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integral part of the language syllabus‘‘. This
definition highly evaluates the importance of
games in teaching. It shows that games serve
not only as an ‗‗amusing activity‘‘, but also as
a technique to carry out many pedagogical
tasks.
A key challenge for any ESL teacher
is to keep students engaged, and one of the
best ways to do this is to incorporate some ♦ Games promote learners’ interaction.
classroom games to make learning more fun Pair or group work is one of the main ways to
and exciting. Games can be used to introduce increase cooperation. Many games can be
new vocabulary, reinforce a language point, played in pairs or in small groups, thereby
practise words or language structures, teach or providing an opportunity to develop their
practise grammar and improve core skills. interpersonal skills such as the skill of
You can also use games to warm up the class disagreeing politely or the skill of asking for
when the lesson begins, during the lesson to help. In groups or in pairs, students are more
give students a break when you are tackling a willing to ask questions, communicate and
tough subject or at the end of the class to discuss topics with their partners and think
finish in a positive note. creatively about how to use foreign language
Classifying games into categories can to achieve their goals. The competition in the
be difficult because categories often overlap. games gives students a natural opportunity to
J. Hadfield proposes two ways of classifying work together and communicate with each
language games: linguistic and other a lot.
communicative games. Linguistic games ♦ Games improve learners’ language
focus on accuracy, such as supplying the acquisition. Thanks to the motivation and
correct antonym and communicative games interaction created by games, students can
focus on the exchange of information and acquire knowledge faster and more effectively
ideas. than by other means. Games can stimulate
and encourage students to participate in the
Here are some of the common activity since they naturally want to win.
advantages of using games in foreign Apart from having fun, students are learning.
language teaching and learning: They acquire a new language. Students begin
to realise that they have to use the language is
they want others to understand what they are
saying. Furthermore, games can lower
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