Thursday 30 December 2010

Teaching English Using Games


What should a teacher do if their students get bored? Using varietis type of games can be an alternative solution to handle this problem. Games, as a matter of fact, can help and encourage many students to sustain their interest and work. 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. Teaching English using games is fun. There are several  activities we should do when we apply  teaching English using games, three of which are important. These are preparation, teaching process, and evaluation.
            First, we talk about preparation of teaching English using games. Before we start the activity in the class, it is better if we prepare the media. The media must be related to the games that we will use in the class. For example, we can use puppets, cards, or pictures. When we use those kind of media, absolutely we have to prepare puppet, cards or picture. Then, when we go to the class, we ready to use those in front if the students before he main subject begin. Games can be used as warming up before students study in the class. They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings (Hansen 1994:118). That is why, we are as the teachers give the games for the students. Furthermore, a good preparation, must be combine with the good teaching and learning process.
Not only preparation, but also we also have the process of teaching and learning. In this step, we must able to manage the class in games session. We can devide the class into several groups, or make it individually. The purpose of the games is create the enjoy atmosphere,  before the students study in the class. In this step, we have to use the media well. We can take the example, when we use puppets, we can ask the studets to make their own puppets. It will help them to be more creative and they can interpret what thaey want to make. On the other hand, we can divide class into several groups. Then, give them several cards with pictures on it. After that, call the name one of the picture. The group which the name called, have to explain the picture well. That is the simple example of games. However, do not forget to give a simple gift to the winner of the games.
The last step is evaluation. After we do the preparation and teaching process, we have the eveluation step. In this step, we can get feedback from the students. In the end of the class, ask students to write their short comments and suggestion about the games session. It is useful for us to know wheather  they love our games or not. If they like it, we can use it in other classes. But, if they do not like it, we can make other games like they suggest. It is important to use the games in the class, because sometimes students get bore in the class. It can be caused by the boring teaching and learning process. Games are fun and children like to play them. Through games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment (Lewis, 1999).
            Teaching English using games is the effective way to create an enjoy atmosphere in the class. There are several effects of teaching English using games for the students;fun, enjoyable, and easy to understand.
Teaching English using games ia really fun. Besides they are studying, they also can interact with their friends when play the games. It can relax their mind from their assignments that given by their teacher. The useful of games can attract the student to learn English because it is fun and make them want to have experiment, discover and interact with their environment (Lewis,1999). Moreover, students are able to communicate with their friends, even with their teacher.
Besides it is fun, it is also enjoyable for them. Playing the games do not need hard thinking. That is because games always offer the relaxation for the students. They will apreciate our effort to make an interesting games for them. English is difficult for students if they never practice. However, if we give them games, they will enjoy to play it, and an educational games help them to studying English easily. Through the games, they can both study and play. The hope is they can laern something from the games. Not only play it, but also they can think about what thay have done.
The last is teaching English through the games is easy to understand. Students need an easy way to understand the lesson. One of the best ways is using the games. They can understand the games easily. As a teacher, we have to provide the simple games to make them do not boring when they play it. An educational games must be related to their subject. Here, we study English, so we have to give them English games. Then, give them easy vocabulary which can make them memorize it easily.
From my explanation above, we know that the things we should do when we apply teaching English using games are preparation, teaching process, and evaluation. Those things will help us as a teacher to deliver our information to students easily. Beside that, the effects of teaching English using games for the students are fun, enjoyable, and easy to understand. Students need the fresh atmosphere in study English. Here, teaching English using games is one of the best ways to make students enjoy to learn English.
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Diska Fatima Virgiyanti             

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