Games in the Classroom

Games in the Classroom

Building Interest in the Class ======================

Many students do not necessarily like the idea of being in classes to learn a new language. Even more, it is obvious that even the most attentive students can get bored and lose focus on occasion. Incorporating games is a great way to get out of the rut of language drills, worksheets, boring repetition and individual study. If teachers find ways to keep their students interested in class through games, they will also find that the students are interested in the topic, and can absorb and retain more knowledge than if they simply study to pass a test or complete an assignment. Games make learning fun, so students are willing participants and not just there because they have to. Also they pay more attention because they are enjoying themselves and get to use the language all the time during the game. Friendly competition is also great to keep students interested. It often is the one encourager that students need to actively participate in any classroom activity. The outcome of the game gives students a concrete and immediate incentive to use the language as dictated by the game.

Putting Language in Useful and Meaningful Context ==============================================

Games allow teachers to engage the entire class in activities that require practical use. When students of EFL get this meaningful and contextual practice, the language becomes more vivid in their minds and they are better able to remember what they have learned and used. Another advantage is that games lend themselves perfectly to quick bursts of revision and can help the class to revise a massive amount of vocabulary and grammar in a few minutes. Furthermore, games often encourage students to use language spontaneously and to think for themselves and they give them the confidence they need to go out and use the language in real-world settings.

Giving Students a Break ======================

Learning a new language is intense and even sometimes stressful. Games allow students to have a break from the rigor of learning a new language. If teachers find the right kinds of games, this break can have purpose and make useful the time spent on the break because they are still practicing their skills. In addition, the students will be totally immersed in the focus of the game and they will be learning before they even realize what is happening.

Teaching Real World Skills ========================

Teachers who successfully use games in their classrooms know that there are more benefits than those just related to learning the language. Games give opportunities for shy students to express themselves in a non-threatening environment. The class will learn to work together as a whole or as small groups. Games can also promote competition in a healthy, fair manner, if teachers chose to use them that way.

Creating a Student/Teacher Bond =============================

Finally, teachers would like to build a bond with their students and this is one of the most rewarding aspects of using games in class. Playing games does this in so many ways. Teachers will be able to show themselves as a person, not just a teacher, as they encourage their students to do well in the game, or join in with them. Playing games also creates a positive learning environment that allows students to relax and enjoy themselves and those around them. The philosophy of encouragement incorporated into games allows all students, including the less good ones, to gain in confidence. While some people still look at games as time fillers in a classroom, when used correctly they can actually replace traditional teaching time with activities that give the students and teachers so many more benefits than lectures, worksheets and boring repetition.

Games in the Classroom

I think that games hold a very important and too often neglected place in the classroom. Games may have a more obvious benefit when teaching young learners, but they also have their place in adult learner classrooms. In this article I’ll try and present a few of the benefits of using games in the classroom, obviously there are many more and all teachers should be encouraged to find what works best for them and their students. Games are becoming more widely accepted in classrooms that used to be very still and quiet, as specialists acknowledge the fact that people learn better in less stressful environments. 

Games can help motivate students to learn the lesson at hand because of their competitive nature. Not wanting to let their team or themselves down the students make more of an effort to learn and also see the immediate result of their efforts (whether good or bad). 

Games can help students to learn while having fun, which in most cases means learning without the hard work and frustration sometimes associated with learning a new language. I.e. if for example, you ask a group of students to fill out a worksheet to test their ability to give and receive directions, the students may get bored, not see the point and also feel inadequate if they ‘fail the test’. Whereas if we introduce a game? divide the group into pairs or groups and distribute some simple maps, students take turns to ask directions and then follow the directions given by their fellow student. They will be practicing their speaking and listening skills, using their newly acquired vocabulary and the teacher who is closely monitoring the activity will have the necessary information.

Obviously the choice of games makes a difference as well. And when I speak of using games in the classroom I’m not talking about using ‘any old game’ just to pass time and keep the students busy, but of appropriate or adapted games which encourage the students to learn and practice their English. I think that using games in the classroom is a very good way to encourage the students to ‘activate’ their vocabulary. Many students of foreign language study for years and may have even passed tests, written exams etc. and are familiar with the grammar and structure of the given language without being able to comfortably converse in the language. A vital part of learning a language is being able to communicate in that language and playing games is one of the ways to put theory into practice, and present the students with the necessity to communicate in English. 

Children and adults alike often find using games to practice their vocabulary more enjoyable then having to prove their competence in using the new language by reciting to a teacher. Games are also very useful ‘ice-breakers’ and ‘warmers’ at the beginning of your class or when first starting up with a new class. They can help ‘melt’ the nervous awkward feelings of both the students and the teacher. 

Giving your lesson in a fun novel way can help your students to remember it long after. Games can also help the teacher control the pace of the classroom. If the students are starting to look tired and are having a hard time concentrating, a game can help liven up the situation and help the students be more alert again afterwards when it’s time to get back to studying. Or if the students are starting to get disruptive and are not paying much attention to the lesson a game can help channel their energy in a constructive way. 

To conclude, I hope we will all come to see games used more in the classroom and recognise this amazing tool and its potential for teaching all age groups. 

Before writing this article I did a search on the internet to see what other teachers think of using games in the classroom. Here are some sites that can provide further information or confirmation. 

Games in the Classroom

Introduction.

Often it is considered that learning is serious business and if students are seen laughing and having fun then they are not really learning. This is not always the case.

In order to learn languages students need a relaxed, fun atmosphere and often this can be achieved by using games. Games also help the teacher create a situation whereby language can be practised and used in a meaningful way.

What is a Game?

A game can be defined as a form of play that involves rules, competition and an element of fun.

Language games are not just fun ‘ice-breakers’ or things you do on Friday afternoon to end the week, they provide an opportunity for students to use and experiment with language in a meaningful way. Games can be highly motivating and encourage students to search out new vocabulary.

Games that are used in the language classroom have to be clearly explained and should have simple uncomplicated rules.

What are the advantages of using games?

-Constant effort and concentration is required over a long period of time in order to learn a language. Games give the student a break.

-Games allow the student to manipulate and practise the language point being taught.

-Games add value to language. If a student is able to reproduce language in context that is meaningful and useful then the student is much more likely to retain the language.

-Games offer an element of fun and competition. Students forget they are learning and focus on winning.

-Games are motivating.

-Games help build rapport amongst the students. The students are encouraged to co-operate and communicate to reach a common goal.

-Games lower stress and anxiety within the students.

-Games encourage students to use and search out new vocabulary.

When and which games to use.

It’s important that teachers see games as more than ‘time- fillers’. Games allow students to practise language.

Before deciding which games to use teachers must reflect on several things.

a) The students’ language level.

b) The average age of the students.

c) The environment in which the game will be played.

d) The materials needed to play.

After considering the above points the teacher needs to think about her aims for the activity. What he/she hopes the students will achieve from the game.

Games help students revise and practice what they have learnt, therefore the teacher may wish to use a game in the last part of her lesson to reinforce what has been learnt. Some teachers like to use short simple games after lunch to help ‘wake-up’ the students. Games relieve stress so the teacher may wish to start with a game and follow the game with any language problems that arose during the activity. Games provide variety in the classroom so it’s important teachers include them in their lessons.

How to choose games. (Tyson 2000)

A game must be fun.

A game should involve friendly competition.

A game should keep all students involved and interested.

A game should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself.

A game should give students a chance to learn, practise or review specific language material.

Five of My Favorite Games

1. Find Somebody Who.....................

The teacher gives students a piece of paper with five statements.

E.g. Find somebody who has visited New York.

Likes to cook.

Knows somebody famous.

Has children.

Has eaten snails.

The students then mingle amongst themselves until they have found all the relevant people. The student may have to ask the same questions several times and likewise answer questions. The winner is the student who finds somebody for all his statements first.

The teacher can then use this information as a discussion exercise and as a way of learning more about the people she/he is teaching. The places they have visited, hobbies they may have and interests.

2. Memory Challenge.

Divide the class into groups, giving them a time limit, ask the students to write down as many words , phrases, expressions that they can remember from the previous lesson. The team with the most words wins.

A good game for revision or to start the class.

3. Win Lose or Draw.

Divide the class into groups. Each group writes several topics on a piece of paper and the teacher then puts these topics into a hat.

Starting with group No 1. a member is selected to take a topic from the hat,( if they choose one from their own group it is replaced in the hat).

The student has 1 minute to draw the topic on the board but is not allowed to use any body language or speak about what it may be. His fellow group members have to guess what the topic is in the shortest time possible.

The teacher may wish to choose a student to be time keeper. Group 2 now has their turn and so on.

At the end of the game the times are added up and the team with the least number of points is the winner.

The topics can be a signal word or a phrase. E.g. Singing in the Rain.

4. Taboo

The class is divided into two groups. Each group is seated at respective sides of the room and an elected student from each group is seated in the middle facing his/her group but with his/her back to the board.

The teacher writes a word on the board, then announces ‘go’ and each group has 1 minute to get their seated team mate to guess what the word is using only verbal clues. The word on the board is of course Taboo!!!!!

The first seated student to guess the word wins 1 point for his team. The winning team is the team at the end of the game with the most points.

This game can become very noisy!!!

5. Rhyming Cards.

This game is great for kids but involves some teacher preparation. Once you have made the cards they can be used endlessly. You Need:

-2 sets of cards. One set blue and one set another colour e.g. Purple.

-On the blue cards you write three letter words or very simple words (depending on the level of your group).eg. fog, hat, big, box etc...

-The other set of cards need to have pictures of things that rhyme with the words on the blue cards e.g. Dog, cat, pig, fox etc.......

Then the game is played in the traditional memory style. Place all the blue cards, words facing down at one end and all the purple cards, pictures facing down at the other. The student turns over one blue card and one purple card. He/she must read what the word is on the blue card and say what the picture is on the purple card. If the cards rhyme, the student keeps them and has another turn. If they don’t rhyme turn the cards over and the next player has his/her turn. The winner is the player with the most pairs at the end of the game. The secret is to try and remember where the pictures and words are each time they are turned over.

Conclusion

It is important teachers understand the benefits of using games in the language classroom. Games give students a chance to use and practise language in a meaningful way. They are not just activities for Friday afternoon when nobody feels like working. Games are a real part of learning.

Learning a language is not easy and most students find it a stressful experience. If you as a teacher can lower this stress then you will overcome one of the first hurdles in the language learning process.

Games require a little more effort from the teacher, some imagination and preparation is needed but above all, games can be fun and if your students are enjoying themselves whilst learning then the rewards are worth the effort, what’s more they are more likely to return the following week.

Games in the classroom

One useful approach to encourage language acquisition when teaching English is using language games. When using games in the classroom, teachers should have a total understanding of the definitions of games, which usually are defined as a form of play with rules, a goal and an element of fun. (The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VIII, No. 9, September 2002) This article aims to give a clear understanding of the benefits of using games in the classroom, how to choose games and when to use them, and finally, examples of types of games.

Benefits of Games in the Classroom

There are many advantages of using games in the classroom:

1.Games are a break from the normal routine of the language class.

2.They are motivating and challenging.

3.Learning a language is hard work. Games help students to make and maintain the effort of learning.

4.Games provide language practice in the four skills ? speaking, writing, listening and reading.

5.They encourage students to interact and communicate.

6.They help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful.

7.Games build class cohesion.

8.Games promote whole class participation and cooperation. 9.They can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings.

10. Games can help lower students? stress in the classroom, make them feel comfortable, and want to learn more. It is believed that when students play games, they relax and have fun. (Su Kim, 1995).

How to Choose Games

?Teachers should consider the following factors while planning the use of a game: classroom space; noise; materials necessary for the game; the amount of time needed for the game; and the students? language level, culture, interests, and age?. (Lengeling, 1997). Different age groups require various topics, materials, and styles of games. For example, younger learners benefit most from games which require movement and imitation. Furthermore, teachers should choose the game that fits the purposes of that class or the content. (Lengeling, 1997).

When to Use Games

Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of a lesson. Games are also useful for revision exercises helping learners recall material in a pleasant, entertaining way. Teachers can also use games to focus on the use of language rather than on the language itself. Games should be regarded as an integral part of the curriculum and not just an amusing diversion on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon.

Games to Play in the Classroom

1. Last One Standing 

Give the class a topic (e.g. food, clothes, animals, items in a kitchen) and ask them to stand up, in a circle if possible. Clap out a beat and say, one, two, three, followed by a topic-related word. After the next three beats, the next student in the circle gives a word related to the topic, and so it continues. Anyone who can’t think of a word or repeats a word already said has to sit down and it’s the next person’s turn. The winner is the last one standing.

2. Board Games

Board games, such as clue, scrabble, monopoly, etc. which involve reading, spelling, and cooperative skills, motivate students and encourage learning. Given their popularity, board games should work well in the classroom, however teachers need to adapt them to students? age and language level. 

3. Tongue Twisters

Students can hold a tongue-twisting contest. Challenge each student to record and submit a tongue twister. The point of the contest is to read the tongue twister correctly in as short a time as possible. If they make it through the tongue twister without making a mistake, they qualify for round two. As the field narrows, a timer may be used to help determine the winner.

To conclude, it can be seen that games are very useful and can be used to develop students’ language learning and also provide the students an opportunity to practice communication. Teachers are encouraged to find games which are suitable for his/her students. The key to a successful language game is that the rules are clear, the ultimate goal is well defined and the game must be fun. 

Games in the Classroom

‘Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun.’ Colleen Barrett. (President and Corporate Secretary for Southwest Airlines Co.)

A quote I had read as a preteen which stuck with me through the years. How we learn really does depend on our attitude. Lot’s of learners, especially young learners, do not look at their tasks in this light. Students either learn because they have to, or simply don’t. As humans, we rarely ever try to enjoy ourselves as we go through the process of learning something that does not necessarily interest us. It is usually not easy for anyone to approach work this way. 

‘Nothing is interesting if you’re not interested.’ Helen McInnis.

We cannot expect students to want to learn if they simply are not interested with what is being offered to them. Students will retain more when they are interested in what is being taught. Therefore it is the teachers’ responsibility to make the learning process as ‘painless’ as possible for the students and interest them. What better way then to use games?

Games not only change the whole atmosphere of the class but it also give students a break from routine. Using games in the classroom is also a great way to stimulate the learning process. Games can also help students establish rapport with each other, new students, and the teacher. 

Most teachers in their teaching career will encounter students who are not willing to participate, but with games it can motivate and interest even the most uncooperative students. I have seen situations where uncooperative students will behave and participate just so that they can be allowed to be involved during the games time. 

So which games would be suitable for classroom use? Teachers can choose to use popular/generic games and tailor it to the students? needs, use EFL games, or be creative and create their own games. There is such a wide variety of games for tackling both receptive and progressive skills. Games should not be limited to just the board. Computer games can also be used if the school has the facilities. Board games also add to the variety in games. Whatever the teacher decides to use, it is important to choose games which are relevant to the lesson(s) being taught. Each class is different, so some games will work for one class and may not work for others. 

How much time should be given for games? Should there be more than one game in the lesson? Is the game suitable for the age group? Is this game relevant to the lesson? The teacher should ask himself these questions before selecting a game.

Although games are supposed to be exciting and students should be allowed to enjoy themselves, the teacher must maintain control. When playing games, it is important that the teacher does not lose track of time and continues to monitor the students. Game time does not mean that the teacher can sit back and relax while the students ‘fend for themselves’. 

Learning does not always have to be boring. Students can greatly benefit from games regularly being used as part of their learning process because they are actively using what they have learned. Let’s interest and motivate our students by using games in the classroom. The students in return will retain more and be enthusiastic towards learning English.

‘I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.’ Chinese Proverb 

Games in the Classroom

‘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. One of the best ways of doing this is through games.’ says Lee Su Kim in his article, ‘Creative Games for the Language Class.’ He adds a list of the advantages of using games in the classroom. His list is,

1. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class. 

2. They are motivating and challenging.

3. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning.

4. Games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing, listening and reading. 5. They encourage students to interact and communicate.

6. They create a meaningful context for language use.

Many other experienced ESL teachers and experts of the field strongly state that using games in the classroom is invaluable. Maria Toth, author of a teacher’s resource book, Children’s Games, says, ‘Games help to create a context in which children’s attention is focused on the completion of a task without necessarily realising that language items are being practised. As a result language learning takes place in a context that children can directly relate to. Agnieszka Uberman also says, ‘Games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these reasons, they should be used just because they help students see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems that at times seem overwhelming.’

Games are not only for younger learners and do not have to be in a certain format. Adults as well as younger learners can benefit from games. The well-known ESL author Jim Scrivener also set apart a chapter for lexical games in his book, Learning Teaching. The first sentence of that chapter says, ‘Many well-known word games can be used in the classroom as fillers or as integrated practice activities.’ 

However, the games we can use for adult learners might differ from the games we use for younger learners. The teachers can use plenty of different games and game materials to make their lesson more entertaining. Games help the teachers to establish rapport among the students and between them and the teacher. Almost all the games require pair work or group work and this makes the students work simultaneously. Stronger and weaker students will put their knowledge and skills together and will learn from each other. To get the maximum benefit from the games and to make the game playing times beneficial and entertaining for all the students, the teacher must make sure that all the students, especially the younger learners, know exactly what they are supposed to do, how they are supposed to do it, and when. They should know what the aim of the game is right from the start. In her book, Maria Toth warns us about games, ‘Games like any other activity or tool can be overexploited when used too much so that the motivating element disappears rapidly. If however the teacher chooses the game carefully, keeping in mind the interest and needs of the learners, games can provide a valuable learning experience in which the children practise and revise language in a meaningful way.’ How then can we choose the games carefully as Maria Toth stated? What are the right games for our students? What should be our criteria when choosing a game?

Games and mischievous students

When you have mischievous children in your classroom, using games related to the lesson will not only heighten your students’ interest in learning, but it will leave them yearning for ‘more’ and they will be receptive to any other lesson (or topic) that you might give them. Using games to present a whole lesson is necessary if you wish to have a stress-free period with difficult students. ‘Games are popular with children, teenagers and adults alike. They should, therefore, be regarded as an integral part of the syllabus and not just an amusing diversion’ (ITTT International TEFL Teacher Training., Unit 11, p.11)

4 ways on how incorporating games to a lesson will benefit you and the class:

1.It will reduce planning time and energy. 2.It gives students motivation.

3. It minimizes mischief.

4.It accelerates the learning process and helps students retain material.

To make a lesson interesting enough to grab any student’s attention (without a game) requires much effort, and in the long run - it would be a tedious and time consuming ritual. The use of games, on the other hand provide fun and excitement. It reduces both planning time and energy from the teacher. ‘A game is an activity’ a goal and an element of fun. Many conventional, and unconventional games can be adapted to language teaching. (ITTT, Unit 11, p.12)

Fun games incorporated into a lesson are able to motivate most students. They establish good rapport and gain the students? respect for the teacher - thus making them more likely to pay attention, listen or cooperate. ‘Rapport between the teacher and students’ plays an important part in determining if a class is successful and enjoyable. Students are more likely to contribute and take part in the lessons when the atmosphere is relaxed and they get along well with the teacher. (ITTT, Unit 5, p.14)


Games minimises mischief and boredom among attention-seekers and rebels. It also relieves tension between the teacher and problem students by presenting the lesson in a more exciting way. ??keep it fun, varied and at a good pace. Try always to relate activities to the children’s own interests? (ITTT, Unit 19, p.8 ). ‘If you enjoy such activities, the chances are that your students will ‘be as creative as possible and everybody will benefit.’ (ITTT, Unit 11, p.12) 

Including games spark interest and can contain plenty of repetition and interaction (for usage of a sentence, word, or topic). It accelerates learning and lets students assimilate and retain material more easily. ?If students are involved and interested, they will find the lesson more stimulating and fun, thus reducing inhibitions and leading to a more conducive language learning environment.? (ITTT, Unit 3, p.5 ) 

Conclusion

Overall, games reduce time and energy, brings motivation and minimises mischief among students. It helps students retain material and accelerates their learning process. Games are the ‘element of fun’ (ITTT, Unit 11, p.10) and they are beneficial to the teacher, and again to the mischievous children

Games in the Classroom

In the past when someone had a diploma from a school like Harvard or Yale it automatically means that they’ll find a good job in the future. This myth has been proven wrong in the work place. Students with great diplomas are now finding it harder to find jobs that will accept them. Why’ The students are leaving schools with knowledge that is unapplied and unused making them, in a sense, robots. This phenomenon reminds us of a famous quote, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ So, how does one solve this dilemma? Very simply put, application, and what better way to do it than through games.

One of the hardest things to do is getting the students to use and apply the knowledge that was taught, this could be done easily with game. Games don’t only help motivate the students it helps, if used efficiently, the students to apply the knowledge. A simple game like I-Spy can be used to apply the use of colors in an English class. Although the use of games can motivate and engage the students it can also be used incorrectly if the games don’t allow the students to apply their knowledge. Games are like ice-cream and must be used in moderation and only in its moderation can the full effect of games in the classroom be achieved. 

The use of games in the classroom isn’t really a new concept but is it one that most teachers seldom use effectively, or at all, in class. Games have always been used in a child’s early years as a means of getting the child interested in the items taught. But as the child grew in age games were slowly phased because they thought that the child is old enough to motivate themselves in their school work and therefore were unnecessary. In this fast paced world where people can get information at the click of a button holding ones attention in class gets harder to accomplish. This is the reason almost 20% - 30% of high-school students, dropout of school in America. For this reason and ones similar the teachers are now returning to the roots of education by incorporating games in their teaching and creating newer ways to reach the students.

In the fast paced world a fast paced means of learning is needed which is why the new wave of games for learning, will be digital. The invention of the computer had opened a new avenue for classroom games are being creating for. These types of game are good because they don’t need the teacher’s intervention to learn and they are fun and entertaining. Games for learning has now become such a big market that even the video gaming industry are now producing learning games. Although the use of the PC for learning is very helpful it requires each student to have access to their own PC as well as, setting up the software on all the PCs as well at the PC’s maintenance. The use of learning games on the PC, like other type of games, if used moderately can help maintain its effectiveness in teaching and entertainment value.

The use of games in the classroom not only has helps to keep the students interested but is make the class more enjoyable for the students and the teachers. The use of games has now spanned into a wide range of avenues including the PC and the use of board games in the classroom. Therefore the use of games in moderation, in a classroom , can help the students apply what the learned and help them be more effective in the future.

Games in the Classroom

The use of games in a TESL class can be an important part of the class structure. Games are not only fun and a means of relaxation but are also another aspect of the learning process. Games provide the means by which the entire class can exercise the playful and creative sides of themselves while promoting a closer rapport between students and teacher-student relations.

Playing games allows the students to shift from a didactic environment to a more relaxed one. This is an important part of the structure of the class. Subjecting the students exclusively to an environment that is rigorously pedantic can be stressful. Studies show that stress is counter-productive to learning and that the environments that best promote learning are those that vary class structure and include a high degree of student participation. 

The nature of game playing has similarities to the nature of language use. Both have rules, goals and closure (as a teacher, I would emphasize how creative language use can be while adhering to the rules of grammar.). However, games tend to be competitive and so care must be taken to keep this factor in proper perspective. Games may differ in objectives and levels of difficulty and, while having academic merit, should not appear to favor or promote the ability of one student over another except in cases where it is the specific objective of the game to make such distinctions.

There are a variety of games that may be used in the classroom and the teacher should take care when selecting one. Games will benefit different students in different ways and different games require different skills. Some games focus on listening, some on speaking, some on reading or writing (spelling, pronunciation, etc). Some games are designed for children and some for adults. Just as in planning academic lessons, the teacher needs to make sure that the game selected is not too easy or too difficult for the students. The teacher should also attempt to ‘tie in’ a game to the academic aspect of the class. By selecting a game relevant to the lesson, the student (especially the younger student) will understand a real world application of language rules, which may result in more attention being paid to lessons in grammar. 

One of the most popular games for young students is ‘Simon Says. ` This game includes a wide possibility of functions, including that of receiving instructions. Depending on the age of the student, it can be useful in teaching vocabulary (identifying parts of the body or the student’s immediate surroundings, for example) or reviewing grammatical exercises. The focus of the game should match what the teacher wants to teach. Focusing on vocabulary or grammar is one way of addressing a subject at hand, but younger students can also benefit from learning how word symbols refer to actual physical phenomena.

When considering games for older students or business students, role- playing games can be very helpful. Older students and those studying business English are usually learning English for a specific purpose. Perhaps they wish to travel or gain employment therefore; they need not only a grammatical foundation but also ‘real world’ practice. Role playing games can de designed specifically for each student’s needs by simulating the kind of environment and situation the student will typically encounter. 

There are, literally, hundreds of games that could be considered as a teaching supplement for a TESL course. The teacher will need to research the games available and determine which are right for his teaching style and the students’ needs. And, when used appropriately, games play an integral part of any TESL curriculum.