We all know common core places a large emphasis on student
practice, and educational games can be a great way to achieve just that. Whether your students are working as a class,
in small groups, or on their own, games are a great way to help them practice
and learn anything you are covering in class.
Incorporating games in your class/lesson is important not only because
they help students learn information, games also get students excited about
learning, keep them engaged longer, and help lower the affective filter.
Educators
understand that students must have their most basic needs met before they are
able to learn. Creating a safe and
comfortable environment for all students is the first job of any successful
teacher. According to Krashen (1982) a
low affective filter, which includes high motivation, high self-confidence, and
low anxiety, is highly beneficial to language acquisition. While Krashen focused primarily on language
acquisition, I truly believe the same principles hold true for all learning. Tomlinson et al, (2003) would agree with me. They found when multiple materials and
strategies coincide with an individual’s learning styles and interests, the
affective filter will be lowered and thus students will be more willing to
participate.
Sometimes
it can be a struggle trying to differentiate our lessons to address the
different learning styles and interests of our students. Well-designed educational games can help us
do just that partially because most students enjoy playing games, even if they
are learning something at the same time.
When students play games they more comfortable, more confident, and more
likely to discuss with their peers because of the relaxed and less stressful
environment created by the game (Lin, 2008).
Due to the lowering of the affective filter provided by a game
environment, students are also more willing to make mistakes, and learn from
their peers (Smith, 2006).
In my
class, whether I am teaching a whole group of students, or a small group, I
always try to incorporate some kind of game.
It never fails, when I pull out a deck of I have… Who has…, a board game
I created, a Jeopardy style game, or some other kind of game, the faces of my
students always light up. I find they
are more attentive, more involved, more motivated, and learn better when they
are having fun playing a game.
References
Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second
language acquisition. New York: Prentice Hall International
Lin, G.H.C. (2008) Pedagogies proving Krashen’s theory of
affective filter. Hwa Kang Journal of
English Lsnguage & Literature, (14), 113-131.
Smith, H. (2006). Playing to learn: A qualitative analysis
of bilingual pupil-pupil talk during board game play. Language & Education: An International Journal, 20(5), 415-437.
Tomlinson, C.A.., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan,
C.M., Moon, T.R., Brimijiom, K.,… Reynolds, T. (2003). Differentiating
instruction in response to student readiness, interest, and learning profile in
academically diverse classrooms: A review of literature. Journal for the Education of the gifted, 27 (Win 2003), 119-145.
Please let me know what you think of this post. If you have a story about playing games with
your student(s) please let me know and I would be happy to post it on my blog
(pictures are always a plus, but not a must).
