Applying some language games in "Language focus" part to create excitement and enhance learning English for grade 10 students

CONTENT
PART I: INTRODUCTION
I. Reason for choosing the study
Recently, teaching English has improved in method in the light of the communicative, learner-centered approach which is adaptable to required objectives and helps students have many opportunities to communicate in English. However, at many high schools, teaching English still has not developed students’ ability, activeness and motivation, especially teaching grammar.
I agree with Mario Rinvolucri (1984: 3): “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.” Games in general and grammar games in particular are very useful in teaching and learning English grammar because it not only encourages, but improves and teaches students’ ability in using English fluently as well. Therefore, I think this study is necessary and the result of using games in teaching grammar will bring many practical benefits to the students. 
As an English teacher, I really want to clarify the topic here with my knowledge to analyze, understand the situation of teaching and learning English at high school; the application of games in teaching English at the school. Thanks to it, I will find out lessons, experience for myself and make a small contribution to enhancing the effectiveness in teaching this subject. So in this writing, I present the study entitled: 
"Applying some language games in " Language focus " part to create excitement and enhance learning English for grade 10 students".
II. Aims of the study
The aims of this study are:
- To introduce some language games in “language focus”
- To show how to organize games effectively and how to deal with initial problems that may arise.
- To create excitement and enhance learning English for students.
III. Objects of the study
This subject is concerned with ways of using some language games as well as their effectiveness on teaching grammar.
IV. Methods of the study
Reading reference books, discussing with other teachers, applying in teaching, observing and drawing out experiences.
PART II: CONTENT
I. Theoretical back ground
	There is an interesting movement towards teaching grammar with games. It creates students’ motivation in learning English, especially English grammar. Just immage when coming in class the teacher annouces that it is time for grammar lesson with games instead of moans and whinning, the teacher and the students get smiles and excitemment.
Arif Saricoban and Esen Metin, authors of "Songs, Verse and Games for Teaching Grammar" explain how and why games work for teaching grammar in an ESL classroom.  They say, "Games and problem-solving activities...have apurpose beyond the production of correct speech, and are examples of the most preferable communicative activities."  They go on to explain that grammar games help children not only gain knowledge but be able to apply and use that learning.
 	Additionally, games have the advantage of allowing the students to "practice and internalize vocabulary, grammar and structures extensively."  They can do this through repeated exposure to the target grammar and because students are often more motivated to play games than they are to do deskwork.  Plus, during the game, the students are focused on the activity and end up absorbing the grammar subconsciously.
 Aydan Ersoz, author of "Six Games for the ESL/EFL Classroom" also explains more reasons why games do work for teaching grammar.  Learning a language requires constant effort and that can be tiring, but Ersoz outlines two good reasons why games should be included in the classroom:
* Games that are amusing and challenging are highly motivating.
* Games allow meaningful use of the language in context.
Students may wish to play games purely fo fun. Teacher, however, need more convincing reasons. “ Teacher need to consider which games to use, when to use them, how to link them up with the syllabus, textbook and programme and how, more specially, different games with benifit student in different ways” (Khan, J,1996). The key to a sucessful language games is that the rule is clear, the ultimate goal is well designed and the game must be fun. 
II. Real situation of teaching and learning English at Tho Xuan 4 high school
	From applying new English teaching methods, "language games" have been become main activity in teachers' lesson plans. Some teachers have paid attention and prepared careful game. They know how to make the classtime pleasant and comfortable so they create excitement and motivate learning English for their students. However, some others are not aware much about the importance of language games. They still think that these games waste time and make class noisy. Thus, instead of having better preparation for language games, they often explain the grammar rules and ask students to do exercises. This makes students stressful and the classtime boring. 
 Moreover, for students at Tho Xuan 4 high school, they have approached new teaching methods, but they seem to be embarrassing when they take part in. To know exactly about this problem, I have investigated 90 students in 2 classes 10A5 and 10A6 by asking them the following questions:
 Please tick your choice in the square to answer the question: 
 1. Do you like playing games in “language focus” lessons?
Very like C. Normal
 B. Like D. Dislike
 2. Why do (don't) you like warm-up activities in English lesson?
 ...................................................................................................................
	And I get the bellow result:
Total 
very like
like
Normal
Dislike
No
%
No
%
No
%
No
%
90 students
10
11.1
15
16.7
25
27.8
40
44.4
As can be seen from the result that most of good students are interested in language games while lower students are shy because they have no ability to take part in. Student's level of understanding is unequal in a class to cause difficulty for teachers to choose activities which are suitable for whole class. Many activities can be applied well in this period but they also are boring in the other ones. Lots of games make good students excited while bad students could not participate in. And vice versa, some activities attract lower students but make good ones bored. 
	Besides, my school is located in half-plain and pure agricultural area so students `have less chance to communicate in foreign language in daily life. They are so shy to speak as well as express ideas, thought in language games so they seem not to want to take part in.
From those reasons, the study entitled "Applying some language games in "language focus" part to create excitement and enhance learning English for grade 10 students" has been conducted with the hope to make teachers and students more aware of the importance of language games in teaching and learning grammar. 
III. Some language games applied in teaching “language focus” part - English 10 (basic).
Circle
Procedure
T divides class in to group of 4-5 
T gives a word and asks Ss to make a full sentence
each student in groups gives one word to make a full sentence.
b. Applying
Unit 1: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF – Pronunciation 
 Teacher gives the first word: THREE and asks students to give words containing the sound /i:/ or /I /. 
Ex: Three sleepy sheep and a bee see Bill kick a big tin under the kitchen sink.
Unit 3: SCHOOL TALKS - Grammar 
 Teacher gives the first words (The) and asks students to give words to make complete sentence having To infinitive or Gerund
 Ex: The manager asked me to finish the report by lunchtime.
Unit 4: SPECIAL EDUCATION – Pronunciation 
 Teacher gives the first word: PAUL and asks students to give words containing the sound O: và Q. 
 Ex: Paul wants to call his daughter not to pour water on the floor and watch out the dog.
Twenty Questions
Procedure
- T divides class into three teams
- T gives some pictures on the board and asks Ss to make questions about them 
- Students in each team make questions and write on the board in 5 minutes
- Which team has more right questions will be the winner.
b. Applying
Unit 2: SCHOOL TALKS - Grammar (WH - Questions)
Unit 12: MUSIC- Grammar (WH - Questions)
The teacher gives a picture of a famous person. ( My Tam singer)
The teacher can ask the students to work in groups of 4. In 5 minutes, the group make more questions will be the winner.
Ex: What is her name?
 Where is she from?
 What is her job?
3. Tongue twisters
a. Procedure
- T writes some English tongue twisters on the board or on pieces of paper to distribute to students. 
- T asks them to read the tongue twisters aloud. Then faster. Then three times in a row. 
b. Applying
Unit 3: PEOPLE’S BACKGROUND – Language Focus 
/ e / and / æ /
How many cans can a cannibal nibble if a cannibal can nibble cans?
How many berries could a bare berry carry if a bare berry could carry berries?
Unit 10: CONSERVATION – Language Focus 
/ b/ and / p /
1. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
2. Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Unit 14: THE WORLD CUP – Language Focus 
/ g / and / k /
How many cookies could a good cook cook if a good cook could cook cookies? 
A good cook could cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies
4. Find The Other Halves
Aims: practice conditional sentence type 
a. Procedure
- T divides class into groups of 4-5 students 
- T hangs on 3 pieces of paper on the board and delivers the 3 other ones to groups.
- Ss read the sentences in pieces of paper carefully and then couple with pieces of paper on the board to make meaningful sentences in the fastest time. 
- Each group chooses a representative to run quickly to the board to couple pieces of paper. Which group complete fastest with more answers will be the winner. 
- T checks answers 
b. Applying
Unit 8: THE STORY OF MY VILLAGE (Grammar )
Unit 9: UNDERSEA WORLD (Grammar) 
Unit 11: NATIONAL PARKS (Grammar) 
Ex: Teacher takes 2 pieces of paper 1. If I have much money
If I
I have will buy
much a new bike
money dress
 2. I will buy a new dress
If I hadn’t my parents
failed wouldn’t 
the final have been
exam so sad
If I 
I were would a marry a
Princess Prince
Noughts And Crosses
a. Procedure
- Divide the class into 2 groups : one is Noughts (0) and one is Crosses (X) 
- Each team has to make a question correctly before they can place their symbol into an appropriate place on the board. 
- The winning team is the one who gets a line of three of their symbols on the grid.
b. Applying
 Unit 2: SCHOOL TALK - Grammar (WH- questions)’
 Unit 12: MUSIC - Grammar (WH- questions)
When
Why
Who
Which
What
Where
Where
How
Why
Ex 1.What do you do in your free time?
 2.What is your favourite sport?
 3. How often do you watch TV?
 4.Where do you usually go on a Sunday?
 5. Who do you often spend your free time with?
 6. Why do you morning exercises everyday?
 7. Where do you go on holiday?
 8. Where do you have free time?
 9. Which sport do you prefer football or swimming?
UNIT 5: TECHNOLOGY AND YOU – Gramar ( Relative Clauses) 
 Divide the students into two teams, the noughts and the crosses, and give out a worksheet like the one in the photo. It consists of the nine squares of the noughts and crosses diagram, each containing the photo of an object or a person that the students will not know in English, but will be able to describe within the limits of the grammar (relative clauses ) and vocabulary that they have already learnt. 
Reported Speech Soccer
Procedure
T can choose some students to play the games 
T can flip over a quotation card
Ss whose turn it is reads the quote and reports what was said, heard, read, or thought
If the student correctly reports what was in the quotation, the soccer ball advances one space (one player) closer to the opposing net. If the student makes even the slightest mistake then the ball moves one space closer to his or her own net.
b. Applying
Unit 8: THE STORY OF MY VILLAGE - Grammar 
For example, if the card says it's a beautiful day then the student will say: He/she said that it was a beautiful day. Every card has been designed so that the student can easily identify the pattern that is required 
Ex: 
 . . . said that . . . 
 . . . thought that . . . 
7. Miming Game
a. Procedure
- Teacher can divide the students into small groups 
- Students use their bodies to convey the meaning of an action or an expression which the others have to guess.
- One of the students in the group has to mime and the other groups have to guess.
b. Applying
Unit 6: AN EXCURSION - Grammar ( The Present Progressive)
 Students stand in front of the class and mime actions. The other students must guess what the student is doing: She's driving a car
 We are writing some letters
 He's opening an umbrella in the rain, etc
Bring Me Something
a. Procedure
- T divides class into group of 4-5
- T asks Ss to put some school objects on the table
- T stands in front of class and makes request
- Ss listen and bring the teacher items that fit the request 
b. Applying 
Unit 16: HISTORICAL PLACES - Grammar –( making comparison)
Example: 
- something smaller than a pencil. 
- Something bigger than the textbook
- Something older than the desk
- Something newer than a new notebook
- Someone better looking than the teacher (That always gets some laughs)
9. The Jewel Game 
This game promotes the development of memory and observation skills.
Procedure
T divides the class into small groups. Make sure that all desks are cleared and no student has pen or paper to write anything down.
T prepares some flashcards or pictures.
T shows flashcards or pictures to the silent class for 60 seconds. After that each group must write down the verbs followed by infinitive or gerund as they can remember .
- The students try to remember what they have just read.
Applying
Unit 2: SCHOOL TALKS – Grammar ( Gerund - Infinitive)
Unit 12: MUSIC – Grammar ( Infinitive)
Teacher’s activities & contents
Students’ activities
- Have Ss play the game. Explain the rule of the game
 - Post the poster on the board containing some verbs followed by gerund: 
Verbs Followed by a Gerund
admit
advise
appreciate
avoid
can't help
complete
consider
Delay
deny
detest
dislike
enjoy
escape
excuse
finish
forbid
get through
have
imagine
mind
miss
permit
postpone
practice
quit
recall
report
resent
resist
resume
risk
spend (time)
suggest
tolerate
waste (time)
 - Put the poster down the table and give Ss 1’ to discuss the answers
 - Call on 4 members from 4 groups to go to the board and write their answers
- - Repost the poster to check the answers
 - Announce the winners.
Listen to T’s instruction 
Look at the poster and try to remember
Discuss to write down as many songs as possible
4 representatives go to the board and write in limited time
Look a the poster and check
10. Find someone who?
a. Procedure
- Prepare a two-column table with Yes/No questions and Name.
- Let Ss go around the class and ask other Ss some Yes/ No questions.
- If the answer is YES, write his/ her name in the table.
- The winner is the first one who completes the Name column.
b. Applying 
UNIT 4: SPECIAL EDUCATION- Gramar (used to..)
Did you use to...
Name
cry at night?
go to bed late?
be afraid of ghost?
eat a lot of ice scream?
Table Completion
a. Procedure
- Ask Ss to work in groups and give each group a table containing 10 words 
- Tell Ss to complete the table following the instruction.
- The group which completes the table first and has more correct words will be the winner.
b. Applying
Unit 3: PEOPLE BACK GROUND –Grammar ( the past simple and past perfect)
- T ask Ss to use the correct form of verbs to complete the table
Verb infinitive
Past form
Past participle
Take
met
left
broke
Come
gone
got
been
Do
Unit 16: HISTORICAL PLACES- Grammar ( comparative and superlative)
T asks SS to use correct form of adjectives and adverbs to complete the table
Adj/ adv
comparative
superlative
Good
cheaper
The most dangerous
worse
far
The biggest
More intelligent
The least
Many/much
12. Lucky Animal 
a. Procedure
- Divide the class into two groups .
- Tell Ss they have nine pictures of animals , three of which are lucky animals Each .group in turn chooses the pictures and makes a sentence with the cues given .If the group has a correct answer or a lucky animal , they earn one point. If the group can’t give the correct answer , get no point , the other group can answer .The group with more points wins the game .
b. Applying	 
Unit 10 : CONSERVATION- Grammar ( passive voice)
1. Lucky animal
2. Say this sentence in the passive 
"People speak English everywhere"
3. Say this sentence in the active. 
"Cartoons are liked by most children"
4. Lucky animal
5. Lucky animal.
6. Say this sentence in the passive 
"We do not use things carefully."
7. Say this sentence in the active 
"Are candies liked by the children?"
8. Say this sentence in the passive
"Mr. Han teaches Maths" 
9. (same as 8)
* Cues Pictures
 IV. Result 
All above things are some language games which I applied for grade 10 students at Tho Xuan 4 high school. After applying those activities, I see that students' learning English have been improved. The table below expresses clearly the change in the students’ behavior in language games:
Total
very like
like
normal
dislike
No
%
No
%
No
%
No
%
90 students
 (10A5,10A6 )
30
33.3
40
44.4
15
16.7
5
5.5
In fact, after some lessons with language games, students seem to be more excitement as well as indulging in learning English. Lots of shy students are more confident. They begin speaking English together in the classtime. Almost students are interested in participating in games. This makes them more active and more enthusiasm to take part in learning activities. Thus, their learning result has been clearly increased in comparison with the beginning semester.
Learning result in 2014-2015: (before applying study)	
Total
excellent
good
Fair
bad
90 students
(11A1,11A2)
No
%
No
%
No
No
No
%
3
3,3
15
16,7
30
33,3
42
46,7
Learning result in 2015-2016: (after applying study)	
Total
excellent
good
Fair
bad
90 students
(105,10A6)
No
%
No
%
No
%
No
%
10
11,1
30
33,3
40
44,5
10
11,1
PART III: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
I. Conclusion
 Grammar games help teachers combine 4 skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing during giving the games and form the habit to play them. Therefore, teachers only need to prepare a little, they can make class atmosphere lively and effectiveness of learning high because both teachers and students are familiar to the way to play games. During the game, most students feel interested, ready to cooperate to take part in the game. When playing the games, students express their motivation. Moreover, students can revise the old structure and learn new one without being nervous or tired.
 	In summary, learning grammar though games is a method both effective and attractive, and can apply in any classes.
II. Suggestions
 It can be said that teaching English by new methods at high school especially at schools which is located in pure agricultural area is very difficult. However, teacher can apply new methods effectively if they really have love with teaching career and always study suitable teaching methods for each student, gradually solve difficulties of this subject. Through this writing, I want to share my little experience about using some new language games to stimulate students to learn English with the other teachers. I really hope that it is a useful reference to help teacher have