The usage of didactic games in teaching English grammar in the primary school
учебно-методический материал по английскому языку на тему

Тема: “Использование дидактических игр в обучении грамматике английского языка

в начальной школе”

(The usage of didactic games in teaching English grammar in the primary school)

Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

I Theoretical aspects of the usage of didactic games at grammar lessons in primary school                                   1.1. Kinds of didactic games …………………………………………………………………………………..4

1.2. The features of young learners ……………………………………………………………………………7

Summary 1 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

2. Learning grammar through didactic games in primary school ……………………………………………..9

Summary 2 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………11

3. The advantages of using didactic games in primary school ……………………………………………….12

Summary 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………17

II Abstracts of grammatical lessons with didactic games for elementary school……………………….... … 18                                                                                                                                  

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………………29                                                                                                                                          Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………………………….31                                                                                                                              

Appendix ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..33                                                                                                                                          

Introduction

  There is a common perception that all learning should be serious and solemn in nature and that if one is having fun and there is hilarity and laughter, then it is not really learning. This is a misconception. It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself at the same time. One of the best ways of doing this is through games.

In recent years language researchers and practitioners have shifted their focus from developing individual linguistic skills to the use of language to achieve the speaker's objectives. This new area of focus, known as communicative competence, leads language teachers to seek task-oriented activities that engage their students in creative language use.

Games, which are task-based and have a purpose beyond the production of correct speech, serve as excellent communicative activities. On the surface, the aim of all language games for students is to "use the language"; however, during the game play learners also use the target language to persuade and negotiate their way to desired results. This process involves the productive and receptive skills simultaneously. Standing on such ground, I consider the theme of my qualification work topical.

  The aim of the work is to consider teaching English grammar with the help of didactic games in the primary school.

The tasks of the work are the following:

- to describe the role of didactic games at grammar lessons in the primary school;

- to consider the features of young learners;

- to research views of different linguists about the using games in the primary school;

- to describe various types of grammar games;

- to consider the teaching with the help of didactic games

The object of my qualification paper is didactic games at English grammar lessons 

The subject of my qualification paper is teaching English grammar in primary school 

The practical significance of my work is great. It can serve as a good manual for those who want to master modern English language. The present work might find a good way of implying for everyone who wants to enlarge his/her knowledge in English.

I  Theoretical aspects of the usage of didactic games at grammar lessons in primary school                                   1.1. Kinds of didactic games

Game activity is a special sphere of human activity in which the person doesn't pursue any other purposes, except reception of pleasure, pleasure from display of physical and spiritual forces. The nature has created childish sports for all-round preparation for life. Therefore they have a genetic relation with all kinds of activity of the person and arts, and sports act as specifically children's form and knowledge, both work, and dialogue, both. From here and names of games: informative, intellectual, building, game-work, game-dialogue, musical games, art, games-dramatizations, mobile, sports...

It is accepted to distinguish two basic types of games: games with the fixed, open rules and games with the latent rules. An example of games of the first type is the majority didactic, informative and outdoor games, here carry also developing intellectual, musical, games-entertainments, attractions. [9, c. 40]

To the second type carry games plot-role. Rules in them exist implicitly. They — in norms of behavior of reproduced heroes: the doctor to itself doesn't put a thermometer; the passenger doesn't fly in a cabin of the pilot. Didactic games differ under training maintenance, informative activity of children, game actions and rules, the organization and mutual relations of children, on a role of the teacher. The listed signs are inherent in all games, but in one more distinctly acts, in others — others. In various collections it is specified more than 500 didactic games, but accurate classification of games by kinds is absent. Often games correspond with the training and education maintenance. In this classification it is possible to present following types of games:

• Games on touch education,
• Verbal games,
• Games on acquaintance with the nature,
• On formation of mathematical representations, etc.

Sometimes games correspond with a material:

• Games with didactic toys,
• Table-printing games,
• Verbal games,
•  Pseudo-subject games.

Such grouping of games underlines their orientation on training, informative activity of children, but doesn't open adequately a basis of didactic game — features of game activity of children, game problems, game actions and rules, the organization of life of children, a management of the tutor. It is conditionally possible to allocate some types of the didactic games grouped by the form of activity of pupils.[27]

• Games-travel.
•  Games-commissions.
• Games-assumptions.
• Games-riddles.
• Games-conversations (games-dialogues).

Games-travel has similarity to a fairy tale, its development, miracles. Game-travel reflects the real facts or events, but usual opens through unusual, simple-through mysterious, difficult — through surmountable, necessary — through interesting. All it occurs in game, in game actions, becomes close to the child, pleases him. The game-travel purpose — to strengthen impression, to give to the informative maintenance slightly fantastic singularity, to pay attention of children that is nearby, but it is not noticed by them. Games-travel aggravates attention, observation, judgment of game problems, facilitate overcoming of difficulties and success achievement. Games-travel is always a little romantic. It causes interest and active participation in development of a plot of game, enrichment of game actions, aspiration to seize game rules and to receive result: to solve a problem, something to learn, to something to learn. The role of the teacher in game is difficult, demands knowledge, readiness to answer questions of children, playing with them, to conduct training process imperceptibly.[27]

Games-commissions have the same structural elements, as games-travel, but under the maintenance they are easier and on duration is shorter. At the heart of them actions with subjects, toys, verbal commissions lie. The game problem and game actions in them are based on the offer something to make: "Help Buratino to place punctuation marks", "Check up homework at Neznajki". [10, c.  21]

Games-assumptions "That would be?" Or "That I would make...", "Whom would like to be and why?", "Whom would choose in friends? ", etc. the beginning of such game the picture can Sometimes serve. The didactic maintenance of game consists that before children the problem is put and the situation demanding judgment of the subsequent action is created. The game problem is put in the name "That was?" Or "That I would make...". Game actions are defined by a problem and demand from children of expedient prospective action according to the put conditions or the created circumstances. Children come out with the assumptions ascertaining or summarising. These games demand ability to correlate knowledge with circumstances, establishments of causal relationships. In them the competitive element contains also: "Who will fast think?"

Games-riddles. Occurrence of riddles leaves in the remote past. Riddles were created by the people, entered into ceremonies, rituals, joined in holidays. They were used for examination, resource. The obvious pedagogical orientation and popularity of riddles also consists in it as clever entertainment. Now riddles, загадывание and guessing, are considered as a kind of training game. The basic sign of a riddle is the intricate description which needs to be deciphered (to guess and prove). The description it is laconically and quite often made out in the form of a question or comes to an end with it. The Main feature of riddles is the logic problem. Ways of construction of logic problems are various, but all of them make active cerebration of the child. Children like games-riddles. Necessity to compare, remember, think, guess-delivers pleasure of brainwork. Solving of riddles develops ability to the analysis, generalization, forms ability to argue, do conclusions, conclusions.

Games-conversations (dialogues). At the heart of game-conversation dialogue of the teacher with children, children with the teacher and children with each other lies. This dialogue has special character of game training and game activity of children. In game-conversation the tutor often goes not from itself, and from the character close to children and by that not only keeps game dialogue, but also strengthens its pleasure, desire to repeat game. However game-conversation conceals in itself danger of strengthening of receptions of direct training. Educative-training value is concluded in the maintenance of a plot-theme of game, in excitation of interest to those or other aspects of object of the studying reflected in game. The informative maintenance of game doesn't lie "on a surface": it it is necessary to find, extract-make opening and as a result something to learn.[ 27]

1.2. The features of young learners

There are many kinds of games which can be used in teaching English. Of course, as a technique games need help from media. The media can be picture, flash cards, object, puppet, cassette, projector and many others object surround them. It is better if the games are familiar for children, because they learn in a variety of ways, for example; by watching, by listening, by imitating and by doing things. It means children learn their knowledge through what they see, heard in their surrounding and then imitate it and imitating by doing things (children learn by doing). [3, c. 55]

Children can generally imitate the sounds they hear quite accurately and copy the way adults speak. It means they do imitation, memorization, practice and over learning, what the people are said

 The characteristic of children as learners Slattery and Willis

a. They are developing quickly as individuals; it means that they have difference in language acquisition.

b. Learn in a variety of ways, for example; by watching, by listening, by imitating and by doing things. It means children learn their knowledge through what they see, heard in their surrounding and then imitate it and imitating by doing things (children learn by doing)

c. Are not able to understand grammatical rules and explanations about language. Children are not understanding about the rule of language, they only imitate what they are seeing and hearing.

d. Try to make sense of situations by making use of non-verbal clues. Children will do imitate, it means learning by doing.

e. Talk in their mother tongue about they understand and do this helps them learn. It means they use their mother tongue to understand everything.

f. Can generally imitate the sounds they hear quite accurately and copy the way adults speak. It means they do imitation, memorization, practice and over learning, what the people are said.

g. Are naturally curious. They have strong willingness to know what they see and hear in their surrounding.

h . Love to play and use their imagination. It means they are learning while playing.

i. Are comfortable with routines and enjoy repetition. It means they need habit to learn.

j. Have quite a short attention span and need variety. Because they are learning while playing, it is needed many ways to make them understand what the teacher means. [5, c.2]

There are many criteria games as educational media for teaching English to children: A game must be more than just fun. A game should involve "friendly" competition. A game should keep all of the students involved and interested. A game should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself. A game should give students a chance to learn, practice, or review specific language material. A game should be familiar by children.

Summary1

There are many kinds of games which can be used in teaching English. Of course, as a technique games need help from media. The media can be picture, flash cards, object, puppet, cassette, projector and many others object surround them. It is better if the games are familiar for children, because they learn in a variety of ways, for example; by watching, by listening, by imitating and by doing things. It means children learn their knowledge through what they see, heard in their surrounding and then imitate it and imitating by doing things (children learn by doing).

Didactic games differ under training maintenance, informative activity of children, game actions and rules, the organization and mutual relations of children, on a role of the teacher. The listed signs are inherent in all games, but in one more distinctly acts, in others — others. In various collections it is specified more than 500 didactic games, but accurate classification of games by kinds is absent. Often games correspond with the training and education maintenance.

2. Learning grammar through didactic games in primary school

The collection of word games is a valuable resource for the teacher of young through adult learners of English as a second or foreign language. Focusing primarily on language development through the use of high frequency vocabulary and structures, they reinforce classroom lessons and provide additional spelling, conversation, listening and speaking practice.

The most instructive language learning games are those that emphasize specific structures. They do not only practice the basic pattern but also do so in a pleasant, easy way that allows the students to forget they are drilling grammar and concentrate on having fun. The following games are concerned with Yes/No questions, Wh-questions, tag questions, comparative and superlative, adverbs, modals, demonstratives, etc.

Most learners somehow accept that the sounds of a foreign language are going to be different from those of their mother tongue. What is more difficult to accept is that the grammar of the new language is also spectacularly different from the way the mother tongue works.[24]

Grammar is perhaps so serious and central in learning another language that all ways should be searched for which will focus student energy on the task of mastering and internalizing it. One way of focusing this energy is through the release offered by games. Teenagers are delighted to be asked to do something that feels like an out-class activity and in which they control what is going on in the classroom - they become the subjects, while for a lot of the 15,000 hours they spend in schools they are the objects of teaching. The point is that fun generates energy for the achievement of the serious goal.

Where exactly do such games fit into a teaching programme? Grammar didactic games can be used in three ways:

· diagnostically before presenting a given structure area to find out how much knowledge of the area is already disjointedly present in the group;

· after a grammar presentation to see how much the group have grasped;

· as revision of a grammar area.

One should not use grammar games as a Friday afternoon `reward' activity. Using them as a central part of the students' learning process would be a better idea. Thus, each didactic games is proposed for a given level ranging from beginner to advanced. This refers simply to the grammar content of that particular game. But, as it has been already mentioned above, a lot of activities can be adapted to different classes with different grammar components. By changing the grammar content a teacher can, in many cases, use the game frame offered at a higher or lower level. [21] Generally, any frame can be filled with any structures you want to work on with your students. The students have to take individual responsibility for what they think the grammar is about. The teacher is free to find out what the students actually know, without being the focus of their attention. Serious work is taking place in the context of a game. The dice throwing and arguing lightens and enlivens the classroom atmosphere in a way that most people do not associate with the grammar part of a course. The `game' locomotive pulls the grammar train along. Everybody is working at once- the 15-30 minutes the average game lasts is a period of intense involvement.

Other reasons for including didactic games in a language class are:

• They focus student attention on specific structures, grammatical patterns.
• They can function as reinforcement, review and enrichment.
• They involve equal participation from both slow and fast learners.
• They can be adjusted to suit the individual ages and language levels of the students
• They contribute to an atmosphere of healthy competition, providing an outlet for the creative use of natural language in a non-stressful situation.
• They can be used in any language-teaching situation and with any skill area whether reading, writing, speaking or listening.
•  They provide the immediate feedback for the teacher.
• They ensure maximum student participation for a minimum of teacher preparation.

A game should be planned into the day's lesson right along with exercises, dialogues and reading practice. It should not be an afterthought.

Didactic games are a lively way of maintaining pupils' interest in the language, they are fun but also part of the learning process, and students should be encouraged to take them seriously. They should also know how much time they have to play a game. It's not useful to start a game five minutes before the end of the lesson. Students are usually given a `five-minute warning' before the time is over so they can work towards the end.

The older the students are, the more selective a teacher should be in choosing a game activity. Little kids love movements, while older ones get excited with puddles, crosswords, word wheels, and poster competitions whatever.

Modern language teaching requires a lot of work to make a lesson interesting for modern pupils who are on familiar terms with computers, Internet and electronic entertainment of any kind. Sympathetic relations must exist not only among students but between students and a teacher. It's of special importance for junior students because very often they consider their teachers to be the subject itself, i.e. interesting and attractive or terrible and disgusting, necessary to know or useless and thus better to avoid. [10, c. 34]

A teacher should bear in mind that it is the content, not the form, which is of interest to the child. A toddler does not learn to say, ”Cookie, please”, in her native language because she is practicing the request form. “Cookie, please” is learned because the child wants a cookie.

So children learn with their whole beings. Whole-child involvement means that one should arrange for the child's participation in the lesson with as many senses as possible. Seeing pictures of children performing actions and repeating, “The boy is running”, “The girl is hopping” is not at all as effective as when students do the actions themselves in response to commands and demonstrations from the teacher.

All said above is fairly true to adult learners not only children, because of our common human nature to possess habits through experience. We all learned to understand and speak our first language by hearing and using it in natural situations, with people who cared for and about us. This is the most effective and interesting way to learn a second language as well. The experts now advise language teachers to spend most of the classroom time an activities that foster natural acquisition, rather than on formal vocabulary and structure explanations and drills. They insist that “once you have become accustomed to the rewards and pleasures gained from teaching through activities, you will wonder how second-language teaching ever got to be anything else. Your own ideas for activities and their management will flow, and your students' learning rates will soar!” “Activities' mean action games, finger and hand-clapping games, jump rope and ball-bouncing games, seat and card games, speaking and guessing didactic games and even handicraft activities. Judging the results we have nothing but believe them.

Summary2

So language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Grammar games can also help students struggling with English and reading skills. Interactive electronic games can hold a kid's interest longer than using traditional pen and paper worksheets. Additionally, it is much cheaper to have a few websites available that allow your child to practice basic skills he or she needs to brush up on than to hire a tutor for tests.

Didactic games can be used at all stages of the lesson. But teachers must be sure that games provided, are suitable and carefully selected by the teachers. Before playing a game teachers should give attention to the number of students, proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings.

3. The advantages of using didactic games in primary school

Many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value. W. R. Lee holds that most language games make learners use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct forms. He also says that games should be treated as central not peripheral to the foreign language teaching programs. A similar opinion is expressed by Richard-Amato, who believes games to be fun but warns against overlooking their pedagogical value, particularly in foreign language teaching. There are many advantages of using didactic games. "Games can lower anxiety, thus making the acquisition of input more likely". They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings. They also enable learners to acquire new experiences within a foreign language which are not always possible during a typical lesson. Didactic games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these reasons, they should be used just because they help pupils see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems. [ 17, с. 44]

Teachers should be very careful about choosing games if they want to make them profitable for the learning process. If games are to bring desired results, they must correspond to either the student's level, or age, or to the material that is to be introduced or practiced. Not all games are appropriate for all students irrespective of their age. Different age groups require various topics, materials, and modes of games. For example, children benefit most from games which require moving around, imitating a model, competing between groups and the like. Furthermore, structural games that practice or reinforce a certain grammatical aspect of language have to relate to students' abilities and prior knowledge. Didactic games become difficult when the task or the topic is unsuitable or outside the student's experience.

Another factor influencing the choice of a game is its length and the time necessary for its completion. Many games have a time limit, but the teacher can either allocate more or less time depending on the students' level, the number of people in a group, or the knowledge of the rules of a game etc.

Didactic games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson. Yet, as Lee observes, a game "should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do". Didactic games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages. Rixon suggests that games be used at all stages of the lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen. [ 11, c. 39] At different stages of the lesson, the teacher's aims connected with a game may vary:

Didactic games lend themselves well to revision exercises helping learners recall material in a pleasant, entertaining way. All authors referred to in this article agree that even if games resulted only in noise and entertained students, they are still worth paying attention to and implementing in the classroom since they motivate learners, promote communicative competence, and generate fluency. However, can they be more successful for presentation and revision than other techniques? The following part of this article is an attempt at finding the answer to this question.

In this paragraph we would like to reflect how modern teachers evaluate the adequacy in using games when teaching English language

Famous British teacher and educator Andrew Wright in his books' Language learning is hard work ... Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time. Didactic games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.' [12, с. 24]

Didactic games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so must understand what others are saying or have written, and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view or give information.''

The need for meaningfulness in language learning has been accepted for some years. A useful interpretation of 'meaningfulness' is that the learners respond to the content in a definite way. If they are amused, angered, intrigued or surprised the content is clearly meaningful to them. Thus the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speak and write will be more vividly experienced and, therefore, better remembered.

Another distinguished scholar, Aydan Ersoz, of USA noted them following:

Language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation.' [ 20]

Didactic 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.'

There is a common perception that all learning should be serious and solemn in nature and that if one is having fun and there is hilarity and laughter, then it is not really learning. This is a misconception. It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself at the same time. One of the best ways of doing this is through games.'

There are many advantages of using games in the classroom: Didactic games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class. They are motivating and challenging. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning. Didactic games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing, listening and reading. They encourage students to interact and communicate. They create a meaningful context for language use.'

A great Polish educator the opinions of whom we mentioned within one of our chapters said,

Many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value. W. R. Lee holds that most language games make learners use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct forms [7, c. 2] Lee, W. R. 1979. Language teaching games and contests. Oxford: Oxford University Press.. He also says that games should be treated as central not peripheral to the foreign language teaching programme. A similar opinion is expressed by Richard-Amato, who believes games to be fun but warns against overlooking their pedagogical value, particularly in foreign language teaching. There are many advantages of using games. "Games can lower anxiety, thus making the acquisition of input more likely" [18, c. 147]. They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings. They also enable learners to acquire new experiences within a foreign language which are not always possible during a typical lesson.. In the easy, relaxed atmosphere which is created by using didactic games, students remember things faster and better. S. M. Silvers says many teachers are enthusiastic about using games as "a teaching device," yet they often perceive games as mere time-fillers, "a break from the monotony of drilling" or frivolous activities. He also claims that many teachers often overlook the fact that in a relaxed atmosphere, real learning takes place, and students use the language they have been exposed to and have practiced earlier.

Didactic games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these reasons, they should be used just because they help students see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems that at times seem overwhelming.'

When do we use didactic games?

Ms. Uberman noted that 'Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson. Yet, as Lee observes, a game "should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do" . Games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages. Rixon suggests that games be used at all stages of the lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen.'[11, с. 57]

'Games also lend themselves well to revision exercises helping learners recall material in a pleasant, entertaining way. All authors referred to in this article agree that even if games resulted only in noise and entertained students, they are still worth paying attention to and implementing in the classroom since they motivate learners, promote communicative competence, and generate fluency.'

Why use games in class time? Games are fun and children like to play them. Through games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment.

Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. For many children between four and twelve years old, especially the youngest, language learning will not be the key motivational factor. Games can provide this stimulus. The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the target language to life. The game makes the reasons for speaking plausible even to reluctant children.

Through playing games, students can learn English the way children learn their mother tongue without being aware they are studying; thus without stress, they can learn a lot.

Even shy students can participate positively.

How to Choose Games

A game must be more than just fun.

A game should involve "friendly" competition.

A game should keep all of the students involved and interested.

A game should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself.

A game should give students a chance to learn, practice, or review specific language material. [15, c. 14]

One more scholar, M. Martha Lengeling said the following:

 In an effort to supplement lesson plans in the ESL classroom, teachers often turn to games. The justification for using games in the classroom has been well demonstrated as benefiting students in a variety of ways. These benefits range from cognitive aspects of language learning to more co-operative group dynamics.

General Benefits of Didactic games

Affective: lowers affective filter, encourages creative and spontaneous use of language, promotes communicative competence, motivates, fun.

Cognitive:  reinforces, reviews and extends, focuses on grammar communicatively

Class Dynamics: student centered, teacher acts only as facilitator, builds class cohesion, fosters whole class participation, promotes healthy competition

Adaptability: easily adjusted for age, level, and interests; utilizes all four skills, requires minimum preparation after development

So language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation.

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. [9, с. 40]

    Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class.

• They are motivating and challenging.
• Learning a language requires a great deal of effort.
•  Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning.
•  Games provide language practice in the various skills-speaking, writing, listening and reading.
•  They encourage students to interact and communicate.
•  They create a meaningful context for language use.
• Vocabulary games bring real world context into the classroom, and increase students’ use of English in a flexible, meaningful and communicative way.
• Games usually involve friendly competition and they keep students interested in learning the language.
•  Games can help them (children) learn and hang on to new words more easily

The reasons of the writer in choosing games as educational media for teaching children are:

1. Games make learning fun so your class and children are willing participants and

not just there because they have to be.

2. Playing a game has a purpose to it, an outcome, and in order to play students have to say things – they have a reason to communicate rather than just repeat things back mindlessly. Therefore, they want to know and learn more.

3. Students get to use the language all the time during the games

4. They involve a lot of repetition, and repetition is the mother of skill, it can be boring, but thanks to these games, it is fun.

5. How do you expect your class or children to remember vocabulary if they never use it? Repetition is the mother of skill.

6. The games lend themselves perfectly to quick bursts of revision. Using some of the games, you can revise a massive amount of vocabulary and grammar in a few minutes.

7. If you use games to revise two or three topics every lesson, as well as teach the new language, imagine how well your kids will do at exam time, and how proud you will feel.

8. Children have a short attention span (even more so these days with the style and pace of the media, and computer games), so injecting lively varied games into your classes to practice the language you are teaching will keep your children alert and enjoying themselves. [9, с. 40]

Summary3

  Games also lend themselves well to revision exercises helping learners recall material in a pleasant, entertaining way. Games are a lively way of maintaining pupils' interest in the language, they are fun but also part of the learning process, and students should be encouraged to take them seriously. They should also know how much time they have to play a game. It's not useful to start a game five minutes before the end of the lesson. Learners are usually given a `five-minute warning' before the time is over so they can work towards the end. Teachers should be very careful about choosing games if they want to make them profitable for the learning process. If games are to bring desired results, they must correspond to either the student's level, or age, or to the material that is to be introduced or practiced. Not all games are appropriate for all students irrespective of their age. Games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these reasons, they should be used just because they help pupils see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems.

II. Abstracts of grammatical lessons with didactic games for elementary school

Lesson 1

Class: 4

Topic: Present Perfect Tense 

Aim: to repeat Present Perfect tense, using the vocabulary of the topic ‘My toys’

Fastening of the passed lexicon on an educational situation, introduction of new lexicon on an educational situation.

Equipment: The textbook, board, the tape recorder, pictures, audiocassettes.

Blackboard

                                                           The structure of the lesson

I Организационный момент

II Ознакомление с новыми словами

Good morning children!

How are you today?

'I’m fine too thanks. Sit down please, be ready for the lesson.

Display, name of subjects:

Red green bird

Explanation of an articulation of sounds, training of sounds, repetition

behind the cartridge

Good morning dear teacher

We are fine thanks and you?

Disk 71

III

Structure introduction

IV

V

Warm-up

VI Training to dialogue

VII

Verse learning ex.6 Disk 72

Verse listening

The sample (the teacher or the cartridge)

Control of understanding (transfer)

The game«Расскажи о нём» have/has

Hands up

Hands down

Hands on hips, sit down

Stand still

Hands to the sids

Band left, band right

Hands on hips

One, two, three hop

One, two, three stop.

Disk 73 We listen the sample

Control of understanding (transfer)

Listen and repeat, and repeat on roles.

Three green birds.

Ex.2 p.34 T-CL

Page 35 ex. 2

Work with pictures, a question - the

answer

Disk 72

P1: I have got a dog. P1,2 We have got a ball.
P2: Sasha has got a dog. P3: They have got a ball.

Hands up

Hands down

Hands on hips, sit down

Stand still

Hands to the sids

Band left, band right

Hands on hips

One, two, three hop

One, two, three stop.

It is red

The ball is red

I have got three green bird

How many birds have the boy got?

Homework: Learn new words

Learn the dialog

Lesson 2

Class 3

Topic: Past Simple tense

Aim: to repeat Past Simple tense, using the vocabulary of the topic ‘Food’

Fastening of the passed lexicon on an educational situation, introduction of new lexicon on an educational situation.

Equipment: The textbook, board, the tape recorder, pictures, audiocassettes, set of tablets with words for each pair, ball.

Blackboard

The structure of the lesson

1 The organizational moment

Now please stand up. Good morning boys and girls.

I’m glad to see you again. How are you?

I am fine, thank you sit down please.

Let’s start our lesson. Today we are going to learn some new words and we’ll repeat the Past Simple.

Good morning, dear teacher.

We are glad to see you too.

We are fine, thanks and how are you?

2 Phonetic gymnastics

3 Homework

                   Фон разминка

But first of all you’ll repeat after me, (ex 2) big- fish, table- tasty, my- buy, thought- bought, orange, food, some.

Well done.

Let’s cheek up your homework.

Хором: big- fish….

check

4 Introduction of  

new lexicon

5

6

Now we’ll learn new words. First, I’ll  read the word and you’ll repeat after me. I will not translate them to you, so you should guess what they mean,

looking at the pictures.

Fish, potato, tasty,…

Very good. Now please look at the blackboard and let’s repeat them again.

Now open your vocabularies and write down new words from rhe blackboard, I’ll give you some minutes.

Ex.5 And now let’s learn how to pronounce some new words and in the same time we’ll use these words in the sentences. Open your books at page115, ex. 5. Do you understand the task? Итак всем понятно задание, что сначала я произношу слова, а затем вы хором произносите это же слово:…

Now please open you books on page114. Let’s do exercise1. You

Хором: fish, potato…..

Повтор слов с переводом

The task is executed by chorus

7

8 Warm-up

should look at the picture and agree or disagree with sentences bellow it. Is it cleae? Look at the example and let’s read it. Dima, can you read the example?

Good! Liza translate please.

Very good

Now do you understand what should do? Понятно, что нужно делать? Та группа которая верно составит предложения, без ошибок, получит жетончики, в конце узнаем у кого их будет больше. Works in groups of three.

I see your time is over, so let’s check up it.

Let’s do our morning exercises.

Hands up

Hands down

Hands on hips, sit down

Stand still

Hands to the sids

Band left, band right

Hands on hips

One, two, three hop

One, two, three stop.

Dima : the children went to the stadium. No the children didn’t go to the stadium. They went to the school sports ground.

Лиза: Дети ходили на стадион. Нет дети не ходили на стадион. Они ходили на спорт площадку.

Дети работают в группах по 3 человека.

Checking

9

10 work with the dialogue

Sit down. Now open your books on page 115 ex. 4, you should see the picture and you say: What Mrs. Smith bought yesterday? You should make sentences. Work in pairs.

Ok listen to me, I’ll read a dialog to you. Now lets translate it. Open your books on page 116 ex. 6 Vika try to translate it.

Thank you for your good work. Теперь подсчитайте у кого больше жетончиков. Homework: So open your diaries and right down from the blackboard your home task. Выставляю оценки. The lesson is over good buy.

The teacher reads- pupils listen

Слушают диалог, чтение по

ролям.

Lesson 3

Class: 2

Topic: Present Simple tense

Aim: to repeat Present Simple tense, using the vocabulary of the topic ‘Food’

Fastening of the passed lexicon on an educational situation, introduction of new lexicon on an educational situation.

Equipment: The textbook, board, the tape recorder, pictures, audiocassettes.

1 The organizational moment

II. Speech gymnastics (T ––> P1 ––> P2 ––> P3 ––> …)

– Hello, everyone. We’re together again with our English. How are you? What is the date today? What day is it today? Is Wednesday your favorite day? Who is absent today?

– Today we’ll speak about what you like and what you don’t like. What you do in the house and what your friends do. We’ll speak about jobs.

Let’s speak about food.

T: Do you like hamburgers?

Let’s speak about clothes.

T: Do you like jeans, P1?

We are glad to see you too.

We are fine, thanks and how are you?

P1: Yummy. I like hamburgers. Do you like sausages, P2?
P2: No, I don’t like sausages. Do you like chips, P3?
P3: Yes, I like chips. Do you like …

P1: Yes, I like jeans. Do you like T-shirts, P2?

P2: Yes, i like T-shirts. Do you like shorts, P3? …

III. Listening of the cartridge and answers to questions under the heard text

IV. Conversation with the partner (P1 ––> P2, P3 ––> Р4, …)

V. Training of new lexicon and work with the textbook. Working off structure They do …

The children at Holiday House do jobs every day. Listen to the cassette and answer my questions.

– Now answer my questions:

1. What does Emma do at Holiday House? (She lays the table.)
2. What does Joe do? (He washes the dishes.)
3. What does All do? (He cleans the tables.)
4. What does Beth do? (She feeds the horses.)
5. What does Tanya do? (She goes to the shops.)

– Now ask your partner what animal he (she) likes.

a) Open your books at page 46 (Unit 9:5) “What do they do?”
Repeat the words: run, sing, paint, make films, play football, play tennis.

b) Say what the men and women do.

1. Ruud Gullit plays football.
2. Steffi Graff plays tennis.
3. Steven Spilberg makes films.
4. Joaquim Cruz runs.
5. David Hockney paints.
6. Madonna sings.

P1: Do you likes monkeys, P2?
P2: No, I don’t like monkeys. I like frogs. Do you like cats, P1?
P1: No, I don’t like cats. I like dogs.

VI. Structure working off It makes…

VII. Generalization of use Present Simple in affirmative offers.

VIII. Work with alarm cards do / does. Working off Present Simple in questions.

В конце задается вопрос: What do they do? Дети все вместе отвечают: They play football, play tennis, make films, run, paint, sing.

– Now what does the machine do? Look at the pictures and say.

Дети описывают картинки: 

1. It washes dishes. (Посудомоечная машина)
2. It makes coffee. (Кофеварка)
3. It cleans cars. (Автомойка)
4. It washes clothes. (Стиральная машина)
5. It goes up and down. (Лифт)
6. It cleans rooms. (Пылесос)

T: So we say:

1. Do you like horses?
2. ___ your partner like chips?
3. ___ your sister wash the dishes?
4. ___ Beth and Al feed the rabbits?
5. ___ Tanya go to the shops?
6. ___ cats like dogs?
7. ___ your mother and father like birds?
8. ___ you go home at 3 o’clock?

Pupils read offers on a board and lift alarm cards at the command of the teacher.

IX

The grammatical test. Check of knowledge of use Present Simple in offers.

XI. Fascinating leisure. Game “A funny monster”.

Children are offered to draw a monster who consists of parts of a body of various animals.

.

Раздаются карточки.

Now take the cards and circle the right words in the sentences:

1. Emma lay /lays the table.
2. Maggie and Tanya like / likes sausages.
3. Al clean / cleans his mother’s car.
4. Beth and Al feed / feeds the rabbits.
5. Tanya: I go / goes to the shops.
6. The children play / plays football.
7. Sally go / goes to bed at 9 o’clock.
8. Do you go / goes to school at 8 o’clock?

Now it’s time to play. We have two commands. You’ll draw a monster. It is funny. Why? You’ll see.

Учащиеся получают листочки, на которых написано:

• a dog’s head;
• a rabbit’s ear;
• a snake’s body;
• a frog’s legs;
• a fish’s tail;

Дети в командах соревнуются, кто быстрее и лучше нарисует чудовище. Затем учитель пишет на доске название получившегося забавного животного.

T: So it is: A do – rab – sna – frog – ish. Do you like it? What can it do?

Оценки.

XIII. Summarizing

Conclusion

  Grammar is serious and central in learning another language that all ways should be searched for which will focus learners’ energy on the task of mastering and internalizing it. One way of focusing this energy is through the release offered by games.

  We consider that the novelty of the work is concluded in new materials of the linguists, which were published in the Internet. The novelty of my work is concluded in the fact, that I had worked out some didactic grammar games, which I had approbated on English language grammar lessons during my pedagogical practice in primary school.

The present qualification work consists of four parts: introduction, the main part, the practical part and conclusion . Within the introduction part, I gave the brief description of our qualification work, where we described its actuality, practical significance, and described the role of games on language lessons. The main part of my qualification work includes several items. There we have described the features of young learners, learning grammar through didactic games in primary school and the advantages of their usage. In  conclusion to my qualification work I drew some results from the scientific investigations made within the main part of my qualification work. In bibliography part I mentioned more than 20 sources of which were used while compiling the present work. It includes linguistic books and articles dealing with the theme, a number of used dictionaries and encyclopedias Abbott, G., D. McKeating, J. Greenwood, and P. Wingard. 1981. The teaching of English as an international language. A practical guide. London: Collins. and also some internet sources.

The aim of my qualification paper is achieved. Having learned all the materials the following conclusion can be made:

• Games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency.
• Games should be used just because they help learners see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems that at times seem overwhelming.
• Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson.
• A game should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do. Games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages.
• Games are used at all stages of the lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen.

Recently, using games has become a popular technique exercised by many educators in the classrooms and recommended by methodologists. Many sources, including the ones quoted in this work, list the advantages of the use of games in foreign language classrooms.

Although, it cannot be said that games are always better and easier to cope with for everyone, an overwhelming majority of pupils find games relaxing and motivating. Games should be an integral part of a lesson, providing the possibility of intensive practice, and immensely enjoyable for both students and teachers. This qualification work can help teachers and students might use the results of it for the further investigations.

The material of the qualification paper can be used by teachers of English language for teaching English grammar in primary school.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Abbott G., D. McKeating, J. Greenwood, and P. Wingard. 1981. The teaching of English as an international language. A practical guide. London.

2. Azar B. Sh. Fun with grammar. New York. 2000

3. Ersoz Aydan. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 6, June 2000.

4. Hubbard, P., H. Jones, B. Thornton, and R. Wheeler. 1983. A training course for TEFL. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

5. Horwitz E.K., Horwitz, M.B., and Cope, J.A. 1986. Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal 70 (2)

6. Lee Su Kim. Creative Games for the Language. Class Forum Vol. 33 No 1, January - March 1995

7. Lee, W. R. 1979. Language teaching games and contests. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

8. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, Khuat Thi Thu Nga. Learning Vocabulary Through Games. 'Asian EFL Journal' - December 2003

9. Жукова, И. В. Дидактические игры на уроках английского языка / И. В. Жукова // Первое сентября. Английский язык, 2006. - № 7. - С. 40.

10. Rinvolucri Mario and Paul Davis.1992. More grammar games. Cambridge University Press.

11. Rixon, S. 1981. How to use games in language teaching. London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

12. Wright A. Games for Language Learning. Cambridge University Press, 1984.

13. Wilga M. Rivers, Mary S. Temperley. A practical guide to the teaching of English as a second language. - Cambridge, 1978.

14. Yin Yong Mei and Jang Yu-jing. 'Using Games in an EFL Class for Children' Daejin University ELT Research Paper. Fall, 2000.

15. Барашкова, Е. А. Не все дети талантливые, но все способные / Е. А. Ба-рашкова // Первое сентября. Английский язык, 2005. - № 9. - С. 14.

16. Rinvolucri Mario. Grammar Games: cognitive, affective and drama activities for EFL students. Cambridge, 1989.

17. Internet: http://e.usia.gov/forum/vols/vol36/no1/p20.htm-games

18. Internet: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Chen-Games.html

19. Internet: http://e.usia.gov/forum/vols/vol34/no2/p22.htm-note-taking

20. http://revolution.allbest.ru/pedagogics/00100561_0.html

21. http://petrova.21416s01.edusite.ru/p20aa1.html

22. http://revolution.allbest.ru/pedagogics/00100561_0.html

23. http://works.tarefer.ru/64/100071/index.html

24. http://festival.1september.ru:8080/articles/570623/

25. Internet: http://search.atomz.com/

26. World Book Encyclopedia Chicago 1993 Vol. 6 p. 56

27. http://www.razumniki.ru/vidy_didakticheskih_igr.html

Appendix

Games with prepositions

Prepositions of time and place

MAGAZINE SEARCH

Materials: Magazines to share in groups

Dynamic: Small groups

Time: 15 minutes

Procedure: 1. On the board, write a list of prepositions of place that the students have studied. Divide the students into groups of three or four and give each group several magazines. You may want to ask students to bring in their own. If you are supplying them, be sure that they have full-page ads or other large pictures.

2. Give the groups a time limit and have them search through their magazines to find a picture that contains situations illustrating prepositions of place.

3. When the time is up, each group goes to the front of the class, holds up its picture, and explains (in sentences) the contents of the picture, using prepositions of place.

Example: The dog is under the table.

The table is next to the man.

The table is in front of the window.

4. The group that found a picture allowing them to correctly use the most prepositions of place from the list on the board wins.

NOTE: With an intermediate group, choose a wider range of prepositions that they have already reviewed.

SCAVENGER HUNT

Dynamic: Pairs

Time: 20 minutes

Procedure: 1. Before students come into the classroom, distribute various objects around the room, placing them in visible positions that students can describe using their prepositions of place. List the objects on the worksheet.

2. Divide the class into pairs and give each pair a copy of the worksheet.

3. The students look around the room for each object listed on the worksheet and write a complete sentence describing its location. The first group to finish brings their worksheet to you to be checked. If the answers are correct, that group wins.

PREPOSITIONAL CHAIN DRILL

Materials: None

Dynamic: Whole class

Time: 10 minutes

Procedure: 1. Review prepositions of place.

2. Take a small object, such as a pen, and do something with it, then describe your action. (Put the pen on the desk and say, "I put the pen on the desk.")

3. Give the pen to a student and ask him/her, "What did I do with the pen?"

4. The student answers and then does something different with the object that involves a different preposition of place.

5. The student then passes the object to the next student and asks, "What did we do with the pen?" That student repeats what the teacher did and what the first student did with the object. The second student then does something different with the object before passing it to the third student.

Example:

Teacher: I put the pen on the desk. What did I do with the pen?

Alfredo: You put the pen on the desk. (to the next student, Damian) I put the pen above my head. What did we do with the pen?

Damian: The teacher put the pen on the desk. Alfredo put the pen above his head. I put the pen under my book. (to the next student) What did we do with the pen? etc.

6. This activity continues until no one can do something different with the pen that can be described using a preposition of place.

NOTE: You may want to write the prepositions that have been used on the board to help the students remember.

Variation: Give each student a card to use with a preposition of place on it.

On the board:

Instructor's grid:

2. Divide the class into groups of about five. Tell them that this is a memory game and no writing is allowed. Explain that they are looking for matches and will get a point for each match. They can confer as a team, but you will accept an answer only from the student whose turn it is. They can call out two numbers together the first time since no one knows where any of the words are. In subsequent turns, they should wait for you to write the first answer before they call out their second number.

3. As the first student calls out numbers, write the words that correspond to these numbers in the blanks. Ask the class if it is a match. If not, erase the words. If so, leave them there and cross them out (see below).

On the board:

Variation: Instead of matching the verb with an appropriate preposition, you can set up the grid to review meaning. Your instructor's grid might then look like this model. Follow the same rules for the game above.

Instructor's grid:

4. BEAT THE CLOCK

Materials: 3" x 5" cards (see sample)

Dynamic: Teams

Time: 30 minutes

Procedure: 1. Put a sentence using a phrasal verb on one side of as many index cards as you need. Review and discuss phrasal verbs. Have the students create sentences or dialogues and practice orally.

2. Divide the class into two teams, A and B. Arrange the teams so that Team A's desks are directly across from (and touching) Team B's desks. If using tables, have Team A sit on one side and Team В on the other side.

3. Show the students the front of a card. The first student {A or B) who answers with a phrasal verb that correctly replaces the verb on the card gets a point for his/her team. If that student can then use the phrasal verb in a sentence with the correct tense, his/her team gets an extra point.

Example:

Card: I raised my children in Ohio.

Student response: bring up

I brought my children up in Ohio.

Sample cards:

FRONT BACK

"UP" VERBS

Materials: 3" x 5" cards

Time: Pairs/Small groups

Time: 20 minutes

Procedure: Write one verb on each card. Choose some verbs that can also be phrasal verbs with up.

Examples: ask (can't be used with up)

check (can be used with up)

cross (can't be used with up)

get (can be used with up)

2. Divide the class into pairs or groups of three or four. Give each group a stack of verb cards.

3. Tell the students to divide the cards into two piles: verbs with up/verbs without up.

4. When all the up verbs are found, have the students take turns explaining the meaning of each phrasal verb to the other students in the group.

Variation: Make three identical sets of vocabulary cards. Divide the class into three teams. Tell the students to find the up verbs. The team that finds the most up verbs wins. Each correct up verb is worth one point. For each incorrect up verb, subtract one point from the total score. Use the same procedure for any phrasal verb pattern (for example, out, away, through, etc.).

6. PHRASAL CHALLENGE

Materials: None

Dynamic: Pairs

Time: 30 minutes

Procedure: 1. Divide the class into pairs. Tell the pairs to write down eight phrasal verbs and their meanings that they think the rest of the class will not know.

2. After they are finished, join two pairs and have the first pair challenge the other pair. Each pair takes turns reading the phrasal verbs from their list and having their opponents state the meaning of each phrasal verb and use it in a sentence.

3. If the opponents answer correctly, they get a point. The pair with the most points wins.

4. For homework, have the students use the phrasal verbs that they missed in correct sentences.

CLASS SURVEY

Materials: 3" x 5" cards in four different colors list of difficult phrasal verbs sheets of newsprint and markers (optional)

Dynamic: Groups

Time: 40 minutes

Procedure: 1. Choose four themes and for each theme make up a set of questions, using the phrasal verbs that you want to practice. (You may want to have the students compile a list.)

Examples: Family:

Do you take after your father or your mother?

Did you grow up in a large family or a small family?

Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters?

Are you named after anyone in your family?

School:

Do you go over your notes after class?

Do you try to get out of doing your homework?

Do you ever have trouble keeping up with the assignments?

What is an important grammar point that you have to look out for?

2. Write one set of questions on one yellow card, one set of questions on one green card, etc.

3. Divide the class into groups. (Four groups of four works well, but five groups of five or three groups of three also works. Put extra students into existing groups to work as pairs.)

4. Tell the students that they are going to do some investigation into the society of the classroom by doing a survey. Give each group a set of same-color cards and a theme: The Yellow Group--Family; The Green Group--Friends, etc. Give the question card to the group leader and a blank card to each of the other members.

5. The group members copy the questions from the group leader's card on their own cards so that each has a card with the same questions. They may add questions of their own if they wish or if there is extra time. Any additional questions must include a phrasal verb.

6. When each member has an identical set of questions, the teams stand up and form new groups with one member of each color. (If there are extras of one or two colors, they can work as partners within the group.)

7. In their new groups, the students take turns interviewing each group member. The yellows ask their questions first and record the data, then greens, then blues, etc. Everyone asks everyone else in the group his/her questions.

8. The students reform their original same-color groups, summarize their findings, and present them to the entire class. If time permits, have the groups prepare a visual on newsprint in the form of a pie chart, a graph, a list of statistics, or another type of visual. The posters can be part of the presentation and later be put up around the board.

NOTE: To save time, write out the duplicate cards yourself on colored index cards or copy one set of questions on different-colored paper. This will take the place of step 5. Collect the cards and reuse them in later classes.

SUGGESTION: This activity works well with preposition combinations instead of phrasal verbs.

Examples:

Best Friends:

What do you look for in a best friend?

Is your best friend patient with you?

Do you ever hide anything from your best friend?

Do you ever argue with your best friend?

Work:

Are you content with your job?

Do you look forward to going to work?

Do you forget about your job when you leave at the end of the day?

Does your boss ever take advantage of you by having you do extra work?

The Grammar Trivia game
Preparation:
1. The teacher needs to prepare a certain number of cards, allocating numbers to the categories.
2. Each player/team makes a score sheet and writes the numbers one-six down the page.
How to play:
1. To start, each player/team rolls the dice. The highest roller starts.
2. The teacher gives a card and the player/team reads the question corresponding to the dice number rolled and writes his/her answer on his/her sheet (or on the board).
3. The teacher checks if the answer is
the next player/team rolls the dice and attempts to answer the question corresponding to the number rolled.
4. If the player/team answered correctly he/she scores one point on his/ her score sheet next to the row number corresponding to the question number. If the question is answered incorrectly, the next team/player rolls the dice and attempts to answer the question corresponding to the number rolled.
5. If the question is answered correctly the player/team continues to roll the dice and answer questions. If a player/team answers six in a row, there is a two-point bonus added to the score.
6. The game ends when one player/ team scores in ail six rows. There is a two-point bonus for finishing first. The player/team with the highest score wins.

THE PRESENT simple

"What's My Line?"

Grammar: simple present for habitual action and present progressive to describe present time actions, also interrogatives (Please note: you should use this activity only if you are covering yes/no question formation along with the simple present and present progressive.)

Procedure: Each student is given the name of a profession. Students take turns performing mimes showing some activity which a person would do in the course of the job. The rest of the class asks yes/no questions in the simple present or present progressive before guessing the profession. certain pages. In one game students create a daily schedule for a famous person.

Talk About a Picture

Grammar: simple present and present progressive

Procedure: Students work individually or in groups. Each student or group has a color picture from a magazine. You've prepared a sheet of generic instructions (or specific instructions if everyone is using the same picture) in advance, which you give to students orally. You can call on students individually to answer these questions, or if they are working in small groups, each group can discuss and write responses.

Example: Your instructions could include: tell four things that are happening now in the picture; tell four things that the person in the picture does every day; ask four questions about what is happening now; etc...

Guessing games:
Using yes/no questions: What animal am I? What’s my job? What famous (living) person am I?

Speaking tasks: 'show and tell': e.g. my hobby; my pet; my family, etc.

Group writing tasks:
Design a pop group (including the likes/dislikes, hobbies, habits etc. of the band members); design a monster (what it eats, what it looks like, its daily routine); a day in the life of a famous person; a typical day in the life of a boy or girl from different countries round the world; or science projects, like: What is global warming?; or The Carbon Cycle; or From Egg to Frog; or How an Eclipse Happens, etc. - all these provide practice in the present simple.

Guessing games:
Who was I in a past life? What did I do in the weekend?

 Games:
'Alibis' - you establish that a 'crime' was committed at a certain time (e.g. between 10 and 11 last night) and at a place familiar to the students, e.g. their school. Two students are accused of committing the crime – how can they prove their innocence? by having an alibi. Their job, then, is to go outside and invent a story as to what they were both doing together (very important that they were together) while the rest of the class plans general questions they can ask them.
The two “culprits” are then interviewed, individually and one after the other, to see if their stories are consistent. If there are any differences, then clearly they are guilty! Two more students then have a turn to hatch a new alibi. If you have a very large class, break the class up into groups of about five or six to play the game.

Draw two tables on the board, each with 12 squares, and with all the squares numbered. Label one table as "Verbs" and the other "Nouns."


On a piece of paper, write 2 columns of numbers, with each set corresponding to one of the tables. This will be the list that you refer to when you are conducting the activity. The students, of course, should not see the list. For the first set, write a verb next to each number. For the second set, write a noun next to each number:



The nouns in column number 2 can be of any category though I find that animals work well.
Before starting, model a sentence on the board. For example:
“Last week I chased a dog.”
It is always good to give students a chance to change the verb tense (conjugate) when playing a game like this.
Now, have one student from the first team roll the dice. If they roll a 4 and 5, they can choose box 4, 5, or 9 (the two numbers added together) from the grid marked "Verbs."
Have the same student roll the dice again and follow the same procedure for the grid marked "Nouns." Then, you (the teacher) will write in the words in the box that correspond to the numbers the student has chosen. Finally, the "contestant" has to form a sentence with the words that have been revealed. You can decide whether to allow consultation with the rest of the team.
As you can see from the list of words I have here, there are some amusing possibilities that pop up. As soon as the words are revealed, the laughter will begin before the sentence has even been formed. Once a correct sentence has been created and spoken out loud by the student, erase the words so that both grids contain only the numbers. With only 12 choices in each grid, it doesn't take long for the class to remember which words are "hidden" behind each box.
For this game you can divide the class into two teams. Each sentence can be rated by the class as to grammar and logic. Of course the other team will be shouting “No point!” but you will be the final judge. There really isn't much choice when the word pairs are revealed and there aren't likely to be many errors. The real benefit is in practicing the pattern and learning the past tense form of different verbs. Encourage students to change up the time reference used at the beginning of the sentences as well.

MEMORY GAME

Materials: 3" x 5" cards

Dynamic: Whole class

Time: 25 minutes

Procedure: 1. On each card write an adjective in large letters so that it can be seen around the room.

SUGGESTIONS: sad, drunk, lonely, stranded, nauseous, hungry, thirsty, nervous, angry, rich, sick, sleepy, famous, tired, poor, lost, married, single, scared

(Include a few new words that will be challenging even for higher-level students, such as jilted or stranded.) 1.Have students sit or stand in a circle while you distribute the cards. (If you use adjectives like married or single, be sure to give them to students who are not!)

2.Ask who has the best memory and then start with the person next to him/her. If you know you have a weak student, you may want to start with that person. The first student holds up his/her card and composes a sentence, using the untrue present conditional.

Example card: lonely Example sentence: If I were lonely, I would call my family.

3. The second student says his/her sentence and repeats student one's sentence. Continue around the circle, with each new student adding a sentence and repeating all the previous sentences. The last student will have to remember the sentences from all the other students. It is important that students hold their cards toward the circle at all times because they serve as clues. Also, don't let any of the students write. Students may cue their classmates through gestures. The only correction allowed is to emphasize were rather than was.

NOTE: If your class is large, divide it into two groups and play two rounds. The same cards can be used, but different sentences must be created. The game has been played with up to 14 in a low-level class and up to 22 in a high-level class.