Principles of Game Selection

3. Principles of Game Selection

In determining the games in developing students‟ vocabulary, the teacher should have the clearly purpose in their mind. If the purpose is to make learning English vocabulary successfully, the teacher need to In determining the games in developing students‟ vocabulary, the teacher should have the clearly purpose in their mind. If the purpose is to make learning English vocabulary successfully, the teacher need to

a. Easy preparation: the time and energy required to make the game is realistic.

b. Easy of organization: using the game is easy and worth the effort.

c. Intrinsic language: language must be used to play the games successfully and that some language must be useful in other situation.

d. Density of language.

e. 48 Likelihood of interest for the learner. According to Weed, he proposed some principles of games

selection when effectiveness and successes are needed. The principles can be used as a sort of a checklist when selecting a game, in which there

are factors that the teacher must take into account. 49

a. The purpose of the game The teacher should refer to the section concerning purposes and relate the purpose to the particular point to teach in the lesson (e.g. for commands: “come on”, “hurry up”, etc.)

b. The space to play the game

48 Sandra J. Savignon and Maggie S. Berns, Initiatives in Communicative Language Teaching II, Addirson Wesley Publishing Company, 1987, p. 211.

49 Gretchen E., Using Games in Teaching Children’s, English Teaching Forum.Vol X, 1972, No. 2.

The teacher should check whether there is a possibility for having active games in a limited space in a room.

c. The number of the students The teacher should know that there are some games, which work well only for a large number of students, and some which work quite well with two people. Still there is a possibility of adapting a game to some situation if it is thought of beforehand. It means that the game has to be well planned in advance before applying to the class activity. Team games can be changed into individual ones, and vice versa.

d. The age of the students Naturally, children do not suit adult games and vice versa. However, the teacher can use different vocabulary items and shorter structure to make the game suit the level of the students.

e. The level of the activity

A teacher should note that it is hard to settle down the students after they play a very active game. So, the teacher should play a certain kind of game that can be used to settle down the students at the end of the lesson.

f. The type of game The teacher should use the general game such as guessing games, relay race, and telling time.

g. The time allocation

Some games need a lot of time to play. A seemingly simple game may take a long time to play. So the teacher should make sure that students have learned necessary sentence structures and vocabulary before.

h. The use of properties When a game needs some properties, the teacher should make sure to bring one and not make it for granted. The teacher may change the properties to suit the class and vocabulary if necessary.

i. The necessary rewards Students are usually satisfied when they win the game. But, giving rewards can be a part of the game.

j. This is the most important point since there must be a relation between the game and what is being taught.

Cortez suggests some principles of games selection, as follow: 50

a. The game should reinforce a particular point of language that the students lack

b. The game should offer practice for items previously taught

c. The game should involve many members of the class and not just a few

d. The context should be appropriate for the language items to be incorporate in the game

e. The game should contain element of surprise or competition

50 Emilio G. Cortez, Some Pointers in Using Games, English Teaching Forum, Vol. XIII, 1975, p. 308.

f. The game should provide sufficient motion to heighten and sustain interest

g. The game should suitable to the maturity and age level of the students

h. The game should conduct in an enough space of the classroom. From those technique, principles of choosing games should be easy to prepare and not take too long which can make students fell bored and tired, and also games should be easy to play and have some element of language teaching besides entertained the students. And teacher also should look out the principle of selecting games before use it, so the games can be accepted by all students in the classroom.