| Classroom board games are probably one of the | | | | familiar with the vocabulary fields as well as letting |
| most effective teaching tools available. Here we see | | | | them build up a sense of momentum to the |
| how to stimulate and motivate students, and provide | | | | outcome. |
| a welcome change to more standard classroom | | | | 4. Students should 'earn' the right to take a turn to |
| teaching approaches, giving students a refreshing | | | | generate the motive for speaking. This would mean, |
| new focus to practice their spoken English. | | | | for example, asking a team to answer a question |
| A few important points to bear in mind when using | | | | before being allowed to take a turn. Depending on |
| board games, which will increase their effectiveness | | | | the the theme of the board game, you may also use |
| and get the students speaking in English are: | | | | relevant video clips, story reconstructions with visuals |
| | | | or maybe role play situations in parallel, which allow |
| 1. The first rule to establish is that the game is to be | | | | students to score points which in turn allow them to |
| played in English. Give some input vocabulary such as | | | | throw the dice. |
| 'Whose turn is it?', 'Pass the dice please' or for a bit | | | | 5. Don't just limit yourself to the rules in the game. |
| of fun 'Hey, stop cheating!'. Then as the game | | | | Feel free to 'play God' and adjust the rules as you |
| progresses and you see other linguistic requirements, | | | | find convenient to make the game move more |
| supply them, drill them briefly, and continue to play. I | | | | slowly or faster. It's amazing how our knee-jerk |
| often have students keep a separate booklet for | | | | reaction to a game's set of rules sometimes leaves |
| game playing vocabulary. The students motivation is | | | | us feeling powerless over how to play the game! |
| strong, so take advantage of it! | | | | Such changes may include giving new consequences |
| 2. Encourage students to speak in only English by | | | | to the value of a throw on the dice e.g. 'if a player |
| establishing the second rule: not speaking in the | | | | throws a 5, then they get to throw again'. Wham! |
| target language forfeits a turn. This sounds a little | | | | You've got a new dimension to the game. |
| dramatic and harsh, but you'll be amazed how well it | | | | 6. Keep teacher talking time down! Let the students |
| works. It also creates an enormous amount of | | | | run the game - you just police it from a distance, |
| spontaneity of language, resulting in increased fluency | | | | supplying language as required. Because a board |
| and a reduction in response times. | | | | game generates spontaneous situations within a |
| 3. Teachers usually think in terms of one-class time | | | | defined linguistic area, this is the perfect opportunity |
| slots, whereby the material to be used is to be | | | | for the teacher to take back stage, and just give |
| finished by the end of the allotted time. This can lead | | | | 'hot correction' when required. Error feed back and |
| to unnecessarily self-imposed restrictions on the | | | | remedial work can be given at intervals as |
| choice of materials. I often let a game run for 3 or 4 | | | | appropriate. |
| lessons in order to let the students become highly | | | | |