This document discusses using games in the language classroom. It begins by posing questions about when games should be used and how to select appropriate games. It then discusses arguments for and against using games, providing research findings on both sides. Examples of classroom language games are provided, such as board races, memory games, and Pictionary. Guidelines are given for selecting games, such as aligning them with learning objectives and assessment. The document concludes by providing sources for finding more classroom language games.

1. GAMES IN THE LANGUAGE
CLASSROOM
Katie Bain
English Language Fellow
ktbain53@gmail.com
elfellowkbain.wordpress.com

2. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Why should we (or shouldn’t we) use games in the
classroom?
 How should we select appropriate learning games?
 What are some games that could be helpful in the
classroom?
 What other questions do you have?


4. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
The classroom should be a
serious and quiet place at all
times so that students can learn
the most possible.

5. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
Games should be used
every day.

6. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
If you’re not sure what to
do for your lesson, use a
game!

7. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
Children might feel
nervous if they are asked
to compete in a game, so
you should not use
games.

8. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
Competition is not
appropriate for the
classroom.

9. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
Competition is fun and can
be used appropriately.

10. OBJECTIVE
Participants will understand how and why to use
games and examine some examples of games that
they might use in their classrooms.

11. WHY SHOULD WE USE GAMES IN THE
CLASSROOM?
are FUN! 
They help to lower the
affective filter.
1. Games

12. WHY SHOULD WE USE GAMES IN THE
CLASSROOM?
Games are
MOTIVATING! They
intrinsically pique interest
as students learn through
play.
2.

13. WHY SHOULD WE USE GAMES IN THE
CLASSROOM?
Games are
CHALLENGING! They can
challenge students to be
responsible for their
learning and knowledge in
a new way.
3.

14. WHY SHOULD WE USE GAMES IN THE
CLASSROOM?
4.
Games are INTERACTIVE!
They inherently create
situations in which students
interact with each other.

15. WHY SHOULD WE USE GAMES IN THE
CLASSROOM?
5.
Games are REPETITIVE!
They help students to
repeatedly practice in
fun ways.

16. DEFINITION OF GAMES

A recent definition
views games as a
“system in which
players engage in
artificial
conflict, defined by
rules, and resulting in
a quantifiable outcome”
(Salen, 2008, p. 268).

Games are further
often described as
transmedial
phenomena, implying
that the same game
can be transmitted
through different kinds
of media: on paper, via
computers, digital
networks, consoles, ha
ndhelds, mobile
phones etc.
(Juul, 2005).

17. RESEARCH FINDINGS.
+
students’
understanding of a
complex phenomena.
 Students gain
linguistic and
communicative
knowledge.
 Students engage in
rich social
negotiations (Barab et
al., 2007a, p. 71).
 Enhance




In some studies, only 50% of
students enjoy playing
certain games.
Students get tired over time
if when students find out that
games do not match their
assessment test.
Games can serve as a
distracting element instead
of keeping students focused
on a learning task
(Swingvy & Nilsson. 2011).

18. RESEARCH SUGGESTION
When
designed bearing
in mind instructional
materials and curriculum
content, games do yield
good results.

19. HOW SHOULD WE SELECT APPROPRIATE
LEARNING GAMES?
Games should be used as
practice of what has
already been taught.

20. 1. CHOOSE YOUR LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE.

21. 2. PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
 How
will you ask students to
show what they have learned
in your lesson?
 What exactly will students be
able to do at the end of the
lesson?

22. 3. PLAN TO USE A GAME THAT WILL ALLOW YOUR
STUDENTS TO MEET THAT OBJECTIVE.

23. 4. CONSIDER THE MATERIALS AND TIME THAT
YOU WILL NEED.

24. 5. PLAY THE GAME WITH YOUR STUDENTS!

25. 6. LEAVE TIME AT THE END FOR REFLECTION
ON THE GAME AS A CLASS.

26. EXAMPLES OF GAMES

27. GRAMMAR BOARD RACE

Board Race Video
Questions
 1. What is the objective
of the lesson?
 2. Would you use this
game in your
classroom?
 3. How could you
change this game to
make it more
appropriate for your
context?


28. BOARD RACE SCREEN SHOT

29. MEMORY GAME
1.
2.
3.
One student says a sentence.
Students say the same sentence and then add
something.
Once someone forgets what was said or cannot
add something, he or she is out of the game.
Student 1: I went shopping.
 Student 2: I went shopping and bought a jacket.
 Student 3: I went shopping and bought a jacket and
a cap.

(Shaptoshvili, 2002)

30. Yesterday, I went to the park.

31. WORD ASSOCIATION
Example:
TOPIC: The Classroom:
Student 1: chalk
Student 2: book bag
Student 3: tape recorder
Student 4: ruler
(Shaptoshvili, 2002)

32. TOPIC: MY NEIGHBORHOOD

33. MIMING
Students mime an action and other students (perhaps
in teams) guess what the action is.
Variation Topics:
1. Jobs/Occupations
2. Famous people
3. Animals
4. Sports or Sports Players
5. Characters from a book, movie, story, or article
that was recently read in class.
(Shaptoshvili, 2002)

34. WHAT IS SHE DOING?

35. SUGGESTION CHAIN
Students review leisure activities and ways to
make suggestions.
Example
Student 1: Let’s go to the concert!
Student 2: No, not the concert. What about going to the cinema?
Student 3: We could go to the dance club.
Student 4: No, not the dance club. Why don’t we eat at a
restaurant?
Students continue the game until they have used all of their leisure activities, or until
students cannot think of anything else to do and there is only one person left.
(Shaptoshvili, 2002)

36. LET’S WATCH A MOVIE AT HOME!

37. EXPANDING SENTENCES WITH ADJECTIVES
Teacher: She bought a jacket.
Student 1: She bought a black jacket.
Student 2: She bought a long-sleeved black jacket.
Student 3: She bought a long-sleeved black wool
jacket.
(Shaptoshvili, 2002)

38. I HAVE A BROTHER.

39. FRUIT BASKET UPSET

40. GUESS WHO?

41. SENTENCE SCRAMBLE

42. CLASS JEOPARDY

43. SWAT THE WORD

44. SCAVENGER HUNT

45. TABOO

46. PICTIONARY

47. WHERE DO YOU FIND MORE GAMES?

48. WWW.AMERICANENGLISH.STATE.GOV

49. ABOUT ME

50. NAME 3

51. NAME YOUR FAVORITE

52. WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT?

53. WOULD YOU RATHER?

54. HTTP://WWW.ESLGAMESWORLD.COM/

55. HTTP://WWW.ESLCAFE.COM/

56. HTTP://WWW.TEFLGAMES.COM/GAMES.HTML

57. RECAP
1.
2.
3.
4.
Games can be good if used appropriately.
Align your games to learning objectives and
assessment.
There are many great games out there – Adapt
them to your context!
Be creative and create your own games – share
them with others!

58. SOURCES

Shaptoshvili, S. (2002). Vocabulary practice
games.English Forum, 34/37. Retrieved from
http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_fi
les/02-40-2-h.pdf

59. THANK YOU!
Katie Bain
ktbain53@gmail.com
www.elfellowkbain.wordpress.com