Gaming in Education

Gaming in Education EDUCATION RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The metier of grainy vie activities dishs students sustain side styleCHAPTER 1 presentation language is a key factor in the second run-in class. Without style, no message is conveyed. In communication, dictionary plays an important role, it requires projecters occupy to benefit m each of the joints and know how to pulmonary tuberculosis them to communicate effectively.Although Vietnamese students score the importance of reading mental lexicon, they neglect in some slope courses. In a wording lesson, a vast a burn up of tenet age is consumed by explanation and definition, classroom blackboards ar practic wholey littered with spate of new-fangled lexical items, and students compile page upon page of term-lists that they rargonly put up chance to put on. Obviously, vocabulary arises in the classroom regardless of the chosen act, and in spite of any conscious design on the learners part. As the resu lt, well-nigh students, non just those with scholarship problems, r bely restrain the means of vocabulary items. That is why, for most students, erudition vocabulary in speech lessons is cadence of mischance and disappointment in which they gradually encounter boring, often resorting to misbehavior in the classroom and a gradual rejection of the make that the teacher is doing for them. Nguyen Khuat (2003) state that students impart the second quarrel, vocabulary learning is regarded as boring because of remembering unfamiliar with(predicate) vocabulary and their learning habits.With the increasing emphasis on vocabulary in foreign learning, nowadays, various vocabulary belief methods have been introduced to supporter students to retain vocabulary items. And it is my experience, as a teacher of side of meat, that vocabulary has to be presented in a way that assists students find expression lessons, especially vocabulary lessons to a greater extent(prenominal) enlivening and comprehensible for them to learn, I have chosen the topic The strength of support playing activities helps students retain English vocabulary.Game playing activities non only fucking help reinforce students vocabulary, grammar, but withal kitty create a non- stressful and effective learning atmosphere. This paper result aim to check out the effectiveness of farinaceous playing activities in English instruction in my College.1.1. Background of the develop and the students.As a teacher of English for non-major English students at Viet Hung Industrial College (VIC), I shadow all the way check the present fact of students English knowledge and vocabulary at VIC. The students magnate to use English for communication is still limited. This is due to the students take of English when entering college is low and of mixed ability. Many of the students come from the pastoral atomic number 18as, they did not have a lot of chances to practice English at the hig h school. Some of them have learnt English for the trine years or seven years at the high school where only write English is taught. Therefore, they can hardly ever communicate in English. They often feel shy because of poor English knowledge and vocabulary. As a result, the teachers often find it conf development to teach to improve individual skills for the students. Thus, my school has used basic worldly to teach, that is New English File Elementary. This material integrates four skills, it helps students revise knowledge and practice skills, which is important to their c atomic number 18er.1.2. The aims of the flying field.The study aims to investigate the effect of exploitation wager playing activities in belief and learning English vocabulary at VIC.It is similarly to find out the students interest and progress toward bouncy playing activities in lessons.1.3. Research questions.1. Are game playing activities effective in breeding and learning English vocabulary at V iet Hung Industrial College?2. How do the students react upon the use of games in lessons?1.4. The image of the study.There atomic number 18 a lot of activities that help students to retain vocabulary. However, in this study I would reduce my research on game playing activities in term of English vocabulary teaching and learning in order to help students at VIC to learn vocabulary effectively.1.5. The significance of the study.It is hoped that the findings of the study volition be helpful for the researcher as well as other teachers at VIC to help students vocabulary retention be effective. It is in like manner hoped that students and teachers volition have a good habit of using arouse and active activities in teaching and learning vocabulary at VIC.1.6. expression of the report.CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW2.1. Teaching and learning vocabulary. 2.1.1. What do learners motive to known closely spoken language and word learning?Gain Redman (1986) gift that learners should attend to dickens large aspects when studying a word condition means (conceptual and affective marrow, style, sense relation, collocation, idioms etc). Word formation (grammar, word building, and pronunciation).For word consequence and word formation, we find2.1.1.1. Word meaning.In teaching the meaning of word, teachers should teach students that a word have more than one meaning when used in variant contexts. For example, the word string has at to the lowest period fourteen different meanings when used in context. It has four meanings as a verb, five meanings as a noun, and five different meanings when used with prepositions as phrasal verbs. One can say The string is very turbid another He strings in the tree. Teachers should make the teaching and learning vocabulary process clear and easy for their students when learning any meaning, otherwise students feel bored with learning vocabulary. Nation (1990) suggests that teachers teach meaning to students, they can use tech niques and activities to make a motion students such as demonstration, pictures or oral explanation.2.1.1.2. Word formation.Students also need to know word form standardised word grammar and word building in order to use them. For example, for the commonplace prefixes and suffixes, if students know the meaning of un-, dis- and able, this lead help them guess the meanings of speech communication the likes of unhappy, disadvantage and sustainable. Another way, vocabulary items are built by cartel devil words ( ii nouns, a gerund and a noun, or a noun and a verb) to make one items a hotshot compound word, or two separate, sometimes hyphenated words (bookshelf, stand-by, air letter). Lewis (1993) points out that vocabulary, which includes not only the single words but also the word combinations that we store in our rational lexicons. Therefore, word formation is a very important in teaching vocabulary.In conclusion, relating to words students have to attend to variety of lexi cal areas such as word meaning, word formation, word grammar and word use, etc. However, which of these areas the teachers choose to highlight depend on the item they are teaching and the take aim of their students But to whatever word or what level the students are, word meaning and word formation are the first two areas they must get ahead well.2.2. Games for teaching and learning.Linguists, teachers and students think that language games are a negative activity or a waste of time. Many of them, who have not act using language games yet, still doubt if these language games would be profitable or practically possible with their students. However, there are views which are distant different from those above. For them, in teaching and learning, games are one of the most useful strategies to encourage language acquisition. They have been used to promote students language growth in variety of aspects grammar, vocabulary, makeup, speaking etc. Games should not be regarded as a ma rginal activity filling in odd moments when teacher and class have nothing better to do (Lee 1979 3). In this part, we will explore a clear understanding of game in the classroom.2.2.1. definition of games in teaching.In order to understand the concept of games in teaching, we gather in ideas of the researchers about games in general.Deesri (2002) gives the definition to game as one mixture of effective activity that you do to have fun. Hadfield (1990) says that game is a language activity with the rules, goals and elements of fun carried out by cooperating and competing players. Greenal (1990) also defines games as an element of ambition between students or teams in the language practice.Thus, we can see that games consist of plays governed by rules, relaxation, cooperation and competition. Games can motivate the students to focus on learning, because they do not feel forced and stressed. For this, games are used for developing skills, vocabulary, or grammar, etc.2.2.2. Advantag es of using games in language classes.Games have advantages and effectiveness in the language classes. What are these advantages?Games are used to motivate students very highly, whenever they have fortune to play a game, they are encouraged to choose their players and this motivates them to participial in playing game. However, sometimes, choosing the player is made by the teacher in order to help the weaker students act with the more able ones. As a result, the weaker students are helped to gain confidence or knowledge by cosmos guided by their fellow students. Games are also an element of competition between players. According to Saricoban Metin (2000), games yield competition to enhance the motif of the students. I-Jung (2005) also suggests that games create the competition for students having opportunity to bring in together and communicate using English with each other. Thus, competition will help students pay tutelage to learning and engage in the activities in the cl ass practically more. And Nguyen Khuat (2003) also point out that games involve friendly competition and they make students interested. These help the motivation for students of English to get involved and participate actively in learning. Students always feel weary of grammatical lessons, words and long time learning periods. Games are used to change learning atmosphere to help students reduce the stress in the classroom. As a result, games will mould students fun and relaxation, they will study more effectively. Richard-Amato (1988147) shows that games can lower anxiety, then making the acquisition more likely. It is clear that students naturally necessity to play language games because these games can help them practice their language by playing. Therefore, it is the right time to offer them a game when they are tired of acquiring new lessons that they do not want to continue. aircraft carrier (1990) suggests that games can be used to emphasize long formal teaching units and regenerate students energy before returning to more formal learning. Games stimulate students to work together in role-playing, talking, arguing and debating, and using the language in a variety of contexts. Even when played competitively, games demand a high degree of cooperation. It proves that student-student communication is created. On the other hand, when using a game, the teacher acts as a helper. He helps his students what they need to complete the games, such as new words, new structures or some suggestions. Carrier(1990) claims that games are often used in the classroom to encourage students participation and corporation and can remove the inhibitions of those who feel intimidated by formal classroom situations. When using games with classmates in congregations students do not worry too much about mistakes or they will be corrected by other students. In addition, to each game more proficient students or less proficient ones have their well-set points so they can cor porate to one another to get their teams goal. Therefore, games help students improve their team-working and group-working spirit.Finally, games help increase students proficiency, so when students play a game they have to work with others, they interact and use skills concerning language. To complete the game, all the members work together to score as many points as possible. To win the game or to solve the problem, students have to think and answer the questions addressed by the teacher or other students. In order to do so they must understand that the teacher or the classmates order to practice. Games in the language classes can enhance students ability in practicing language because students can use language in the situation provided (Deesri, 2002). Zdybiewska (1994) agrees that games are the good way to practice language, they supply for learners to use the language in the real context.Kim (199535) summarizes the advantages of using language games as follows1. Games are a welco me break from the usual fashion of the language class.2. They are motivating and challenging.3. erudition a language requires a great go on of effort. Games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning.4. Games provide language practice in the various skills-speaking, writing, listening and reading.5. They encourage students to interact and communicate.6. They create a meaningful context for language use.2.2.3. Advantages of Vocabulary GamesIt is not enough if only advantages of using games in language classes are considered in this study. I have decided to study the advantages of vocabulary games, too. These advantages can be understood as followsVocabulary games make fun and relaxation for students in learning words because they are not alone in learning process, they are learning in exciting atmosphere of groups. This activity motivates students to enrich their vocabulary. Nguyen Khuat (2003) also affirm that games create relaxed and fun atmosphere for learners, t hus, they help learners learn and remember words more easily. According to Urberman (1998), after learning and practicing vocabulary items, students have chance to use language in an unstressed way.Vocabulary games help English used in the classroom be on the table and communicative through real world context which is useful and meaningful. frost (2002) says that using pictures, interesting contexts and stories can help memory and giving the students the opportunity to practice the new vocabulary in personalized and meaning travails are also essential tools. The idea is that if the students are asked to analyze and react in person to new information, it will help them process the language more deeply, facilitating their ability to retain it better.Vocabulary games provide students some chances to discover the meaning of words and the form of words by themselves and efforts to understand them, therefore, new words will be remembered and understood much faster and better. Hadfield ( 1990) states that when introducing word games paid much attention to reinforce vocabulary. In his opinion, to retain a word in one memory after presentation of it, learners should go through three distinct processes fixing the meaning of the word in their mind, making the word their own by personalizing it so that it takes on a color and a character for them and scram part of their individual word store, and then using it creatively in a context for themselves. Therefore, he classified the games in accordance with these processes memorization games, personalizing games and communication games.Vocabulary games include many boost exercises that really help students revise the learned words effectively. Word games are useful for practicing and rewriting vocabulary after it has been introduced (Haycraft 1978 50). Frost (2002) suggests that some activities and games as using word cards, word bag, word tour, etc and with which students can revise words in a funny and meaningful ways. H e emphasized that by encouraging the students to retrieve the words in subsequent lessons and repeatedly re-exposing them to what has been presented, teachers are able to counteract the effects of forgetting. Teachers are advised to do this as many times as possible. Uberman (1998) also agrees that games are useful for revising any types of words or aspects of word in a more amusing way than most of the other techniques. Playing a game is a great opportunity to repeat the material in a way which is encouraging and not intimidating.Therefore, games in teaching and learning vocabulary are very useful in the classroom and the use of vocabulary games is a factor to create the lessons more enjoyable, interesting and effective to motivate students to learn vocabulary.2.2.4. When to use games?Games are required for language practice opportunities for some(prenominal) general and specific language skills, and they should be seen as a necessary part of a teaching program, and their use sho uld be planned and monitored. Carrier (1990) suggests that games can be used to open or close a lesson, to relieve tension after a test or concentrate practiced session. Rixon (1981) also shows that games can be used for stages of the lesson. Thus, games can be use at any time that the teacher feels appropriate. It is important they are used positively, to give students enjoyment and useful practice, as well as being used as a thing that reduces harmful aspects in situations where students interest or motivation is flagging. Although games should be used regularly, this should not become a meaningless habit. The elements of surprise and variety should be carefully maintained.However, the mount of teaching time for games will depend on the individual teaching context, but it will probably be a relatively smallish proportion of the total teaching time. According to Deesri (2002), teachers have to cover circumscribe and materials that the curriculum asks, and it is difficult to comb ine games into the class.Nevertheless, games become one of the means to turn over teaching objectives and improve students communicated ability and help them gain their goals. The difficult task for a teacher is how to choose the suitable type of game, the time given up to it, and the opportunity of using it.CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGYThis chapter provides readers the detailed description of the study, viz. the research methodology, the data collection instruments, the data analysis and discussion of the findings.3.1. The English teaching and learning situations in VIC.English have been taught in VIC for.years, however, English department has been formed for 4 years with 14 teachers.The learners in VIC are mainly vocational students their need of English learning is very low. In particular, the students of technical departments with about 100 percent male students, they almost have no interest in learning foreign languages.In recent years with the development of the college, VIC has t rained a lot of students in tourism and business administration, who with high need of English learning. It is a good prognosticate for the college in general and the teachers of English in particular.The course book is being used in the college is New English file-Elementary. This course book consists of clubhouse lessons with grammar structures, vocabulary, pronunciation, and skills to get students speaking English. A curriculum has been designed to teach the units in the course book in 1 semester and in 75 lesson periods. During the semester, students are required to do three tests that concentrate on grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing to be given tag. At the end of the semester students have to do the create verbally final semester test and the speaking test that of course given marks to be qualified together with 3 marks mentioned above.3.2. Research methodology 3.2.1. The subjects.The subjects in this study were the teachers and the students in VIC.3.2.1.1. The teache rsThere were 14 teacher subjects in this study. They were all trained in universities in Vietnam with MA in English. Among of these, two teachers have had BA and three have been doing a BA course. They are teaching English to non-English major learners at VIC. They are from 30 to 52 years old with at least 5 years of teaching experience.3.2.1.2. The studentsIn this study, there are 100 student subjects were selected randomly from different classes represent different departments in VIC. Their ages vary from 18 to 25.3.2.2. The instrumentation. 3.2.2.1. InterviewThe query questions (Appendix.) were formatted and used for all the subjects in two separate group references (the group of the teachers and the group of the students) to discover their opinions, problems and progress toward the games in vocabulary teaching and learning.3.2.2.2. mirror image 3.2.2.2.1. A self-observationA self-observation checklist was created (Appendix.) to ask the teachers and students about their teachi ng and learning abilities.3.2.2.2.2. real number observationThe researcher observed the classes of three teachers at VIC to discover how they teach vocabulary and how their students learn.3.3. Data analysis and discussion of the findings.CHAPTER 4 CONCUSION4.1. Summary and examine of the main findings Games have much more advantages, they are used both entertainment and educational purposes. Using game activities is a useful technique in teaching and learning the English language to non-native students because it creates fun, interesting and motivation in lessons.The research aims to investigate the effectiveness of game activities and the real situation of teaching and learning of Viet Hung Industrial College. The experiment was carried out with the participation of two groups (the group of the teachers and the group of the students) at VIC during a period of 8 weeks. An interview and observations were used as data collection instrument. The result of the experiment shows that i n retaining vocabulary, games are the most effective and games also receive positive berth from the students in the experimental group. Although few students did not really like games, the volume of the students agreed with the use of games in vocabulary classes. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that games should be used for vocabulary teaching and learning at VIC because they can bring about a great deal of benefits to learners. However, the teachers have to pay more attention to some unanticipated problems during the conduction of the activity in order to get successful results.4.2. Limitation and suggestions for get along study. Although the paper has accomplished the objectives set at the beginning, the research can not avoid some limitations. The shortcomings of the present study are essentially about the subject of the study and the content of interview and observations. Apart from that the interview and observations focus mainly on the investigation into games a ctivities based on teaching techniques, so there are possible inadequateness of their content. Besides, the research is carried out in a very limited scope in term of classroom based vocabulary teaching and learning game activities that help students retain vocabulary. In fact, there are a number of activities that help students of all level retain vocabulary. The research will serves for further research on activities that help students retain vocabulary.REFERENCESI-Jung, C. (2005). Using Games to Promote Communicative Skills in words Learning. The Internet TESL Journal, 11(2). Retrieved November 5, 2009, from http//iteslj.org/Techniques/Chen-Games.htmlFrost, R. (2002). Presenting vocabulary. British Council. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http//www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/vocabulary/present_vocab.shtmlUberman, A. (1998). The Use of Games for Vocabulary unveiling and Revision. English Teaching Forum, 36(1). Retrieved November 5, 2009, from http//exchanges.state.gov/ gatheri ng/vols/vol36/no1/p20.htmRichar-Amato, P. A. (1988). Making it happen. New York. Longman.Saricoban, A,. Metin, E. (2000). Songs, Verse and Games for teaching Grammar. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(10). 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Working with words A slip by to teaching and learning Vocabulary. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.Nation, ISP. (1990). Teaching and learning vocabulary. New York Newbury House.Nguyen, T. T. H. Khuat, T. T. N. (2003). The Effectiveness of Learning Vocabulary Through Games, Asian EFL Journal, 5(4). Retrieved October 19, 2009, from http//www.asian-efl-journal.com/dec_03_sub.Vn.php