MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY
THE EFFECTS OF GAMES ON STUDENTS AT CAN DUGC HIGH SCHOOL
IN LEARNING ENGLISH GRAMMAR
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts (TESOL)
Submitted by: NGUYEN THI CAM
Supervisor: LE TH] THANH THU, Ed D
Trang 2ABSTRACT
To find out the effects of games on students in learning English grammar and to give suggestions of applying games in teaching English grammar, a study was carried out on Grade 11 students at Cin Dudc high school
The study proved that games had positive effects on students in learning English grammar at high schools Data from questionnaires revealed that games brought about an amusing atmosphere; games created the learning environment; games provided students with opportunities and challenges to practice English grammar and to some extent helped them improve their communication and pronunciation
By means of tests, the data collections showed that students could get better
results if they were learning English grammar with games The experiment class had more good students and less bad students than those of the control at the end
of the learning process, particularly, the number of good students in the
Trang 3TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1.2 The purpose of the stHdy 2 e eiek 1.3 The research question
1.4L1mitation oŸ the study 1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Background of the ĐfUd|y ôe1 <0e.eeireeriee
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Trang 4
2.1.1 Definition of grammar
2.1.2 Ways to teach English grarnmar «« ¿ 10 2.1.3 Stages of teaching gramMar scsessssseesesnseenennieees 11
2.1.3.1 Pre-teaching -. c~~-evee
2.1.3.2 While-tcaching «<< ee 12 2.1.3.3 Post-teaching ssisasscisansnmcinsassinonsaceessavernenive 12 2.1.4 Factors which cause difficulties to high school students in learning English øTammai c2 , 13 2:2 HATHfGGS., tt, Gốc ồngitgtg0H1GITWSGDGTSTGGSSGISGHISEBSANBRBIIGETGEGESBSRHDSSUEPSER 16 2.2.1 Definition Of BATHĐSiesseassisvEtiesiodtts6i4G318 065G11G800818010081 40-304 16 2.2.2, Kinds of gam 0Sissnsanmnnamnenvamnansarmemmemvergemonanimvane 18 2.2.3 Benefits of games in learning English 20 2.2.3.1 Bringing about an amusing atmosphere 20 2.2.3.2 Creating the learning environment 21 2.2.3.3 Providing students with opportunities and challenges to practice English grammar aacascscserssensmssnssssssnsussscaemsunssessensnss 23
Trang 53.2.2.1 Searching games: wsunurcomaancmacancmen 3.2.2.2 CHŒSE,EBTHEBbiittioigtdoi60Si0060162G0839ngng/8gSỹ88808S8008
3.2.2.3 Problem-solving games
3 3 The population ussssuisssiiasasavnsniasaranscirararuvaneaseesannaaees 3 4 Data collection instrume€IIfs - -s skceceseeerrr~reixee 3.4.1 TeSt8 sss ssacancasaraum manana manures 3.4.2 Questionnairesssesccasccasaravaavavanaus cavarmraeavasnsecumacenmeeiaees CHAPTER FOUR- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4 1 Data analysis methodology
Trang 64.4 Conclusion
CHAPTER FIVE-FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS
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Trang 7LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 - Grammar points of the second term in English lÍ 37 Table 3.2 - Games applied for the grammar pOinÍs - ~.~ 2)8 Table 4.1 - Test Ì reSỤÍẲS: :s:c<sc2isc2csisS214-1.021ãsả16161Ỷsaiessseesasesaaaasaseo 8 Table 4.2 - Means of Test 1 results sisisvisssviiissusivanisssnriienoniananisninusnsmaninncnmmencins 49 Table 4:3 - Tes{ 2:1ESỤS sưsssesseeeseiinkiiBeoineesioseiiedeeiidoesetsssanssandanreeeisagssau20 Table 4.4- Means of Tesớ 2 râSuẽ ôHe HH H2 Ô Table 4.5- Test 3 T€SUÍÍSuszxesssssssinoeeiisseboeookidtsdbigbieetteggasaeettiisiesenataseseasro T1 Table 4.6- Means of Test 3 r€SuÏtS ok H~ HH” H THH4 4 ke eo v2 Table 4.7- The importance oŸ English grammar - << ce.c-~ TÓ Table 4.8- How students found their ứrammar cèaĐS -â-s-~-r~.e Table 4.9- When the students reviewed their prammar Ì€SSOn& ) 7 Table 4.10- Studying English grammar through games is interesting 5 8 Table 4.11- Games bring about the amusing atmosphere - -~c 58 Table 4.12- Games create the learning environinen( s ce>c<eeees 59 Table 4.13- Games provide students with opportunities and challenges to
Practice English ðraImmmAT sec erererrrirrrseeeeese.Ô( Table 4.14- Games can help students remember English grammar items
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Table 4.15- Games can provide students with the communication environment
Table 4.16- Games can help students improve their pronunciation 62 Table 4.17- The students like studying English grammar through games or not
Trang 9LIST OF GRAPHS
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Trang 10Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rationales of the study
All of the students at Can Duéc high school have to learn English as a major subject but many of them are bored with learning it for the following reasons Firstly, they think that English is just an obligatory subject that they have to learn to do the tests The most important thing they must do is passing the examination After a school year, they hardly remember what they have learned Secondly, textbooks for high school students including four skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing; language focus and language practice, but the content of all exams at high schools is just focused on the reading skill and the grammar which students should master inflexibly from the exercises to their minds They do not find it interesting to learn in this way However, learning English has become more commonly recognized as a major determining subject for successful graduation tests Whether students like it or not, they are pushing on the way through the learning English especially English grammar at high schools Teachers’ job is about helping students not only to master new English grammatical items but also not to forget what they have learned
Trang 11English grammar and learning English becomes frightfulness to them, so does doing exercises Whenever I give them exercises I usually force them to do If not, they do not care of doing them I sometimes find that the most attentive students can get bored and loose their focus on occasion I am always worried about what to do to make any class more interesting for the students who need to be motivated in learning English grammar They are not forced to be passive information receptors but to be active learners who think and construct the acquired knowledge
After trying many things such as encouraging students to assess their own work, their own learning, asking them to set themselves targets, getting them to work in groups, J find that most students are very interested in playing games Whenever they get bored, I ask: “What do you want to do now?” All of them shout excitedly: “Play games!” The idea of playing games comes to my mind and then I try the way to help my students to find interest in learning English grammar by playing games To assess the effectiveness of learning English through games in the classroom, I carry out this study with a strong desire to estimate whether games have possitive effects on Grade 11 students in learning English grammar
1.2 The purpose of the study
Trang 121.3 The research question
The study will be guided by the following research question:
What are the effects of games on students at Cần Đước high school in learning English grammar?
1.4 Limitation of the study
This study involves mainly eleven-grade students I chose eleven-grade classes because tenth-grade classes are the first year in high schools; they seem to be too young and shy at the new school Twelve-grade classes are in urgency of the graduation examination at the end of a school year and they are not ready for any experiment Besides, only three new main grammatical items including cleft sentences; tag questions; passive voice with special forms in the second term of eleven-grade textbook are involved in the study They are taught with games as the reinforcement during the post teaching stage of grammar teaching
1.5 Significance of the study
Trang 13grammar It might help to erase the doubt about the effects of games on students in learning English grammar at high schools and appeal the other studies on different ways to assist students to learn better
1.6 Background of the study
1.6.1 The school
The study took place at a public high school, named Can Duéc, in Long An province Cén Đước is a small town located in the rural area, thirty-five kilometers from Hé Chi Minh City This school has been built since 1958 and rebuilt since 2007 with 24 classrooms equipped with lights, fans, magnetic blackboards and protective screens which prevent students from the sunlight through the windows Besides, the school manages the students well by its own rules and regulations and always fosters close collaboration with their parents through regular meetings The physical conditions are good enough for students to learn except for the fact that there are too many students, normally forty-five, in a classroom In addition, the classroom is arranged with long desks stuck with the benches and put in straight rows This makes the students difficult to move when they work in groups, join games or even go to the blackboard
1.6.2 The teaching staff
Trang 14which teaching facilities and discipline are better than those of other schools in the province However, each of them has to teach twenty-two periods per week at school and a lot of periods in the evening classes organized by the board of the managers so they might not have much time and energy to invest on their teaching They seem to be reserved in trying out new teaching techniques They mainly teach English grammar deductively which makes the class boring
1.6.3 The curriculum and syllabus
Among many subjects that high school students learn such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, History, Biology, Geography, Technology, etc, English is a major subject that all students are obligatory to learn at high schools The English textbooks set by MOET consist of two series: the standard and the advanced one, but at Can DuGc high school teachers only teach the standard one due to the principal’s suggestion In the first term, students learn fifty-four periods in eighteen weeks and the second term fifty-one periods in seventeen weeks There are eight units for each term Each unit consists of four skills as listening, speaking, reading, writing, the language focus and language practice Each part lasted one period, forty-five minutes, so students learn each unit six periods in two weeks Language focus taught in one period included pronunciation (25%) and grammar (75%) Besides, during the school year, students do five periods of Test Yourself after every three units
1.6.4 The tests and students
Trang 15After three years of learning English at high schools, students are asked to take the national high school graduation examination regulated by MOET, which is mainly based on grammar and reading skill and has no place for listening and speaking skills Students are, therefore, expected to acquire a number of structures and know how to use them accurately so that they can perform effectively in exams However, all of the students in Cdn Dudc high school live in the countryside and more than half of them are living far away from school Moreover, their parents, who are very busy with earning for their living, do not pay much attention on their learning At school, most of them lack enthusiasm for learning English grammar, showing little or no interest in understanding the grammar items They seemed to be fed up with doing exercises day after day
1.7 Overview of the thesis
The thesis is presented in five chapters Chapter One, introduction, presents the
rationales, the purpose, the research question, the limitation, the significance and
Trang 16Chapter Two
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chapter Two gives a review of the relevant concepts of grammar and games including (1) definition of grammar and the importance of grammar to high school students, (2) ways to teach English grammar and factors which cause difficulties for high school students in learning English grammar, (3) definition of games, (4) kinds of games, (5) benefits of games, (6) when to apply games and (7) the role of teachers in games,
2.1 Grammar
2.1.1 Definition of grammar
Every language has its own rules of combining words together in a sentence in order to convey the meanings of the speakers or writers correctly, in this term, English is not an exception As Thornbury puts it:
Trang 17Grammar teaches us how to make use of words; that is to say, it teaches us how
to make use of them in the proper manner .to be able to choose the words which ought to be placed, we must be acquainted with certain principles and rules; and these principles and rules constitute what is called grammar
(Cobbett, 1819, cited in Nunan 1999, p 96) The definition of grammar in Oxford dictionary: “Grammar is (1) the rules in a language for changing the form of words and combining them into sentences; (2) a person’s knowledge and use of a language; (3) a book containing a description of the rules of grammar for a particular language” (Hormby, 1995, p 517) Besides, Riachards also gave another definition of grammar in the Dictionary of
«
Language Teaching and Applied linguistics Grammar is “a description of the structure of a language and the way in which linguistic units such as words and phrases are combined to produce sentences in the language” (Richards et al.,
1992, p.161)
To high school students, the term of English grammar is closely associated with elements of structures and rules as it emphasizes on doing exercises in class and passing the exam at the end of the course It leads to a specification of grammar in the language learning and teaching In this study, English grammar is simply a system of structures that shows the way of combining words or phrases together and rules that speakers of English have to follow to make sentences meaningful
Trang 18quickly and more efficiently It is important to think of grammar as something that can help the students understand and acquire the language more easily When students understand the grammar or system of a language, they can understand many things themselves in communicating with foreigners or reading a book without having to ask their teachers Therefore, English grammar plays an important role in the teaching and learning English “There is no doubt that knowledge - implicit or explicit - of grammatical rules is essential for the mastery of a language" (Ur, 2002, p 122)
Moreover, to produce a correct sentence, students must be aware of the structures which regularly shape its nuances of meaning A number of structures can be introduced so that students can understand the language in general and that is the way to master it In short, grammar needs to be taught especially with high school students, learners at elementary levels A grammatical base will help them do exercises and over all others do the tests successfully, have knowledge of the language so that they can use it correctly in reading and writing
Trang 192003, p 67) Without good grammar, a bad result of the students at the end of the course is nearly undeniable and leads to failure Without good grammar, the lack of confidence would be seen at the end of the course of the English study Students, therefore, lack of knowledge about English grammar and obviously they find English difficult and boring
2.1.2: Ways to teach English grammar
English grammar can be taught deductively (Woolfork, 2001, p 286) or inductively (Lohman, 2002) to high school students Grammar rules can be
illustrated by examples or teachers can tell a story or give a situation so that students make sentences and they draw the structure by themselves The teacher, for example, points the light on the ceiling and makes sentence: The light is too high to touch Students have to draw the structure: too-Adj + to-inf and then they can apply it to exercises That is inductive method which is opposite with deductive one, the structures given before the students practice them by doing exercises in textbooks However, inductive method may be more useful than deductive one in high schools because students have to follow example given by teachers so that they could draw the structures by themselves, meaning that they have to concentrate on the learning process
However, a common phenomenon existed in grammar lessons is that teachers teach students English grammar in a mechanical way They just point out one after another structural items on the blackboard and require the learners to memorize those items mechanically Batstone (1994, p 4) comments that “there is evidence that grammar which is taught purely through controlled exercises may not stay with the learners long” and underlines that teachers should provide
Trang 20activities which involve the active manipulation of language where students have to think and act on the grammatical rules and principles focused on the lesson In Can Puéc high schools, teachers usually use deductive method because their students have learnt at secondary school in this way A deductive method starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied However, this method has been criticised as tiring and boring In class, teachers have to talk all the time while students just sit and write down the things on the blackboard Teachers teach the entire lesson required and the students do not have any chance to talk or work together They are such passive students that they seem to have no goal of learning and find out many difficulties during the learning process The lack of students’ involvement and struggle for understanding may result in the lesson being teacher-centered and not demanding in terms of creativity and imagination
2 1 3 Stages of teaching grammar
There are three stages of teaching English grammar: pre-teaching; while- teaching and post-teaching
2, 1.3 1 Pre-teaching
In the first stage, teachers often use some activities to warm up the students
They can, for example, give pictures, situations, exercises or games to students
Trang 212.1.3 2 While teaching
Teachers give students the presentation of the grammar being learned There are some techniques for teaching English grammar at this stage: using a rule explanation; using translation; using grammar worksheets; using a self-study grammar; using flashcards; using realia; using a generative situation; using minimal sentence pairs; using concordance data; teaching through actions; matching techniques, test study, problem-solving; story telling (Cited in Dinh, 2010, p 34) Teachers can give the rules then the examples (deductive method), or conversely the examples then the rules (inductive method) The students just listen and write down the lessons on their notebooks
2.1 3 3 Post teaching
In this stage, teachers can use such techniques as oral drills; written exercises; listening and responding; drama techniques; songs and verse; games; discussion and problem-solving activities (Cited in Dinh, 2010, p 34) Teachers ask students to do exercises on exercise book or give handouts which the teacher prepared before class The advantage of handouts is that the students cannot copy from the previous students of the previous class and save time for writing exercises on the blackboard Before doing exercises, the rules should be clearly explained so that the students could understand them After doing exercises, the students could remember the structures deeply
Trang 222.1.4 Factors which cause difficulties to high school students in learning English grammar
From my understanding, there are many factors that affect high school students in learning English grammar They are (1) teachers speak mother tongue all the time; (2) desk arrangement and classroom organization prevents students from working in groups or pairs; (3) a large number of students in a class cause difficulties for both teachers and students; (4) the students are not motivated in their learning process (5) the students find it difficult to understand the grammar tules and (6) the teachers often teach English grammar deductively These factors showed in the failure may help teachers find out solutions for it at the end of the learning process
Firstly, the learning environment is one important thing In most English classes, it seems that high school teachers speak mother tongue all the time The lack of native teachers or teachers speaking English in class causes difficulties for students in improving listening and speaking skills Moreover, it could be one of the obstacles in the learning English grammar because the situations which are not described in English are not included any of new English structures
Trang 23activities set by teachers may include a lot of opportunities for students to use English in real situations which require the moving around in order to practice speaking and listening skills Teachers who find it difficult to control the class often establish some ban that students have to follow to keep silent They cannot work in groups or pairs because of the noise and the desk arrangement This cannot make up some benefits that pair or group work brings about and prevents students from going around for hunting each other to practice English physically Thirdly, the large number of students in a class also affects the high school students in learning English grammar It is not an exception in Can Đước high school The fact that most classes are too crowded (normally forty-five students
in a class) causes some obstacles for both teachers and students The teachers
may have difficulties in controlling the class and the students in concentrating on listening to their teachers The students who are over-active and sometimes too
curious and aggressive may neglect or distract their studies while they are not on
the watch of their teachers However, understanding students’ abilities in learning English can help teachers when dealing with crowded classes in both inspiring interests and acquiring new knowledge at the same time The good are next to the bad so they can help their friends with knowledge In this way, the bad will feel more interested in the learning and perform better at their exams Fourthly, the students are not motivated in their learning process According to Richards et al (1992), “motivation is the need or desire the learner feels to learn a language” Students who have a strong desire to learn the language will put much effort in their learning activities On the contrary, students with little or no desire to learn will find it boring to be involved in such kinds of thing According
Trang 24i ị Ệ I ‡
to the Psychology material (Teacher Cultivation Center, 1994, p 64), the main purpose of students is “to get good marks, and receive their teachers’ compliments.” Therefore, receiving good marks or good comments can help students to be motivated The writer in this material also advises that the teachers should develop students’ motivation of working for the collective and the common interest In learning English grammar, students do exercises given in textbooks The lack of absorption in doing exercises makes the learning boring The main cause of this is that students are lack of motivation
Fifthly, students find it difficult to understand the rules “Some recent research shows that many students do poorly on assignments or in participation because they do not understand what to do or why they should do it” (Harris, 1998) Some of them have trouble with both understanding principles and applying them to their own usage, especially when taking the exam Grammar rules are also the trouble to them and they often find it bewildering to do exercises Others are often confused about grammar rules and find it difficult to do exercises, leading them to a bad result at the end of a school-year
The last thing is that teachers often teach students English grammar deductively High school students, therefore, have little time to do exercises but to wait for the things written on the blackboard Moreover, the level of all students in a class is not equal, leading difficulties for teachers in choosing a suitable method for all of them Teachers have to explain everything for weak students but good ones need to be given more time to do exercises by themselves Consequently, it difficult for teachers to decide on the suitable method for all students, just
Trang 25These factors above primarily cause difficulties in learning English for students at high schools Can Puc high school students are not exception The students are bored with the theoretical lessons that they have to learn when coming to class Because they just sit and do things teachers require, they do not have any possibility to talk or move around They seem to be such inactive learners that they have no motive to be in class Moreover, the level of all students in a class is not equal and the number of students is too crowded, so the method teachers use is not suitable for all Based on these factors, students at Cin Pudc high school need to learn in a different way so that their learning of English, especially English grammar, could be more effective
In sum, the teaching of grammar at high schools by the current method is ineffective and boring to students It is not an impetus that helps students learn with most enthusiasm and get highest results at the end of the learning process It is high time that students need the impetus so as to motivate them in learning English grammar Therefore, teachers should find out another way that help students to reach the satisfactory results so that learning English becomes one of the most useful and interesting subjects at school and students look forwards to learning it
2.2 Games
2.2.1 Definition of games
The term game can be defined in different ways by different authors and researchers First, game can be understood as “a single play of a sport or other contest” or “a contest with rules to determine a winner” (Hornby, 1995) In a
Trang 26game, there are many competitors or just one pair, in turn, tries to become the winners Second, the meaning of games can be defined as an element of fun (Byme, 1991; Hadfield, 2000a) Games can be described as activities that bring a lot of fun in the classroom Hadfield (2000a, p 4) stated that “a game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun.” According to Baudains (1990, p 3), games are “activities students do for their own sake, for the immediate fun, curiosity or competitive ambition aroused by the game.” Games to teach English learners can help to make language learning a positive and exciting experience Therefore, games are enjoyable, exciting, and interesting for students to be involved in Third, games are considered as a tool used in classroom (Byrne, 1991; Lee, 1997 & Baudains, 1990) The teachers can employ games in language teaching for stimulating the thrilling learning atmosphere More clearly, Richards et al (1992, p 153) gives another definition:
Game is as organized activity that usually has the following properties: a particular task or objective, a set of rules, competition between players, and communication between players by spoken or written language
Trang 272.2.2 Kinds of games
There are some different classifications of games from different linguists or writers According to Hadfield (1999), games, on the base of competition, are divided into two kinds: competitive games, in which players or teams race to set a highest goal and cooperative games, in which players or teams try to win in reaching a common goal set by teachers Another idea came from Carrier (1985) games, on the base of language usage, can be divided into such kinds as grammar games which provide a variety of using structures or expressions that have been learned; vocabulary games focused mainly on words; spelling games about letters in a word; pronunciation games with helping students in pronouncing a word correctly; games focused on listening and speaking skills
Games are used as a mean to practice, not to introduce new language items and they make use of a variety of techniques Therefore, variety is very important in language teaching; otherwise, the activities may fail or be boring Grammar games consist of games played on structures or rules, games played on prepositions, games played on the expressions Among them are the five most popular ones as the follows:
The first type, Searching game, involves the whole class Everyone in the class has one piece of information “Players must obtain all or a large amount of the information available to fill in a questionnaire or to solve a problem Each student is thus simultaneously a giver and a collector of information”(Hadfield, 2000a, p 4) In other to get information, students need to ask and answer a certain number of questions The second type, Grouping game, refers to teams work Many students enjoy the excitement of team competition and the
Trang 28possibilities for activities are endless In this game, the teacher divides the class into two or more teams They run to finish activity designed on a certain grammar point on the blackboard The third type, Chess games, students collect, give away, exchange, sort and match cards The cards can have meaning value in a game, or simply serve as symbols for objects or actions Cards are often components of other game types as well The fourth type, Matching game, involves matching corresponding pairs of cards or pictures and the whole class Everyone circulates until they find a partner with a corresponding card or picture As a pair work or small group activity, where players must choose pictures or cards from a selection or match those chosen by their partner of the same selection The fifth type, Problem-solving game, is based on the tasks that the students have to do in class In this game, students have to solve a problem or mystery in a real or an imaginary situation They are also expected to find solutions to various types of problem so they are led to a discussion of several ways of solving the problem The grammar points needed for problem-solving games are mainly focused on the aim of the lesson Students practice structures again and again help them in memorization
Trang 29was used for passive voice with special form to make students work by creating sentences by themselves Therefore, in this study I just rely on these types which are mainly focused on in the experiment and can be more clearly introduced in Chapter Three
2.2.3 Benefits of games in learning English grammar
There are four main benefits of games in learning English such as games bring about an amusing atmosphere (Hadfield, 2000a; Byrne, 1991); games create a learning Eitilfisniiierii (Hadfield, 2000a; Carrier, 1985); games provide students with opportunities and challenges to practice English; games help students get better results and besides, they bring some other extra benefits (Handcock, 1995; Ur & Wright, 1992)
2.2.3.1 Bringing about an amusing atmosphere
Recently, many researchers believe that games used in English classroom bring about “a joyful and relaxed atmosphere” (Hadfield, 2000a; Byrne, 1991) Wrlee (1979, p 1) pointed that “games are enjoyable.” When games are used, the students feel happy because of the amusing atmosphere A game is considered as play and play is relaxing and enjoyable for all people As a result, students feel more relaxed and their minds might be more attentive and receptive Ultimately, in a relaxed atmosphere, it is understandable for students to acquire a new knowledge of language As stated by Hadfield (2000a, p 5), “one of the most important reasons for using games is simply that they are immensely enjoyable for both teachers and students.” Besides, Byrne (1991, p 19) also asserted that, “games are meant to be enjoyed wherever they are played” The
Trang 30period of learning English is normally stressful because of its entire theory and exercise An amusing atmosphere from games leads to an interesting learning of English and so the students usually benefit a lot from it
Games offer students a fun-filled and relaxing learning atmosphere After learning and practicing new vocabulary, students have the opportunity to use language in a non-stressful way (Uberman, 1998, p 117)
2.2.3.2 Creating the learning environment
Almost all of the students feel like playing games They tend to be active and pleasant in the games After a game students who are having fun are usually motivated in their learning Fun is a vital ingredient in the fight against the “homework syndrome”, which is usually considered as a burden to many students Hadfield (2000a) also highly appreciated the role of games in teaching a language thanks to its fun As for him, games of any kind are usually fun Lewis (1999) approved the roles of games in teaching a language not only for the fun it brings to the students, but also for the language “In the easy, relaxed atmosphere which is created by using games, students remember things faster and better” (Wierus, 1994, p 218) Similarly, Klippel (1991, p 31) said that “games are generally liked by students of all ages because they combine language practice with fun and excitement.” Moreover, “games can lower anxiety” (Richard-Amato, 1988, p 147) then opportunities for shy students to express themselves in a non-threatening environment will be given “They can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings.”
Trang 31learning go well at some cases As Wright, Betteridge & Buckby stated the following:
Language learning is hard work One must make an effort to understand, or to repeat accurately, to manipulate newly understood language Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time Games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work
(Wright, Betteridge & Buckby, 1984, p 1) The games will also help to make learning English grammar enjoyable It is boring to get students to keep repeating sentences after the teacher and then they will start to feel like parrots It is useful to play games with structures such as phrases or sentences that are related to a certain topic on blackboard; filling in the blanks or make sentences included a new word or structure Teachers can also use pictures for creating words or phrases that students bear in their minds It is better for students to remember and use vocabulary and expressions at a time Games can allow teacher to engage the entire class in activities that require practical use When the students get this meaningful and contextual practice, the language becomes more vivid in their minds and they are better able to remember what they have learned and used
In doing something, all of us must be absorbed in it so that the enjoyment may be found and the work would be a happy thing to do The students are the same as this point If students do not find interest in learning English, teachers cannot teach them well The students who enjoy the learning will find it pleasant to do the exercises and of course will do the test better On the contrary, the students who have no enjoyment with it will find it boring to do The bad result for the test
Trang 32could be seen as a corollary Generally speaking, playing games is not only for pleasure but also for learning, the games that the students are interested in make the learning of English grammar more enjoyable
2.2.3.3 Providing students with opportunities and challenges to practice English grammar
Students are provided with opportunities and challenges to practice English through games Games can be defined as a significant kind of activities which introduce an element of competition into the lesson and provide a valuable impetus to the use of language When games are played, students must compete with each other so there is a challenge of using new words or new structures “Games and activities are invaluable to the teacher of a foreign language because they provide an opportunity for students to use their language skills in a less formal situation” (Carrier, 1985, p 6) The same as the idea above, Hadfield (1999, p 2) said that
The inclusion of games as an integral part of any language syllabus provides an opportunity for intensive language practice, offers a context in which language is used meaningfully and as a means to an end, and acts as a diagnostic tool for the teacher, highlighting areas of difficulty
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other members in the team can help them memorize In addition, when students are playing game, they are easily absorbed in it so the period of learning is not boring and so they will put much effort on doing exercises or tasks
To be more specific, grammar is central to teaching and learning of languages It is also one of the most difficult aspects of language to teach well Games may help teachers to create real contexts in which the students can understand the language clearly and successfully Lewis (1999) showed out that apart from their motivational value as an enjoyable form of activity, games provide a context in which the language is embedded Therefore, games can achieve at learning environment through with students can make questions and answers for a particular context They can, of course, find that learning English through real contexts is more useful and meaningful than in imaginary ones In addition, games can be used in terms of motivating students to learn because all of them are very keen on playing games It can also enhance the learning process and make the students happy, bringing a comfortable environment in a language class English games can also promote competition in a healthy, fair manner When grouping, students can help each other; the faster students can help the lower one in certain ways Therefore, students can be helped in games in term of practicing the structures, which are easily forgotten
Teachers can move students from passive learning to active learning In other words, using games can converse from a teach-centered class into a student- centered one Students’ mind and body are involved in the learning process such as trying to win in a game, going around making questions and answers or
Trang 34writing their own words on the blackboard The more active the students are, the more knowledge students get and bear in their minds
2.2.3.4 Helping students get better results
Besides the bringing about an amusing atmosphere; the learning environment; providing students with opportunities and challenges to practice English grammar, games could also help students to make progress in learning English grammar through games with better results
Better results are considered as higher marks in test results which are called test scores A test score is a piece of information, usually a number, that conveys the performance of an examinee on a test One formal definition is that “it is a summary of the evidence contained in an examinee's responses to the items of a test that are related to the construct or constructs being measured” (taken on 10 09 09 from H:\Englishteaching.ESL.html) Test scores can be used to estimate the students’ learning abilities through a period of time
Trang 35: one is the final test, which makes three times more than the real scores, is done hắn forty-five minutes at the end of the learning process of a term
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Learning English grammar through games can help students in getting better " results, ie the test scores will be higher Shelley (2006), who studied about “Why Children Learn Faster With English Language Games”, said that “games are effective and are guaranteed to obtain better results than traditional teaching methods” She also asserted that she has “found a solution for students to get great results in the classroom” The same idea with Shelley (2006), Matthen (2008) also said, “in one study, students consistently showed better English skills on tests after playing the games”
Most of the students are naturally curious; they want to explore and discover something new If their explorations bring pleasure or success, they will want to learn more and the better results could be seen at the end of the learning process Then their attitudes towards the learning English grammar will be better They feel satisfied with their work and show more enjoyment in their activities
2.2.3.5 Extra benefits of games
There are two other extra benefits of games Firstly, the environment in which students talk to each other can be achieved in communication Games “provide in many cases, as much concentrated practice as a traditional drill and, more importantly, they provide an opportunity for real communication, albeit within artificially defined limits, and thus constitute a bridge between the classroom and the real world” (Hadfield, 2000a, p 4) Secondly, games can improve pronunciation when students are engaged in a challenge and, “at the same time,
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ome
highlight an aspect of pronunciation” (Ur & Wright, 1992, p 129) Most of the students are good at imitating Therefore, the teacher speaks out something in real situation of games, the students can be helped a lot in pronouncing a word
In conclusion, the analysis above shows that language games make significant contributions to students’ learning a foreign language They can compensate for the difficulties that teachers meet in their teaching for the followings First, games can help students to find interest in learning English grammar because it can create the amusing atmosphere Second, games can deal with the large number of students in a class because the students can all participate in games by divided into smaller groups Third, games can give students opportunities to practice the language, therefore, they can help students to overcome the difficulty that students have no chance to speak or listen to in English Finally, games can help teachers in avoiding using deductive method, a boring way to students
The value of language games lies not only in the great number of games that have been invented or in the variety of levels they serve but in the useful and purposeful language practice they provide That is why teachers should pay attention to optimal use of games in their language teaching to increase students’ work and to offer them meaningful practice Provided that teachers can select or design and organize good games in terms of language and type of participation, they will achieve these worthy aims
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2.2.4 When to apply games in English classes
Games may also be used as an enjoyable activity at the end of term or at the completion of an entire course Games also lend themselves well to revision exercises helping students recall material in a pleasant, entertaining way In addition, games may be used whenever many students are tired and get bored; teachers should Jet them play games in term of motivation or encouragement The time to play games is optional 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
observed, a game "should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do" (Uberman, 1979, p 3) He also suggested that games be used at all stages of the lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen Therefore, the games may be used at various stages during the course Toward the beginning, games may be used to provide information related to the topic of the lesson Next, they will be asked to create sentences including the words they have written This takes about fifteen minutes before moving to the new lesson Later, in the course, teachers can use
games as an occasional break from the regular teaching program This will be a
fun activity and also quite likely test and reinforce at least some of the grammars already covered in the course
2.2.5 The role of teachers in games
Games are played by the students but teachers play an important role in the process Watcyn-Jones (1995, p 1) stated that:
Trang 38The teacher’s role is largely that of coordinator He or she is mainly responsible for preparing the material in sufficient quantities, explaining clearly what is to be done, and checking answers at the end of an activity
His opinion gave teachers a clear explanation of the role of teacher in language classes using games Teachers are as instructors, explaining all parts of lessons or exercises They also evaluate and correct it As the same in games, teachers introduce clearly ways of playing, rules followed by students and the award During the period of playing games, students may wish to help out with pronunciation, vocabulary or sometimes sentences and grammar The teacher may act as a consultant or an adviser, giving help when necessary He may also move around the classroom to monitor strengths and weaknesses of students When the games are finished, teachers should make comments so that the students can be pleased with their good work or recognize both their own mistakes and their friends’ ones, A variety of mistakes should be corrected and the winners in the games should be praised Their learning therefore naturally gets a satisfying result and the aim of learning is achieved with joyfulness It is the teachers who have to make up their minds what, when and with whom games should be used The accuracy of choosing these terms should be cautious because it can decide whether the learning process is successful or not Some games can be used with good students but not in the case with the bad ones
2.3 Prior studies on using of games in teaching and learning English
Trang 39agreed that the roles of games in teaching a language not only for the fun but for the use of language He meant that games provided a context in which the language was embedded Hadfield (2000a) also highly appreciated the role of games in teaching a language thanks to its fun According to him, games are usually fun and students having fun are usually motivated Learning with fun could help students get over the “homework syndrome”, a burden to many
students
Lee (1997) said that “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” Lee mentioned six helpful advantages of using games in the classroom: (1) games were welcome break from the usual routine of the language class; (2) games were motivation and challenging; (3) games helped students to make and sustain the effort of learning; (4) games provided language practice in the various skills: speaking, listening, writing and reading; (5) games encouraged students to interact and communicate; (6) games created a meaningful context for language use He emphasized that “through playing games, students could learn English the way children learnt their mother tongue without being aware they were studying; thus without stress, they could learn a lot” and “even shy students could participate positively”
A study is “Fun games and activities for pronunciation and phonetics classes at University” (1997) conducted by Makarova In this study, Makarova used most of the vocabulary games such as crosswords, hangman or bingo for pronunciation practice The study was one of the greatest challenges in academic environment about teaching phonetics and pronunciation
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Pillai (2002) carried out his study to solve his students’ problems with vocabulary He aimed at improving the students’ vocabulary and helping them remember the English words better He said in his study that “the use of mnemonics can enhance the ability of the students to organize and retrieve information easily.” Visual mnemonics could be “exploited to bridge the boundaries between words and their meanings.” Although no games could be found in his list of mnemonics, games were considered as a kind of mnemonics and should be applied in English classes A lot of mnemonics were suggested by Pillai in his study to help students enhance their memorization of word meaning
In Vietnam, the researchers throughout the country have also studied about the - games “The effectiveness of learning vocabulary through games” was the study done by Nguyen & Khuat (2003) They said that games had advantages and effectiveness in learning vocabulary in various ways such as “games bring in relaxation and fun for students; games usually involve friendly competition and they kept learners interested; vocabulary games bring real world context into the classroom, and enhance students’ use of English in a flexible, communicative way” They asserted that the roles of games in teaching and learning English vocabulary could not be denied However, to achieve the most from vocabulary games, teachers should choose “suitable games” based on “the number of students, proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings.”