How to design games in english lessons at primary school effectively

THANH HOA EDUCATION&TRAINING DEPARTMENT
NGOCLAC EDUCATION &TRAINING OFFICE
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE INITIATIVES
HOW TO DESIGN GAMES IN ENGLISH LESSONS AT PRIMARY SCHOOL EFFECTIVELY
WRITER: Tran Thi Viet Huong
Job: Teacher
 Working place: Minh Tien I primary school
 Experience initiatives’ subject: English
THANH HOA, YEAR 2018
THANH HÓA NĂM 2017
CATALOGUE
Contents
Page
Catalogue
1
1.Introduction
2
1.1.The reason of choosing the topic
2
1.2.Research purpose
2
1.3.Research subjects
2
1.4.Research method
2
2.Content initiative experience
3
2.1.The theoretical basis of initiative experince
3
 2. 2 . The situation of the problem
3
2.3. The solution used to solve the problem
5
2.4 . Effectiveness of initiative experience
12
3.Conclusion
13
3.1. Conclude.
13
3.2.Suggest.
13
REFERENCE MATERIALS
15
CATALOGUE OF THE INITIATIVE EXPERIENCES CHOSEN FROM THE GRADES OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT
16
 1. INTRODUCTION
It has been common knowledge that English plays an important part in our life. Due to English, we can widen our knowledge to communicate with people all over the world. Because of its importance, our education and training department decided that Engish is a main subject from primary to university grade. However, It is very difficult to teach and learn English in primary school, especially in the countryside and moutainous places.
 For most of things, I know the importance of inspirating desires of learning English for our fresh men, so I have always tried to find the best ways of teaching to stir my lessons by using some suitable games which make our pupils be keen on their new language and lead them to achieve their new knowledge through lessons actively. Through games children are easy to learn,Team games encourage children to work together. Moreover, they use all their senses when they play games,Children can use the knowledge they already have about rules and their roles in a game.
	With those criterias, during the past few years, I have successfully applied my experienced initiatives which I courageously write and show out to share with my honorable readers about the topic: “How to design games in English lessons at primary school effectively”. In the course of research, I believe that there will still be some errors, I hope to receive comments and advice from my leaders as well as colleagues .
THE REASON OF CHOOSING THE TOPIC.
	In real life, children learn through playing. Therefore, using games in English classs can help children’s language learning. Moreover, games create a child - friendly learning environment which help Teachers have more chance to develop their pupils’speaking skill – this is the most important skill for new beginners. From my thoughts and experiences above I research this topic.
	1.2. RESEARCH PURPOSE.
When I write this idea, I would like to contribute my small part to motivate Primary pupils feel like learning this second language and gain better grade.
 1.3. RESEARCH SUBJECTS.
 In my topic, I just focus on how to use games suitably in each unit of knowledge, such as: Some games focus on vocabulary & fluency, some reinforce accuracy or build up model senences
 1.4. RESEARCH METHODS.
	 1.4.1. Research, kinds of English tests to find out which can assess the qualifications and the knowledge of the students without any pressure.
	 1.4.2. Research based on observation methods: attending worshops about techniques of teaching primary pupils. Or classes of my colleagues.
	 1.4.3. Research based on practice: Teaching with the attendance of some colleagues then discuss to learn from each other.
	1.4.4. Research based on studying materials related to designing games for primary lesson.	
2. CONTENT INITIATIVE EXPERIENCE
 2.1. THEORETICAL BASIS OF INITIATIVE EXPERIENCE
	 The fact is that Children are not old enough to be able to understand or analyse the structure of a tense or other grammars that make them so confusing. In the past I taught some primary classes about model sentences and ask them to explain the usage again but it seemed to me that most of them couldn’t acquire.
	What I taught made my lessons rather boring. So I think Teachers shouldn’t only teach basic knowledge in textbooks because learners will be passive and they will not feel confident as well as not flexible to adapt with changing daily life.
	In the past few years methods of teaching have been changed to be with the development of society and communicative method has been used .It means that in lessons pupils are centered to develop their creations and activeness through different activities. Therefore, suitable games in lessons are the best choice .
 2.2. THE SITUATION OF THE PROBLEM.
	2.2.1. Advantages
	2.2.1.1. On the part of teachers
 -Nowadays, there are so many textbooks , tapes or videos that provide kinds of games to motivate children to learn English. Besides, Teachers are sometimes attended workshops that encourage Teachers to use games to consolidate knowledge. 
	- Have to access and use of new methods in teaching.
	- Creativity, learn some appropriate teaching compatible with the content of the lecture.
	- Teachers use modern equipment well such as computers, speakers, projectors,...
 -Teachers should use bodylanguage in teaching if necessary.
	2.2.1.2. On the part of students
 	- The majority of school students are eager to be taught this new language.
	- They are very active and so industrious.
	2.2.2. Disadvantages
	Besides the above advantages, teachers and students exist back:
	2.2.2.1. On the part of teachers
	Teachers also use several methods that are not child –friendly for primary pupils , so children sometimes don’t know the reason why they have to learn the lessons which make teaching and learning no meaningful.
 2.2.2.2. Teaching equipment
	Equipment used for teaching English is limited. Some equipments are spoiled or outdated inconsistent with teaching. More importantly, there is no function room which is also a challenge with Teachers to organize a game without any noise to classes around
 2.2.2.3. On the part of students
	Pupils have no chance to practice at home because there is no English environment around them. So schooltime to learn English is rather little.Moreover, some children are shy to communicate in English.
 Before applying the games in lessons, I took a class survey to see the differences. I chose class 4A at Minh Tien 1 primary school with total pupil is 31 to do a small test after learning theme 1(from unit 1 to unit 4):
 This is the result before I apply the experience initiative:
No
Grade
Total
Result of before applying the experience initiative
Excellent
Good
Fair
Weak
attitude
like
dislike
Hesitation
SL
%
SL
%
SL
%
SL
%
SL/
%
Sl/
 %
Sl/ %
1
4A
31
6
19
10
32
11
36
4
13
11/36
6/19
15/45
QUESTIONS OF A SMALL TEST
	PART - READING 	
	Question 1: Read and match .1p
	1. What nationality are you? A. Yes, I can.
	2. Can you cook? B. It’s on the fifth of November.
	3. What day is it today? C. It’s Monday.
	4. When’s his birthday? D. I’m Vietnamese.
	* Answer: 1 - ; 2 - ; 3 - ; 4 - .
PART -writing 
Question 2: Fill in the blanks. 1p
1. Am _ rica 2. We _ nesday 3. M _ rch 4. s _ im 
	Question 3: Reoder the words to make meaningful sentences. 2p
is / today / What / date / the / ? -> 
I / volleyball / can / play / . -> 
What / you / on / do / Tuesdays / do / ? -> ..
from / Linda / is / England. -> .
	* After finishing this test I did a survey to ask their attitudes :
	I ask:do you like this test?you tick “ x” in one of the squares :
0 like 0 dislike 0 hesitation
*Comments after checking: the result of the survey showed that primary pupils felt so bored to do exercises ,they were not keen on the subject,They had difficulty in practising both at home and at school and it seemed to me that they had no reason of learning .
	2.3. THE SOLUTION USED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
	2.3.1.Using games in lessons to build up students’ skills:
	The fact is that children love games and are always inventing new games to amuse themselves.Using games in class is a natural way for children to learn.
	For example ,to practice vocabulary and pronunciation,we can play games which focus more on accuracy.This type of game require children to remember and repeat words and phrases.These games are more controlled and fluency practice games because we want the children to be more accurate in their language use
	In both fluency and accuracy practice.It is important that games help children to use chunks of language and not just single words or sounds. Playing games really helps children improve vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar in a fun way but it is important that your games have a clear language focus.Before class,you need to prepare games carefully to make sure that they provide good language practice.
	2.3.2 .How to design games in English lessons:
	It’s important that games must be suitable with the contents of each lesson, it means that Teachers must choose which games focus on grammar,vocabulary, Fluency, accuracy or so on
	Games are so meaningful and ceate a child–friendly learning invironment.
	Games are suitable with Teachers and Pupils as well as school’s facilities.
	Games wake up all children’senses, develop their creations, attract their attention, And enhance learning.
	2.3.3 Learning games’structures:
	-Name of the game
	-Aims of the game:
 To practice or revise which skill(vocabulary,fluency or accuracy)
	-Game’s materials: Describe kinds of things used to play games
	-Number of players:how many people can join in a game.
	-Rules of games:
 	*First of all,get your pupils’attention before you start giving out the instructions.
 	*Plan what you are saying.
 	*Give short instructions
	*Make sure your instruction are in alogical order,using such signposts as first,second,next..
 	*Always demonstrate what the students should be doing.
 	*Check that students understanding before starting, Short and simple instructions together with gestures are more efficient.
	2.3.4 How to play games:
	- Allowed time: from 5 to 7 minutes.
	-How to organize: First,Teacher introduces name of the game, guide pupils to play by modeling the games(should be twice).This is a very good way of helping children to learn and remember rules of the games so they don’t have to remember long and difficult spoken instructions.
	-Start playing game: Pupils are participants and Teacher plays as a referee.
	-Teacher gives comments about results of game: Pupils’attitudes,mistakes should be avoided, or knowledge they have just practiced.
	-After the game:Teacher should give reward for the winning team , it may be aclap,points,songs,sweets,pensWhich motivate children to learn better, besides If someone breaks rules of a game, Teacher should give them a child –friendly punishment such as: run one leg, dance or sing a songIt’s important that Teacher must be fair which makes children feel comfortable and ready to receive any punishments if they lose a game. 
	2.3.5 Introduce some games for types of practicing skills at primary classes:
	I would like to introduce some games I have ever applied in my lessons:
	Game 1: Body labeling
	Materials:
	-A white board
	-14 sticky labels (or ‘post-its’ ) for each group of 4 or 5 students.
	-A3 size paper for each group (option-see below)
Head eye nose mouth body toe knee 
 Arm hand finger leg foot thumb shoulder
	Aims of the game: to build children’s pronunciation and grammar
	Procedure:
Use flashcard to teach or review the target vocabulary. Check that the children know the words to practice pronunciation.
Write the words from the box above on the white board, eliciting the vocabulary from the children.
Put the children into team of 4 or 5.
Give each group 14 sticky labels. Students write one different word on each label.
Option A One child from each group is selected to be the ‘body’.The other children in the group put the sticky labels on the correct part of the body.The winning team is the first to stick the label to all correct body parts. When they stick the label to the body part ,the children have to say:here’s the mouth , here’s the toe etc .
While the children are playing, monitor and check which words the children can’t remember or any problems with pronunciation .
At the end of the game , check the meaning of the words and practice pronunciation with the whole class .You can do this by having a drawing of a body or skeleton on the whiteboard. Point to a body part and the class shouts out what it is. Drill the pronunciation of the word. Then write the word next to the body part.Repeat this for the words which children had problems with while playing the game.
Recording:Ask children to draw a skeleton or body in their vocabulary note books and label the body parts.
	 Important note:
	This game is great fun , and good for energizing pupils. However , if you feel that it’s not appropriate to use the children themsves as the body , then you can use Option B for stage 5 of the game:
 	 Option B: Give each group an A3 piece of paper and ask them to draw a skeleton or human body (or prepare one for each group yourself before the lesson) . Each group sticks the labels on the correct part of the skeleton or body on the piece of paper. The winning team is the first to stick the notes to correct body parts.
	After the game :Teacher congratulates the winner and gives reward for the winner such as :a clap or candy
	Game 2 : The skeleton game
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Materials:
 - A white board
 - A set of written instructions (see below ) and one dice for each pair of children
 - A4 size paper for each child. Children play this game in pairs.
	Aims of the game: to build children’s pronunciation and consolidate their vocabulary.
	Procedure:
 1 .Prepare a handout with the following instructions and give one to each pair of children (or show the onstructions on the white board ):
	Play this skeleton game with a friend :
Instructions:
Roll the dice. You must get 1= a body to begin
When you get 1, draw a body on your paper.
Take turns, roll the dice and draw the different parts of the body on the skeleton.
Don’t forget ! you must have a body before you can draw the shoulders , arms , legs or neck; you must have a head before you can draw the eyes, ears , nose and mouth !
The first person to finish his/her skeleton is the winner !
1=body , ear
2= head , eye 
3= neck , shoulders
4= arm , nose 
5= leg , mouth 
6=hand , foot
 	1. Read the instructions with the children. Model the game first and check they understand what to do , eg. Demonstrate how to play the game to the whole class, The children in each pair take turns in throwing the dice and then drawing a body part. The winner is the first child to complete the skeleton with all the body parts.
 2. Before the children play ,teach them useful functional language they need to play the game and let them practice repeating this language . Eg. “you start”,“It’s your turn “,”A five, good! I can draw a leg .”; “ oh ,no! I can’t draw anything.”; “I’ve finished!”
 While the children are playing ,monitor and note any problems with the meaning of the words or pronunciation.
 3. At the end of the game ,spend sometime checking meaning of words , or practicing pronunciation .
	After the game: Teacher congratulates the winner and gives reward for the winner such as: a clap or candy
	Game 3: Bingo
	Materials: A black board
	Aims of the game: A great game for practicing/ reviewing almost any language area, for very young children you could use this game to revise letters of the alphabet.
	For older learners, you could make it more challenging by giving definitions of words instead of just the words.
	Procedure:
	1. Draw a word grid on the board and ask pupils to copy it
	2. Have them the words they have learnt in their lessons.
	3. Lists the words on the board.
	4. Each pupils chooses nine words from the lists to copy into their grid. While they are doing this ,copy each word onto a piece of paper 
	5. Put the pieces of paper into a bag and mix them up.
	6. Select pupils to pick out a piece of paper and call out the word. Pupils with that word in their grid can cross it out.The quickiest pupil to cross out an entire row of words in their grid and call out Bingo is the winner .Alternatively , you can continue the game until one pupil has crossed all the words. 
	After the game :Teacher congratulates the winner and gives reward for the winner such as: a clap or candy
	Important note :
	A great game for practicing/reviewing almost any language area. For very young children you could use this game to revise letters of the alphabet. 
	For older learners, you could make it more challenging by giving definitions of words instead of just the words, Eg, teacher says “this shop sells bread and cakes”. The children have to cross out “the baker’s”.
	Game 4: Bees find words
	Materials:
10
	-Two flowers with 5 petals, each flower has different colours, each petal has different numbers and sides behind sticked with magnet
1
3
6
7
4
8
9
2
5
+ 10 bees written words and sides behind sticked with magnet:ten
two
one
seven
four
eight
five
six
three
nine
+ colourful chalks.
	Aims of the game: To check children’s vocabulary, create exciting atmosphere to learn in class.
	Procedure:
	- Choose two teams , each team has 5 members. Teacher devides the board into two parts, each part has a flower and five bees arranged disorderly, then introduce name of the game: I have two flowers , there are numbers on each pental, there are words on each bee. Your task is to lead the bee go with the word.
	Two teams stand in two down lines, when you hear “start”, you quickly match the bees with the words correctly. you do inturns intil the last member. The fastest team with the most correct matching is the winner.
	After the game: Teacher gives reward for the winner such as: A clap or candy
	Notes: You can change numbers in pentals in English and viceverse. Besides, There maybe a word not suitable on each pental and find the way for bee to go with words and how to change.
	Game 5: Pastimes
	Materials : There’s no need any preparation.
	Aim of the game: To check children’s vocabulary, create exciting atmosphere to learn in class.
	Procedure:
	Teacher draws two suns with rays of sunrise,devide class into two teams, give each team a chalk to write on the board any word ,then quickly give chalk to an other member in team.
	When children hear “start”, each member of the team quickly writes on the board any word, only one word a turn , you can write two or more times. Then move to other members of their team. The game finishes from 3 to 5 minutes.
	After the game :Teacher congratulate sthe winner and gives reward for the winner such as: A clap or candy
	Notes: If there are the same words in each team, they only get one word.
	Game 6: Simon says
	Materials: There’s no need any preparation.
	Aim of the game: This is a classic and fun game. You can play this game to revise the target grammar and /or vocabulary items with pupils.
	Procedure:
	The teacher (or a pupil) instruct the class to carry out actions by saying ,for example, Simon says turn right or Simon says turn left. If the teacher doesn’t begin the instructions with Simon says, pupils shouldn’t follow the instruction.
	Anyone who fails to follow an instruction preceded by Simon says, or follows an instruction not preceded by Simon says, is out of the game. The last pupil who remains is the winner.
	After the game: Teacher congratulates the winner and gives reward for the winner such as: A clap or candy
	Game 7: Slap the board
	Materials: A black board or rolled – up newspapers.
	Aim of the game: This is a fun game which reinforces the association between written and spoken words.
	Procedu