fun with grammar: bringing language learning to life ... · pdf filefun with grammar: bringing...

FunwithGrammar:BringingLanguageLearningtoLife

throughGames

KateBainandLaurenWhitaker

PollQues8ons:

1.Agree/Disagree:Thefocusofgrammarinstruc=onshouldalwaysbedirectteachingofrules.

2.Grammargamescanhelpstudents____________grammarstructures.

3.Whatshouldyouconsiderwhenplanningagameforyourclassroom?

Whatwordscometomindwhenyouthinkof“grammar”?

important challenging

structure exciting practice

necessary linguistics

fun practical

Whatwordscometomindwhenyourstudentsthinkof“grammar”?

boring repetitive structure

a lot of work difficult

“What’s the point?”

Howisgrammartypicallytaughtatyourschool?

Hasthiseverhappenedtoyou?

WhyGames?

Reviewing,reusing,andrecycling

newlyencountered[language]isimpera=ve

ifstudentsaretofullyown[it].-NicoLorenzuP

WhyGames?

Games...1. Lowertheaffec=vefilter2. Increasestudenttalk=me

3. Encouragepersonalinvolvement

4. Allowteacherstoinformallyassessstudents

5. Mo=vatestudents

6. Involveeveryoneinclass7. Allowforfunprac/ceoflanguage

Whatisthepurposeofusinggamesinclass?

toreinforcewhathasalreadybeentaught

Mee8ngEduca8onalGoals

•  Whatspecificgrammarpointareyouaimingtointroduceorprac=cewiththisgame?

•  Aretheinstruc=onsandruleseasytounderstand?

•  Doesthelevelofdifficultymatchtheclassskilllevel?

•  Doesthegamerequiremaximumstudentengagement?

•  Willthisgamecauseaclassroommanagementissue?

SeGnguptheGrammarGameClassroom

Dice

GamePieces

Boards

GroupSize

Procedure

TimeLimit

Nodiceorgamepieces?Noproblem!

2 3

1

GameBoards

Ac/vate:GamesforLearningAmericanEnglish

GrammarFocus:PresentPerfectLevels:Intermediate/AdvancedAims:•  Prac=cepresentperfectform•  Enhanceconversa=onalskills•  Maintaininterestinclassroomtopics

HaveYouEver?Oh,When?StepOne:Studentsgetintogroupsof3-4.StepTwo:Studentsdecidewhowilltakethefirstturn.Theywillplay

inclockwiseorderthereaaer.StepThree:Studentsmovetheirgamepiecesalongthepath

accordingtothenumberindicatedbythedice.StepFour:Studentsreadtheques=onthattheylandontothegroup.StepFive:Eachstudentreplies.Iftheyanswer“yes,”theyshould

describethelast=metheydidtheac=vity.Iftheansweris“no,”theyshoulddescribearelatedac=vitythattheyhavedone.


GrammarFocus:•  PresentSimpleLevels:•  Any

Aims:•  Prac=cepresentsimpleform•  Enhanceconversa=onalskills•  Maintaininterestinclassroomtopics

WhatSomeoneDoes...

StepOne:Studentsgetintogroupsof3-4.StepTwo:Studentsdecidewhowilltakethefirstturn.Theywillplayinclockwiseorderthereaaer.StepThree:Studentsmovetheirgamepiecesalongthepathaccordingtothenumberindicatedbythedice.StepFour:Studentsreadthephrasethattheylandontothegroup.StepFive:Studentslistthreethingsthatonedoesinthisplaceorcondi=on.Noplayerisallowedtorepeatsomethingthathasalreadybeensaid.


GrammarFocus:•  PastSimpleLevels:•  Any

Aims:•  Prac=cepastsimpleform•  Enhanceconversa=onalskills•  Maintaininterestinclassroomtopics

TheTruthAboutMe

StepOne:Studentsgetintogroupsof3-4.StepTwo:Studentsdecidewhowilltakethefirstturn.Theywillplayinclockwiseorderthereaaer.StepThree:Studentsmovetheirgamepiecesalongthepathaccordingtothenumberindicatedbythedice.StepFour:Studentsreadthewordthattheylandontothegroup.StepFive:Playersthenusethewordtomakeatruesentenceaboutthemselves.

GroupGrammar

GroupGrammar

Objec8ve:Studentsprac=cethesimplepasttense

Materials:StudentpiecesofpaperSteps:1. Modelsentencesaboutyourweekend

2. Studentswritetheirsentencesindependently3. Studentsputuniquesentencestogetheringroups4. Groupwiththemostcorrectsentenceswins

ModelSentences

•  Ididlaundry.•  Iwentforawalk.•  Iwentshopping.•  Icookeddinnerformyfamily.•  Iwenttoaparty.•  Itraveledtoanearbycity.

StudentsWriteIndependently

• Givestudentsafewminutestowritetheirownsentences

•  Encouragestudentstouseasmanydifferentverbsaspossible

• Mistakesareacceptableatthisstage

StudentsWorkinGroups

•  Havestudentsgettogetheringroupsandsharetheirsentences

•  Atthis=me,studentscancorrecteachother’smistakes

•  Studentsthencreatealistofalltheirweekendac=vi=es

Twist:NoRepeatVerbs!

• Patriciaplayedtennis.• Ahmedsawagreatmovie.

•  Takimadesushiforhisfriends.

•  Sylviehadaheadache.• Patriciahadaburrito.• Ahmeddidhishomework.

•  TakiwroteanessayforhisEnglishclass.•  Sylvietookawalk.

StudentsChangeVerbs

•  Patriciaplayedtennis.•  Ahmedsawagreatmovie.

•  Takimadesushiforhisfriends.

•  Sylviehadaheadache.

• Patriciahadaburrito.àPatriciaateaburrito.•  Ahmeddidhishomework.

•  TakiwroteanessayforhisEnglishclass.•  Sylvietookawalk.

Groupwiththemostcorrectsentenceswins!

What’sthebestwaytocorrectstudentsentencesforthisgame?

•  Teachercheckseachgroup’ssentencesastheyworkonotherac=vi=es

•  Studentscorrectthemselves

•  Studentscorrectothergroups’sentences

•  Studentscorrectallsentencesasaclass

Whatotherques=onsorpromptscouldyouusefor…?

- thesimplepresenttenseExample:Whatdoyouusuallydoa;erschool?- thepresentperfecttenseExample:Whathaveyoulearnedaboutthisschoolyear?

Crea8ngYourOwnBoardGame(CYOBG)

BoardGame-Considera8ons

Befamiliarwithboardgamesinyourclass.•  Reflectonwhatworksandwhatdoesn’t•  Establishclassroomrou=nesforboardgames

•  Modelplaytothewholeclassbeforedividingstudentsintogroups•  Monitorgroupstoanswerques=onsandtoensurefairness

CYOBG–TeacherSteps

1. Chooseatheme• Grammarpaiernortopic

2. Createques=ons,promptsorcuesforeachspace

•  Addchanceandsurprisebyaddingpromptslike“Loseaturn,”

“Goback#spaces,”etc.)

CYOBG–TeacherSteps

3.  Testthegamebeforeyouplayinclass

4.  Modelforyourstudents5.  Havestudentsplaythegame6.  Reviseifnecessary

CYOBG–StudentProject

1.  Makesurestudentsarefamiliarwithclassroomgames

2.  Givestudentsalistoftopicstochoosefrom

3.  Modelordoa“thinkaloud”forcrea=ngyourownboardgame

4.  Studentsworkingroupstocreateboardgames

CYOBG–StudentProject

5.  Teachercorrectsandgradesboardgames

6.  Studentsmakechangesandrevisionsasneeded

7.  Haveagamedayinclass–studentsplayeachother’sboardgames!

CYOBG–StudentHandoutStudentNames:___________________________GrammarTheme:__________________________Objec8ve(s):________________________Rules:1.________________________2.________________________

3.________________________

Prompts/Ques8ons(forgamespaces):

• _______________________________________________________• _______________________________________________________• _______________________________________________________• _______________________________________________________

CYOBG–ExampleHandoutStudentNames:Mamadou,Kyoto,Lindsey,Greta,Jose

GrammarTheme:Modalverbs

Objec8ves:Prac=cegivingadviceusingmodalverbsandmakeittotheendfirst.

Rules:1.Rollthedicetomoveforwardspaces.

2.Respondtoeachscenariointhegameboardspaces.Youmustusea

modalverbtogiveadvice.(Should,oughtto,hadbeier[not])

3.Followtheotherprompts(loseaturn,goforwardorbackwards,etc.)

4.Thefirstpersonwhomakesittotheendwins!

Prompts/Ques8ons(forgamespaces):

• Yourfriendfeelssicktodaybutit�saschoolday.Whatshouldshedo?

• Yourfriendjustgotanewpet.Whatshouldhedototakecareofit?

• Yourfriendwantstotraveltoanewcity.Whatshouldhebringinhissuitcase?

• Yourfriendhasajobinterviewtomorrow.Whatshouldshedotoprepare?

CYOBG–Rubric

AE–CYOBGCompe88on!

h`ps://americanenglish.state.gov/create-your-own-board-game-compe88on

MostUsefulLanguagePrac8ce:Pick‘nWin

MostInteres8ngGameConcept:WhatWouldTheySay?

BestDesign:WhichistheOneandWhy?

BestBoardGamebyStudents:EscapetheSnake

WebinarRecap

• Wetalkedaboutwhygamesareagreatwaytoprac=cegrammar.

• Weshowedyoumanyexamplesofgamesyoucanuseinyourclassroom.

• Wegaveyousomeideasforcrea=ngyourownboardgamesorhavingstudentscreatetheirowngames.

Thankyou!

americanenglishwebinars.com

americanenglish.state.gov

facebook.com/AmericanEnglishatState

facebook.com/AmericanEnglishforEducators

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