How to Use Games to Teach English

Games are used to teach English to liven up lessons and create a relaxed learning atmosphere where students feel confident to practice new language skills. The games provide alternative ways of learning basic English vocabulary and take the form of board games, written games such as word searches or crossword puzzles, or action and role-playing games. In order to create a positive learning experience, teachers link games with the curriculum or syllabus and make sure students understand what they will learn from the game.

Instructions

1.      Establish what the students need to learn and which games will assist that learning. Focus on one skill set at a time and choose a game that reinforces that skill. Speaking and listening, reading and writing are skill areas that different games target.

2.      Choose a game that suits the number of students, matches their current level of English and is suitable for their age group. Young students will enjoy games that involve movement around the classroom, where older learners may prefer to stay in their seats. Make sure the game is simple to explain so that students whose first language is not English will understand what is required of them.

Using Multi-media to Teach English to Children

Teaching English is an art-form. There are many approaches and methods from which to choose, and such a choice may be influenced by the age and level of the students, time, learning preferences, special needs, and – of course – the resources available to the instructor.

Teaching English to children, moreover, poses its own particular challenges, and imposes even more particular demands on the instructor. Instructors must take into account learners' short attention spans and/or lack of discipline and possibly underdeveloped linguistic foundations in the learners' native languages (i.e. young learners may not yet be able to read or write in their own language by the time they begin to learn English). Additionally, teachers should take an instructional approach that fosters positive experiences and provides a supportive learning environment, rather than placing emphasis on correctness or grades.

Luckily, in today's technologically-advanced world, the recent proliferation of computer-based curricula (or blended learning designs for language learning) in school systems - including for very young learners - has opened doors to English teachers all over the world.

In fact, whether we like it or not, computers are permeating every aspect of our daily lives, and children are not only embracing the technology at hand, but they would not know what to do without it. As instructors, therefore, it is our duty not only to teach the next generation what we know, but to adopt new methods of instruction which are more appropriate to the context in which we are living – and in which our students are growing up.