotes communicative competence 4 Motivates 5 Fun. b. Cognitive: 1 Reinforces 2 Review and extends 32 Lee Su Kim, Creative Games for the Language Class Forum. Vol. 33 No 1, January - March 1995, Page 35. http:exchanges.state.govenglishteachingforumarchives1995docs95-33- 1-l.pdf . Retrieved on January, 12 2011 33 George P. McCallum, 101 Word Games: For Students of English as a Second or Foreign Language, Oxford University Press, 1980, p. ix 3 Focuses on grammar communicatively c. Class Dynamics: 1 Student centered 2 Teacher acts only as facilitator 3 Builds class cohesion 4 Fosters whole class participation 5 Promotes healthy competition. d. Adaptability: 1 Easily adjusted for age, level, and interests 2 utilizes all four skills 3 requires minimum preparation after development 34 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.

3. Types of Communication Games