This article is about using interesting different interactive games in primary classes. Here is given types of games and how to use them in teaching young learners.
Key words: generation, language skills, interact, new approaches
В данной статье рассматриваются вопросы использования различных интерактивных игр при обучении английскому языку в начальных классах
Ключевые слова: поколение, языковые навыки, межличностные отношения, инновационный подход.
Our educational system was rebuilt during independence years. Its essence and significance form and methods were changed.
Great attention is being paid to younger generation. There were many reforms in education and other fields of social life. The decree of the First President Islam Karimov «On measures for further improvement of foreign language learning» is an important factor in improving teaching of foreign languages to a new level [1].
Nowadays English is becoming more and more important. Teaching English to the young learners is not easy because English is not their mother tongue and it is a new thing for them. The teacher should have a good and an interesting technique to introduce English for them, so that the young learners will be interested and motivated to learn English. There are a lot of ways to introduce English to the young learners.
One of them is by using games. Ersoz (2000) states that games can be used to give practice in all language skills and they can be used to practice many types of communication [2]. Young learners love to play, and they participate in a game with more enthusiasm and willingness than in any other classroom task. Yet, games are sometimes perceived as entertaining activities, playing which children are not really learning. Children in general learn better when they are active.
The use of games in the classroom has many advantages. Games should be an essential part of any curriculum. According to Carrier(1980), “Games raise the students’ motivation in such away that students enjoy their learning so much that they might not realize they are doing so” [3] /
Games are fun and children like to play them; through games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment; games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. There are countless benefits to using games in the classroom.
Games can:
- Help students to learn more about themselves
- Foster a sense of community in the classroom where all students feel comfortable expressing ideas in a safe learning environment
- Energize students to become more active participants in the learning process.
Young learners love to play, and they participate in a game with more enthusiasm and willingness than in any other classroom task. Yet, games are sometimes perceived as entertaining activities, playing which children are not really learning. Children in general learn better when they are active.
Some games are played in pairs or small groups; others are played with the whole class. We know that games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson.
Let’s look at what games the teacher can use in the class.
The activities listed below have been prepared for the students of primary school at the age of 6–9.
Activity 1.“Play Find Your Partner”
Objective: to improve pupils’ speaking skills
Teacher divides the class into 2 groups. The first group is “Summer”, the second group is ”Winter”.
Teacher distributes summer and winter flashcards to children and teacher asks the children to find their partners according to their flashcards.
Summer flashcards: hot, warm, the sun, swim in the river…
Winter flashcards: snow, gloves, cold, fog…
Activity 3. “When Isay touch…”
Objective: to improve pupils’ listening skills
Teacher asks the children to stand in a row in two lines.
Teacher explains the instruction of the activity: Children when I say touch… you should touch to your parts of body…
O. K. Let’s begin. When I say touch …touch your nose, touch your face, touch your left leg…
Activity 4. Is she agirl or aboy?
Objective: to improve pupils speaking skills
Teacher prepares 2 ready made a girl’s and a boy’s body flashcards beforehand. Teacher divides the class into 2 groups. Teacher distributes flashcard envelopes to the groups and explains the instruction of the activity: When I say please, begin you should begin to open the envelopes and take out the pieces of human body flashcards. Then you put them into right order. In final the groups find “Is she agirl or aboy?” Which group finishes the first, they will be winners of this game.
Activity 5. Run and stick animals
Teacher prepares two posters on the blackboard beforehand. Teacher divides the class into 2 teams. Teacher distributes flashcards of domestic and wild animals. Teacher explains the instruction of the activity: Here are two posters. Look at your flashcards and run to stick it to a poster please find their right places is it a domestic animal or a wild animal. Which group is the first ready you may say BINGO and that group will be winner in this game.
To sum up I can say one of the best solutions is through games which meet the purpose of creating a relaxing and motivating atmosphere for most learners and using interactive games in all English lessons promotes formation of a creative, active person, capable to change in the changing world.
References:
- (2012) The decree of the President of Uzbekistan I. A. Karimov № 1875 “On measures to further improve of foreign language learning system”, December, 10, 2012.
- Ersoz, A. (2000) Six Games for the EFL/ESL Classroom in The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No.6.
- Carrier, Michael and The Centre for British Teachers(1980).Take 5.Games and activities for the Language Learner(2d. ed.)London: Nelson.
