STARTBODY

Teach English in Hangai Zhen - Jining Shi

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Hangai Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Jining Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.

Besides the theoretical and intercultural components of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom, games provide an essential learning approach for second language learners. Proponents of use of game in classrooms argue that language games should be incorporated in foreign language teaching programs because they are bound by rules, have goals, and provide a flexible learning routine. Games are used in EFL classrooms to mitigate the challenges both teachers and students encounter, to motivate the learners, and to provide them with an opportunity to escape from the usual classroom routine (Ibrahim, 2017). Additionally, they create a meaningful context for learning, encourage students to communicate and interact successfully with English speakers, allow students to learn in an enjoyable and relaxed environment, and reduce anxiety. Games in an EFL classroom provide a meaningful context for learning. Osma et al. (2015) argue that games in second language learning offer an effective strategy for providing a framework to afford students a meaningful context for language acquisition. Through games, learners can improve their ability to comprehend spoken and written English. By interacting with virtual characters conversing in English, EFL students are able to learn words, sentence structures, spelling, and pronunciation in an appropriate context. Additionally, Ibrahim (2017) argues that games create different contexts that instructors can use to facilitate unconscious learning. This form of learning is made possible because games allow students to focus on the message rather than the language. As learners focus on learning games as classroom activities, they are motivated to acquire the target language. In a study conducted to investigate the benefits of using language games in teaching English as a second language in Sudanese schools, the author noted that language games help learners build a good relationship with the new language (Ibrahim, 2017). Based on these findings, EFL curriculums should include adequate and appropriate language games in the syllabus. Incorporation of games in a classroom is an important learning strategy that provides EFL students with a positive learning environment. EFL teachers who use games as part of their learning strategy counteract the boring and ordinary nature of lessons (Sung, Chang, & Liu, 2016). Language learning games create a positive classroom environment that centralizes students and their learning. Since games are fun and captivating for learners, lessons that incorporate them to attract their interests in learning. Therefore, besides learning, the students have fun, which implies that even reluctant learners have the potential to react positively to the concepts and dynamics of the English language. The fun element of the language lessons increases students’ motivation because gaming provides an alternative solution that encourages them to maintain their attention on the lesson and learning outcomes. Gaming engages students in the learning process by providing a cooperative learning structure rather than a competitive one that harms their ability to learn a foreign language. Online resources and digital educational technology are essential in providing EFL learners with collaborative and personalized learning. Regardless of the situation, the language instructor should maintain positivity during gaming activities to create a positive learning environment. Games in the classroom reduce the anxiety associated with learning a new language. In foreign language classes, students feel pressured to learn the language structure, syntax, and other elements that characterize the target language. Moreover, they are often criticized whenever they make mistakes, especially when the instructor does not understand the importance of positive criticism. To reduce the anxiety associated with these pressures, EFL instructors use games to increase positive feelings, enhance students’ self-esteem, and reduce anxiety. Games incorporated in the EFL syllabus do not necessitate negative criticism and do not elicit fear of punishment when learning outcomes are not met. Tao, Huang, and Tsai (2016) report that studies indicate significant improvements in vocabulary acquisition and learning motivation, and reduction in anxiety levels when games are used in normal classroom activities. Besides reduction of anxiety levels, games improve proficiency levels in the target language and improve the students’ attitudes. Games promote student-centered learning. Incorporation of play activities in normal EFL classroom reorients the instructor and learners’ roles. The gaming activities allow teachers to encourage students to participate actively in their learning (Osma et al., 2015). In student-centered learning, the students chose what to learn, how, and why. Games provide learners with a chance to take responsibility for their learning by selecting how and why they learn the foreign language. Moreover, games influence the creation of different contexts that allow students to learn unconsciously. Therefore, EFL teachers should assume the role of an educator rather than the role of an instructor. As educators, they are able to guide, help, and support the students to acquire English as a foreign language. With the proliferation of digital devices, the Internet, and a variety of video games, game-based teaching has become an important element in promoting students' motivation and interest in learning foreign languages. Therefore, education policymakers and teachers should adopt gaming into the EFL curriculum. References Ibrahim, A. (2017). Advantages of Using Language Games in Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Sudan Basic Schools. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS), 37(1), 140-150. Osma Ruiz, V. J., Saenz Lechón, N., Gutiérrez Arriola, J. M., Argüelles Álvarez, I., Fraile Muñoz, R., & Marcano Ganzo, R. (2015). Learning English is fun! Increasing motivation through video games. Sung, Y. T., Chang, K. E., & Liu, T. C. (2016). The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students' learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Computers & Education, 94, 252-275. Tao, S. Y., Huang, Y. H., & Tsai, M. J. (2016, September). Applying the flipped classroom with game-based learning in elementary school students' English learning. In 2016 International Conference on Educational Innovation through Technology (EITT) (pp. 59-63). IEEE.


ENDBODY