Games in teaching English tenses

Kyzylorda city

Lecture

Speaker: Shynybecova Raua

School № 253

I. When to use games

Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end of the lesson. As Mr. Lee observes, a game should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do. Games ought to be at the heart of teaching foreign languages. Mr. Rixon suggests that games should be used at all stages of the English lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen. At different stages of the lesson, the teachers’ aims connected with a game may vary:

1. Presentation. It presents and provides a good model making its meaning clear.

2. Controlled practice. It elicits a good imitation of the language and appropriate responses.

3. Communicative practice. It gives to the students a chance to use a foreign language.

Grammar games also lend themselves well to revision exercises helping learners to recall a grammar material in a pleasant, entertaining way. All authors referred to in my report agree that even the grammar games resulted only in noise and entertained students, they are still worth paying attention to and implementing in the classroom since they motivate learners, promote the communicative competence, and generate the fluency. However, can they be more successful for presentation and revision than other techniques? My teaching practice proves that the answer to this question is absolutely affirmative. 

II. Communicative games in teaching English tenses

We have drawn our attention to teaching English tenses as we consider them to be the most difficult point of English grammar for the students. The difficulty is that in Kazakh we have only three tenses – present, past and future (осы, өткен және келер шақ) and as we know in English there are sixteen tenses in Active voice and ten tenses in Passive voice. Here we propose some communicative games which certainly will lighten your work and comprehension of your students.

1 Games in learning Future tenses

1. Think of the Future

The task of this game is to practice Future Indefinite Tense

This game is used in level class

Situation: It’s clear that the spirit of pupils influence on their success. And their spirit depends on the day of week they have. So the teacher chose Sunday. The children got tired. What can bear up them?

Teacher: What day is today?...Yes. quite right, it’s Saturday. The last working day of the week, but tomorrow ….tomorrow is Sunday. And what is Sunday?

Katya: Sunday is no school.

Teacher Quite right, we shall not go to shall tomorrow. And look, the weather is fine… And tomorrow is Sunday. I know what you want to say, Misha tomorrow you will go to the country, I shall go to the country too. Misha, what is it?

Misha these are tickets.

Teacher: Tickets?

Misha: Yes, tickets, we shall go to the cinema together

Teacher: Jane, you have a letter from abroad

Jane: I shall write letters to an English girl

Teacher: You will correspond. Children, we have received many letters from England

Pupils: Hurrah! We shall have a pen-friends.

Looking at the table of the future indefinite’s form they continue after teacher

Teacher: The flowers are dirty, Kolya.

Kolya: I shall water them

Teacher: You found a young-ling, Victor

Victor: I shall put it back into the nest.

Teacher: I see green apples, Jane

Jane: They will be ripe in autumn.

1. Who Will Have the Last Say?

The children are great debaters, that is why the following games have not been explained for along .

Teacher: Anar, I have heard you are going on a hike. Take your coats with you.

Anar: why should we? It’s hot now.

Teacher: It may get cold.

Ainur: We shall walk and feel warm

Teacher: It may be cold at night.

Asan: We shall spend the nights in a house.

Teacher: you may have to stay out-of-doors at night.

Aliya: then we shall play and will not feel cold.

So, the game includes an argument of the two sides, impact of an opinion, desire, intention. One of the sides shows another argument and using the modal verb “may” and suppose the other reason which will be possible. Game will end that who can not find any argument to reject.

The following motive for argument.

-When packing for travelling you want to take a ball, an umbrella, bathing things, a book, an axe, rubber boots, things for fishing etc.

-Choosing a place to travel to: the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Crimea, mountains, forest etc.

-Choosing the means of transport: by plane, by train, by car, by ship, on foot.

-Wishing to buy: ice-cream, a bicycle, a tape-recorder, a radio-set.

1. What will mother do tomorrow?

Teacher hangs many pictures turns to the class asks the question

What will mother do tomorrow?

The following words will help for the students:

to clean, to cook, to go for walk, to watch.

Can you tell what these people are going to do after classes?

The task of this game is to practice Future Indefinite Tense

The game is used in level class

The teacher task is to hang a lot of pictures describing the different actions of people.

The following words will help people pupils:

to have a cup of tea, to play chess, to ride a bicycle, to meet her friend, to send a letter.

For example,

Teacher: what the girl in the first picture is going to do after classes?

The pupil: she is going to have a cup of tea. etc .

1. What Am I going to do

This game is used in level class

The aim of this game is to practice “To be going to do smth.” Future Tense

Entering the class, the teacher asked: ‘ children what am I going to do now?”. The pupils looked at her inquiringly, they were surprised with such unexpected beginning and the question seemed strange to them. And one of the pupil decided to answer

Ascar: You are going to the classroom.

Teacher: oh, dear! I am not going to the classroom, I am already in the classroom, but what am I going to do? Am I going to sleep? Am I going to eat? What am I

going to do?

Ascar: you are going to give a lesson.

Teacher: yes, Ascar quite right, I am going to teach you, now I take a piece of chalk. What am I going to do now?

Zhanar: you are going to write.

Aliya: that’s right. Oh, it’s very close in here. Now I am near the window. What am I going to do?

Ainur: You are going to open the window.

Teacher: Right, Ainur. Now, I have taken a pen and opened the register.

Azhar; you are going to mark the absentees.

Teacher; now could you show some action and I will try and guess what you are going to do.

2 Games in learning Past Tenses

1. I took a trip

This game is used in level class

The aim of this game is to practice Past Indefinite Tenses

Situation: The class went to Tallin on holidays, so teacher asked question: “You went on trip. What did you take along?”

Ashat: I took a suitcase.

Anar: I took a book to read.

Asel: I took a food basket.

Aslan: I took a clock

Aliya: I took a dog

Anuar: I took a coat

Teacher: Very good. But the teacher knows very well that was the only one thing they took. That was a very unusual trip.

Let’s go on. And now teacher asked them: “what did they eat?” Remember that they took only one thing with them

Ashat: I ate a suitcase

Anar: I ate a book

Asel: I ate a food basket

Aslan: I ate a clock

Aliyu: I ate a dog

Anuar: I ate a coat.

The children laugh, but by the rule their task is not to laugh, who laughs leave the game. Continuing the game teacher asked

What did you put on your head?

What did you put on you feet?

What kind of transport did you see in Talin?

The main principle of this game is to remember the name of the objects while answering the teacher’s first question, the name of the object which would be used in the following questions.

2. What did you do yesterday?

This game is use in level class

The aim of this game is to practice Past Indefinite Tense

The teacher hangs a lot of list of verbs on the blackboard and asks

Teacher; what did you do yesterday?

Aslan; I went to school.

Aliya: I did my home task

Aslan: I helped my mother.

Arlan: I played football etc.

This game helps pupil to make sentences using Past Indefinite. It just like test to check pupils knowledge of using this tense

3 Games in learning Present tenses

1. A curious man

The aim of this game is to practice Present Perfect Tense.

This game is used in level class.

The teacher tells the famous story knowing by the pupils. The pupils are curious to know more about the leading players and about the story. That is why children asks questions, interrupting the teacher. The pupils task is not to allow teacher to continue the story asking a different questions.

For example the text is about “Lena’s birthday”

“Lena’s birthday is on the second of April, she is now twelve years old. “Can I have a big cake for my birthday this year, Mum?” .”Yes. I am going to make a big cake for you on Wednesday; Thursday is the second of April”, her mother answered.

Lena ran to school. She was happy. “Can you all come to my place on Thursday at four o’clock? Please do. You must come and have tea with me, she said to her friends.

Teacher: This a story about an English girl….

Aliya: How old is she?

Teacher: she is twelve

Asem: when What does she want to her birthday?

Teacher: she wants a big cake and invite her friends. etc.

2.What Have You Done?

This game is used in level class.

The aim of this game is to practice Present Perfect Tense

There is a glass f water at teacher’s table. The teacher’s task is to drop a glass of water just by mistake and to wipe the water and asks question:

Teacher: What have I done?

Aslan: you have wiped up the water.

It is the game for Present Perfect Tense, the pupil understand what teacher wants from them, so they are eager to answer the teacher’s following questions “What has she done?”. For example, the teacher lost the key of the class. Then she asks question

Teacher: What have I done?

Pupil” you have lost class room’s key. etc.

3. What Do I Do?

The aim of this game is to develop the construction “I Like” Present Indefinite.

The game is used in level class.

The teacher hangs a list of sentences with “I Like” in the blackboard.

1. I like History best of all.

2. I like Geography best of all.

3. I like Literature best of all.

4. I like Mathematics best of all.

5. I like singing best of all.

6. I like sport best of all.

The teachers asks one of the pupil to choose the sentences, not to tell the rest of the class about the choice.

Aslan: Do you like History best of all?

Aliya: No, I do not.

Ashat: Do you like Mathematics best of all?

Aliya: No, I do not.

Anuar: Do you like Literature best of all?

Aliya: No, I do not.

Azhar: Do you like Geography best of all?

Aliya; yes, I do, etc.

4. Changes

This game is to practice Present Perfect Tense

This game can be played in high level.

Someone goes outside to something and the result must be fairly visible, but preferably not too obvious. When the pupil returns the teacher asks class questions using Present Perfect Tense.

For example:

Teacher: What has he/she done?

Aslan: She has combed her hair.

Aliya: She has taken his pullover.

Ashat: She has done up her shoelaces. etc.

A point for any prompt correct answer. This game helps pupils to differ this tense from the others and remember the grammatical structure. Besides pupils talk and use every words which they know.

5. You may have…

This game’s aim is to practice “May have’ and Presents Perfect Tense and Past Indefinite Tense

The game is used in level class.

The game is goes as follows: one of the pupil goes to the blackboard or the teacher and say:

Teacher: I have lost mother’s key.

Where could I have dropped it?

Suggestions, at least one of the member of the class:

Aslan: You may have dropped it in the bus

Aliya: You may have dropped it on the road? Etc.

Suggestion will vary according to the nature of the object and the circumstances and so will the responses.

For example

Teacher: No, I do not think I did. I did not come by bus this morning. I remember putting it on after visiting the bathroom. Oh, no I would not throw it away, that would be silly etc.

This game shows the presence of their imagination. And they use this this grammar structure actively and remember it, because they repeat it several time and use in their communication. Besides they brush up their vocabulary.

6. Perhaps

This game is to practice Present Continuous, Past Continuous.

The game is used in high class.

The teacher often thinks how to learn the pupils think about their friends, relations and parents. So, the teacher orders one of the pupil to wash his hands and asks him to leave the classroom. And then teacher hangs a list of verbs and asks:

Teacher: What is she/she doing now?

Aslan: Perhaps, he/she is fetching chalk.

Aliya; Perhaps, he/she is speaking over the telephone.

Ashat: Perhaps, he/she is washing his hands.

The pupil returns, and the other pupils check their supposition.

Aslan: Were you fetching chalk?

Aliya: Were you speaking over the telephone?

Ashat: Were you washing your hands?

From the teaching experience we have noticed how enthusiastic students are about practicing language by means of games. We believe that the grammar games are not only fun but they help students learn without a conscious analysis or understanding of the learning process while they acquire communicative competence as second language users.

It is now more apparent that the teaching of grammar can be supposed effectively by using communicative games. According to the needs analysis of a classroom, several techniques can be integrated with such resources. Since teaching is a developing art, which requires innovative and creative ideas to enrich its effectiveness, we must not hesitate to use such communicative games in our classroom. These communicative games assist our teaching of grammar while providing a relaxed atmosphere and motivated students. By using such games as communicative we give a chance to our students to express themselves, enjoy themselves during learning a foreign language as a means of communication.

Generally speaking, when we learn English as a Foreign Language we need a certain degree of mastery of English grammar. However, we realize that learning grammar is not the ultimate goal of learning English. The ultimate goal of learning English is to communicate with others. So it is suggested that grammar should be taught and learn in communicative way.

We know grammar presentation is concerned with how to make the students understand or find grammar rules. It is grammar practice that helps students to master a communicative skills. If teachers want to avoid ineffective and boring grammar practice, great care needs to be taken into account. It is necessary to use mechanical practice and meaningful practice. Above all, in the new period of Foreign Language Teaching, our conception of teaching grammar must be changed. The traditional methods are not useful any more. Grammar teaching should run on the communicative way.

The perfect teacher must be always curious and in searching for new methods of teaching language. Of course, the games is one branch of the method of teaching foreign language. And we are sure that by the help of the games would help the teacher to make his grammar lessons more interesting, entertaining and funny at the same time. The games will help not only the young teachers but qualified teachers too. If you use them in proper place, and if you explain the rule clearly you see that for pupils it becomes more easy to learn the grammar, which is given in the lesson. The role of such kind of games is very important for any lesson.

Playing is child’s natural way of learning. Perhaps as busy, responsible adults., we have somehow sadly forgotten what it was like to have fun.If we consider the above quote it is not difficult to realize that playing was once our own “natural way of learning”. So, we should not look at games as just child’s play, but rather as tool that can be used for teaching English learners at all ages.

Games to teach English learners can help to make language learning a positive and exciting experience, which will be important and motivating to the students.

Games are effective because they provide motivation, lower students' stress, and give them the opportunity for real communication.

Naturally when playing games, students are trying to win or to beat other teams for themselves or on the behalf of their team. They are so competitive while playing, because they want to have a turn to play, to score points and to win. In the class, students will definitely participate in the activities. Therefore, it is possible for a teacher to introduce students to new ideas, grammar, knowledge and so on.

If we keep students motivated and engaged in the lesson, the results can be incredible.

Bibliography

1. T.V.Klementyaeva “English Tenses in Pictures and Games”

2. Vereshchagina and O.V.Afanasyeva “English V”

3. W.Lee “Language teaching and contents”

4. “Foreign language at school” July/August, 2006

5. M.F.Stronin “ The games at English lesson”