Grammar Games To Practice Your English
If you’re planning to become an inspiring English teacher, just started to learn English or have been learning it for a while and looking for new ways to train your knowledge, there is one thing that can help you in any of these situations and it is grammar games. How to use them, what kind of games there are and why you should consider adding them to your language studies, all answers in this essay.
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Why you should use grammar games
Let’s be honest, grammar can be dull and boring and using grammar games can make studying fun and interesting. Just imagine that thrilling sensation of getting the right answer or guessing a new peace in a linguistic puzzle. Every time you learn something new is like getting closer to receiving a secret code. Games in teaching grammar have proved their purposefulness when they are used correctly and exactly when they are needed. Some of the benefits of using grammar games in classes include:
1. Games help to use grammar rules in a fun way
Students will be able to actually use grammar in sentences rather than memorize it from a text book. They also more likely will remember the rules after repetitively using them in a classroom. Things can get more heat up if you add little prizes that can encourage more participation from students, they will know that the game time will come and they need to practice in order to win! Sure you will need those boring grammar lectures but adding a game or two will help to spice things up.
2. Talk to students’ competitive sides
We all have this side and it is a dominant one in most of the kids. It is never a bad thing to have a healthy competition where everyone is a winner, because it will help to learn a new rule and to use it. Students will do their best to win and outperform others, which will only benefit their grammar skills and learning abilities.
3. Help students to develop cooperating skills
We have mentioned playing on competitive sides of young learners, but grammar games can bring people together and teach them how to cooperate with each other as well. They can create bonding between classmates and between teacher and students. Dividing the class into groups will help kids to cooperate with each other and rely on a group effort while still maintaining that spark of competitiveness.
4. Bring back a focus
Often, while learning something as frankly boring as grammar, students can lose their focus and start to find a ways to distract themselves. It is understandable, we do this quite a lot when there is a huge amount of complex and difficult information to learn. A fun grammar game can help to regain a focus and turn monotonous lesson into an enjoyable one.
Who is suitable for playing grammar games
Games are not only created for children. All people from different age groups can benefit from them.
1. Adults love games no less than kids do
They can look a bit reluctant from the beginning but once they see you having fun and being silly, they will relax, stop being reserved and join you.
2. Fresh things up
Learning grammar at any age is exhausting and needs a lot of effort to be put into it. Wisely used grammar games can break the sleeping spell and engage all of the students in a new and interesting way to learn new stuff and practice what they have learned already.
3. Give kids a new purpose of studying
We all know that young learners have a very short attention span, so teachers need to be constantly finding new ways to get their attention and make complicated and boring things interesting for them. A good thought off game can help with that, kids will not even notice that they’re applying grammar rules and learning something new and useful.
How to find the right grammar game
Remember one very important rule: you should never use a grammar game as a time filler. It should always serve a learning purpose and have its own space. The point of a grammar game is to make students apply what they have learned or to teach them something new in a different, more entertaining, way. Before adding a new game to your lesson, ask yourself these questions:
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Does this new game help students to practice new skills?
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Which skills can be practiced during this game?
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What type of game is this?
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Is it suitable for students’ age?
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Can all of the class be involved in it?
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Can I maintain control over the students while they are playing this game?
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Will my students enjoy playing it?
Additionally, think about what grammar rules can be used while playing this particular game and what special materials you might need for it.
The most popular grammar games
Let’s take a look at the most popular grammar games out there:
1. Would you rather
A classic game that is used during bus trips and sleepovers. This game can help students who are afraid to speak in English, engage their creative side and use a lot of vocabulary. It will also help to understand the usage of conditionals and hypothetical situations with “would”: Would you rather sing in front of a large group of people in a public place or in front of the president of your country?”
2. Blackboard race
A simple game that has been used in class rooms for ages. All that needs to be done is divide all students into 2 teams and divide the class room board into 2 parts. Say a category or a theme of newly learned vocabulary words and let students, representing the chosen teams, to write as many words from the said category as possible. After a few rounds, the team with more words, written on the board, wins.
3. Word chain
Tricky but very useful game. Start by giving a word to the class that fits in the theme of your choice. Let students think of any other words from the chosen theme that will start with the letter on which your word ends. If you have been studying nouns, you can restrict students by only using nouns and so on.
As you can see, games can not only be fun but also very useful and can help to boost productivity and learning skills. For more interesting topics, check the best essay writing website.