ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846
Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 9(15), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i15/86940, April 2016 ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645
Use of Puzzle Solving Games to Teach English
M. Avinash1* and Rennet samson2
Department of English, Sathyabama University, Chennai - 600119, Tamil Nadu, India;
1
[email protected]
2
Department of English, Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai - 600008, Tamil Nadu, India;
[email protected]
Abstract
Technology plays a dominant role in Teaching. Language games are unique tools for language acquisition. The objective
of this paper is to train the trainers of English on the Language games that could be implemented in a flipped classroom,
unmanned classroom. The method of study includes Students as samples and grammatical items as contents. A survey
through a questionnaire has been employed and its results have been carefully executed. Language Games proved to be
a successful tool in Language acquisition. Tenses and other grammatical items can be taught more effectively. Students
actively take part when Language is taught through such innovative tools. After implementation, it is proved that the gen z
are no longer passive and are involved in language learning through games. This paper acts as a guide to mordern techno
savvy English teachers and paves a way for implementing innovative techniques in their classrooms and make the class
room more effective.
Keywords: Acquisition, Flipped, Gen z, Innovative
1. Introduction fields1” of instruction in these games but also games
are devised to help students acquire linguistic abilities)
The use of games to learn has been applied universally outside the classroom complex.
through the ages. Whether it is to learn language skills or
technical skills, games can help them learn effectively. In
today’s corporate world, English is considered to be the
2. Review of Literature
official corporate language. To gain command in English, Language games are seen to be very effective in teaching
people with different native language face lot of diffi- and learning of English and the various reviews of lit-
culties in learning English. These games aid in teaching erature function as evidence to this fact. Nguyen in
English language in unison to its rules to the students of “Teaching and learning Grammar through games in the
any age group. They act as instruments in bridging the gap tenth grade at Hung Vuong high school” indicates that
between the complexities in learning English language. games reduce the difficulties and exhilarate the ambiance
Games have proved effective tool for teaching English in of teaching and learning Grammar. The findings show
both primary and the middle school. that the teachers who follow the conventional methods
For the successful implementation of Language games of teaching English through tasks given in textbooks and
and to avail the maximum benefits of it the educators need do not devise creative games and activities shape a gram-
to be oriented and made aware of the effectiveness of the mar lesson into a dreary and uninteresting experience for
language games first. Rixon states that the responsibility the students and do not fulfill the demand of an effective
of choosing the activities and organizing them rests on and pleasing grammar class2. The reception of language
the teachers so that they may not only cater to the expec- games both by the teachers and students in teaching
tations and needs of the students but also be influential English is important. Research on “the usefulness of
in leading them into “more adventurous and linguistics games in teaching grammar in Turkey” establishes that
*Author for correspondence
Use of Puzzle Solving Games to Teach English
Turkish EFL teachers acknowledge games to be effective A quiz is a form of game or sport of the mind in which
in improving the English learning of the learners3. Author the players (as individuals or in teams) attempt to answer
in4 their study through the calculation of the percentages questions correctly.
for each item state that both teachers and learners are Teachers of English should have sufficient confidence
encouraged in using language games and activities that in using technology for the enhancement of teaching and
help in learning English in the classroom and they believe leaving skills. We have to prepare ourselves to face this
these to be valuable tools in learning a new language. challenge, which is not impossible to achieve.
They consider that these activities make the class more Today student live in a dynamic “e-age”. They receive
energetic and vigorous and help them to engage in newer information with the click of a mouse in a fraction of a
learning tasks4. The rise of gaming culture in today’s set- second. They are looked to the Net as never before. In such
ting cannot be overlooked. Students attain most of their a situation, reading books is least preferred by most stu-
linguistic abilities by using technology and having direct dents. Teachers have to tune themselves to the changing
experiences with them. Sylen mentions that playing digi- mindset of the student community.
tal games like Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games Today we have amazing web tools to enhance the
(MMORPGs) which are conducive to second Language vocabulary of the students. Vocabulary is crucial not only
learning, improves the linguistic and cognitive knowledge during the learning process but also during recruitment.
of the learners to a great extent5. Moreover, Godwin and Quiz let is a flashcard creator with aids to memorize cho-
Jones argue that the development of vocabulary learning sen words. It has games like scatter and space Race. The
through gaming may be enhanced by adding options to test mode has a variety of multiple choice and true or false
both sections of game and learning by means of merging questions. ‘Quiz let’ is certainly an astonishing web-tool
game with electronic and computing tools6. This would to enhance students vocabulary.
indeed open newer avenues of English Language learning Lexipedia is an on-line dictionary which is widely
to the students outside the classroom as e-learning has used today in ELT. It creates a web of related words. Most
not yet been introduced in all the Indian schools. of the words are recorded. Hence, pronunciation can also
be mastered by the learners8. Parts of speech have been
3. List of Games color ended. Synonyms and Antonyms also appear side
by side with the parts of speech.
These are a puzzle solving games effectively used to teach NINJA words is a superfast dictionary which gives
English. Though these games are classified as games definitions quickly. It is also an iphone app. Word bucket
for teaching language, they may also be used for teach- is used by teachers and learners to download difficult
ing specifics of English language grammar, tense, verbs, words and practice.
nouns, vocabulary, sentence structures, speaking, reading Snappy words is an online visual dictionary and
and writing skills in English9. thesaurus. Students can attain mastery over words with-
out paper and pencil when they use their user-friendly
3.1 Crossword web-tools.
A crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form PODCASTS is a series of video or audio files which
of a square or a rectangular grid of white and black shaded can be played on a number of devices such as desktops
squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, and Mp3 players. They are short, portable and easy to use.
forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to It provides the teacher the real setting of language. These
the answers. The shaded squares are used to separate the are of enormous use to English language teachers.
words or phrases. Digital story-telling is another technological device
A puzzle is a game, problem that tests a person’s used in ELT. Stories are told electronically by combining
ingenuity. In a puzzle, one is required to put pieces text, audio, video, photos etc; It is used to teach writing
together, in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct and speaking skills. Many tools are available for creating
solution of the puzzle. digital stories. Digital story telling helps improvement of
Puzzles are often devised as a form of entertainment oral skills such as intonation, rhythm and stress.
but they can also arise from serious mathematical or Word-clouds is another tool in ELT. Here, the more
logistical problems. frequently used words appear in a larger font. It is used
2 Vol 9 (15) | April 2016 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology
M. Avinash and Rennet samson
even to put research interviews in nutshell. Word-clouds to do google search for “mobile phone apps for learning
is helpful in teaching reading and writing skills. English” and we can get a lot of mobile applications.
Blogs are used as a personal journal for an individual.
It is a web-page used to generate motivation and interest • The teacher reads out a story to the students slowly.
for writing in English. The teacher marks all the nouns used in the story prior
Video-Conferencing is useful for a language teacher. to her reading and if the story contains adjectives used
It is undeniably a great boon to Elt by technology. Teachers before the nouns the teacher underlines and avoids
of the English language should get awareness about such them while reading out the story to the students.
latest technologies available. Adequate training can help • The teacher gives instruction to the students that they
them assist and enhance language teaching. have to insert an adjective wherever possible after the
SMS and E-mail are also widely used methods of noun.
teaching and learning. The cost is negligible. They are effec- • The teacher at the end of her reading asks the students
tive teaching and learning aids; rural students prefer SMS to read out the adjectives they have used to describe the
and E-mail for learning activities. They are indeed, widely various nouns. The student who has recognized all the
used tools. They consume less time and are useful for fast nouns and written adjectives for those wins in the game.
communication. Effective use of technology in enhancing
English learning is unavoidable since we metaphorically Variation: The teacher may even use an audio-visual
swim today in the sea of technology. Hence, computer aid, a newspaper or journal article for the game.
is the basic requirement in an ELT classroom. Microsoft This game is adapted from the Cambridge Handbook
word, power-point, net surfing, and video-downloading for Language Teachers: Grammar Practice activities by
play a vital role in enhancing language learning. Penny Ur.
You-tube is also widely used by teachers of the English Material: A list of various prepositions.
language. You-tube videos can be used in ELT classrooms Object: To help students understand the use of various
to teach vocabulary, accent, pronunciation and also kinds of prepositions and prepositional phrases and
voice-modulation. develop in them an appreciation for poetry.
Teacher and learners use E-forms to communicate at
different times and form different places. Teachers can also • The teacher draws three columns for Preposition of
create their own E-forums. Social-media applications such Place (static and movement), Preposition of Time and
as FACEBOOK are also used for online group discussions. Prepositions showing other relationships, on the board
Language laboratories and LCD projectors also and asks the students to pool in as many prepositions
play a major role in ELT. Interactive- whiteboards are as they can to the three columns.
used like a large computer screen. The pen is used like • The teacher then challenges the students to write a poem
a large computer screen. The pen is used like the mouse. using as many prepositions as they can. The teacher
This innovative device is also an excellent technological instructs them to start by composing some dramatic
tool. To add more information on the board, the already event such as “He fell into a well” or “It moved to and
existing notes need not be erased. fro”. Then the students think of all the circumstances and
To enhance the English Language empowerment, add prepositional phrases to precede the event further.
the impact of social networks is indispensable. To imply • Ones the poems are constructed the students read
this concept is the objective of the chapters which this out the poem and also appreciate the poems written
introductory chapter. Innovative methods in ELT and by others. The names of the ones who wrote the best
multimedia resources for ELT are to be clearly under- poems are decided through votes.
stood to highlight the role of technology in enhancing/
Variation: The teacher may make the students hear an
strengthening the mettle of ELT.
audio of a sample poem composed using prepositions.
Today mobile learning has become a classroom with-
out walls. It has become a learning-revolution. Mobile
phones should be used for learning English too. The west- 3.2 Find a One-Word Verb
ern nations have already progressed in this. Free mobile This game is adapted from the Cambridge Handbook for
applications are available for learning English. It is enough Language Teachers: Vocabulary activities by Penny Ur.14
Vol 9 (15) | April 2016 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology 3
Use of Puzzle Solving Games to Teach English
Material: An English Dictionary, List of two-word Foreign Language (English) in a relaxed, tension free and
verbs that have one word equivalents fun filled atmosphere. The various games discussed here
Object: To enable students to recognize equivalents are tailored and tested in the classroom situation and have
for prepositional or phrasal verbs. proved indeed effective in assisting students to acquire
command in English Grammar and its usage in both writ-
• The teacher writes on the board a list of phrasal or ten and oral construction of sentences12. The teachers may
prepositional verbs or gives the students a handout con- face many impediments while executing these language
taining sentences having prepositional verbs in them. games in the classroom but in due course of time with
• The teacher asks the students to find out a single word regular use of games in the classroom the teachers will
verb for each phrasal verb given, individually or in find themselves overcoming many problems they may
groups. The students are allowed to refer to their diction- face initially. Language games indeed have numerous
ary. The teacher then sets a time limit of 10 minutes. benefits in helping students obtain mastery over English
• Ones the time gets over the teacher reads out the Language13. Though the games mentioned here are mostly
answers for the students and the one who gets the grammar activities there are many other language games
maximum answers correct is the winner. For e.g., ‘give available for improving the vocabulary, pronunciation,
back’= ‘return’. communication skills, etc, of the students which may also
Variation: The teacher may ask the students to recall two- be by far used in the classrooms.
word verbs that they may have heard being used in the
cricket commentaries. She may even ask the students to 5. References
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