Using Games for Language Learning in Primary Education

Posted on Jan 10, 2025 in Other civil servant exams

Functions of Games and Creativity in Foreign Language Learning

This essay aims to study the importance of games in the foreign language classroom. I will first concentrate on the characteristics of games. Secondly, I will deal with games and creativity in language learning. The third part of the essay will focus on the definition and classification of games used in language development. Fourth, I will examine what communicative competence is and how games can be used to attain it. Lastly, I will develop some useful games that can be used to enlarge students’ communicative competence. Finally, I will compile the main conclusions and the bibliography used to develop this topic.

Legal Framework

As far as foreign language learning is concerned, the legal framework is the Organic Law 2/2006 of Education, 3^rd May, modified by the Organic Law for the Improvement in Educational Quality, 8/2013, 9^th December. One of the most relevant aspects of the Organic Law for the Improvement in Educational Quality is related to the Order ECD/65/2015, 21^st of January, which establishes the relation among the key competences, contents, and evaluation criteria in Primary Education. On the other hand, the Royal Decree 126/2014, 28^th of February, establishes the Minimum Teaching Requirement for Primary Education and it states in article 7 “to acquire basic communicative competence, in at least, one foreign language to enable expression and comprehension of simple messages and survive in everyday situations”. In addition, the Order EDU/519/2014, 17th of June, modified by the Order EDU 278/2016, 8^th of April, which establishes the minimum contents for Primary Education in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León.

Functions of Games and Creativity

Bearing in mind all these legal references, I will start mentioning the functions of games and creativity in the foreign language learning process. Games are an innate necessity for children. They encourage social integration in class and promote unconscious learning of the language. They create a pleasant atmosphere and motivate both good and weak students. On the other hand, games develop children’s imagination and creativity, factors that play an important role in Foreign Language learning. What struck Chomsky about language was its creativity: the capacity to generate completely novel sentences endlessly. So, the teacher must encourage game-like activities where children can use the language spontaneously and creatively.

Definition and Typology

A game is an activity with rules, a goal, and an element of fun. Games can be accuracy-focused or fluency-focused. Games provide contexts for rapid practice and collaborative work, which are good for encouraging cooperation in a context for free production. One way of classifying them is according to the skill we practice while doing them:

Vocabulary Games

These are games in which the learners’ attention is focused on words. Some examples are: I Spy, Bingo, The Market Game, Memory Card, or Chinese Whispers.

Spelling Games

These make students aware of how words are written. For example, The Hangman, Write What You Hear, or Crosswords.

Grammar Games

These provide experience of the use of a particular grammar area, such as in Guessing Games, Noughts and Crosses, Find Someone Who, and Quizzes.

Pronunciation Games

These provide practice for sounds, stress, or intonation patterns, like Hear the Difference, Tongue Twisters, Phonetic Bingo, or Rhymes.

Communication Games

These are designed to give students the opportunity to use language in more realistic situations. Students exercise their creativity because they use the language freely and spontaneously, they increase their self-confidence, and there is no error correction, so the teacher must correct them once they have finished the game. Some examples could be Picture Dictation, Simon Says, Giving Directions, Find Your Partner, and Snakes and Ladders.

Games as a Creative Technique to Attain Communicative Competence

Communicative competence is defined as what a speaker needs to know to be communicatively competent in a speech community. Games must be considered as one of the means of achieving teaching objectives rather than just a fun activity. Games are an explicit link between the classroom and the real world.

When Should We Use Games?

They can be used in the different stages of the teaching-learning process:

As warmers: They are quick activities that enable children to tune into the English language. For example, Guessing Games or Chinese Whispers.
In the practice stage: The games must be played by the whole class, and they must not demand students’ verbal responses, such as Simon Says.
In the production stage: These games are designed to develop communicative skills, helping to build up the students’ confidence and fluency. Find Someone Who or Following Directions are good examples.

Games can also be used when revising structures or vocabulary, as a diagnostic tool for the teacher, or as a relaxation time.

Criteria for Selecting a Game

The teacher must take several factors into consideration: students’ age and level of competence, the aim of the game, when the game is going to be used, and if the game needs to be adapted.

Classroom Management

The general procedure to use a game is: giving instructions, demonstration of the game, and organizing the groups in pair and group work, so the teacher should follow the next steps:

First of all, tell the students about the purpose of pair and group work.
Then, give clear instructions on the activity.
Next, demonstrate the speaking activity.
Having a leader in each group is very important.
Finally, the teacher asks two groups to act out what they have practiced and gives them feedback.

Teacher’s Role

Organizer: They organize the communicative activities and the students’ interactions.
Participant: They are an independent participant within the group and a resource in themselves.
Encourager: The teacher must make sure that, once the activity has started, everyone is involved, so that the students also need to receive encouragement.
Language consultant: They must be a resource of information on vocabulary or structures.
Monitor: They should observe students’ performances and make a note of major errors.

Learner Participation

Learner participation is essential as well. The teacher must ensure that everybody takes part in the game. However, it is wrong to force a pupil to participate. In order to do so, the teacher should look for strategies to encourage shyer or less able students to participate.

What Language Should Teachers Use for the Organization of Games?

Well, they should use the target language for the organization of games because it promotes language learning. Some expressions can be: Pay attention! Well done! You are the winner! It’s your turn! Use the blackboard, please!

Conclusion

I would like to say that games can be valuable tools for linguistic improvement. They provide a framework to learn the language in a motivating, meaningful, and creative way, enabling students to use the foreign language communicatively. The foreign language teacher should be aware of the variety of games as well as their appropriate exploitation. Games must not be seen just as a fun activity to be left for certain occasions; they must form part of the curriculum in Primary Education.

Bibliography

Council of Europe. (2003). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Emmer, E.T. & Gerwels, M.C. (2002). Cooperative Learning in elementary classrooms: Teaching practices and lesson characteristics. The Elementary School Journal.
Gardner, H. (2001): Reformulated Intelligence. Multiple Intelligences in XXI Century. Buenos Aires: Paidós.
Harmer, J. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman, 2008 (4th ed.)
Nunan, D. (2010): Language Teaching Methodology. University Press.