BOARD GAMES in the EFL Classroom by Nives Torresi

What is a Board Game?

Simply defined in the dictionary

a Board game is: - a game that is played by moving

pieces on a special board.

Do Board Games help students learning?

The Past and PresentBoard games in the past included:

❖CHESS ❖MONOPOLY ❖TRIVIAL PURSUIT ❖BACKGAMMON ❖CHINESE CHECKERS ❖DRAUGHTS ❖LUDO ❖SCRABBLE ❖PICTIONARY❖Make your Own!

Board Games can ...

★ Facilitate learning ★ Facilitate retention ★ Engage students more than a Textbook★ Reinforce basic language skills★ Create social interaction★ Turn learning into fun ★ Elicit “hands-on and heads on” learning★ The game can be played again and again,

encouraging repetition without being boring.

& Can be played offline!

Learning using Board Games

➢ Provide hands-on and heads-on skill ➢ Knowledge development (for all ages)➢ Playful yet Competitive & Non-threatening environment➢ Focus on content➢ Reduces the time needed to learn, remember & apply the content➢ Visual images/points aid in connecting information➢ Elicits discussion and problem solving ➢ Players learn together ➢ Builds on communication & relationship skills ➢ Empower players

Board Games designed for learningMany websites provide ready made online interactive board games that can be played directly online.

Teachers can direct the learning content by creating their own using online websites or making them in the classroom with the students.

Use professionally created Board Games for Educational subjects.

http://www.esl-galaxy.com/board.htm

http://www.toolsforeducators.com/

http://www.thelearningkey.com/pdf/Board_Games_TLKWhitePaper_May16_2011.pdf

TEFL2YL EVO 2016 Teachers in the Moodle provided healthy discussion on the pros and cons of using Board Games in the classroom.

Given the chance they created their own board game built around a learning module to blend in with a focus on language content which included:➢ Vocabulary building➢ Reinforcing Grammar points➢ Eliciting ‘speaking’ skills➢ Connecting images to words/phrases

Making your own Board GamePros➢ Teacher/Educator has freedom to tie

the game into the Subject curriculum➢ Personalize the game with visual

recognizable images➢ Understand the underlying concept of

using Games in the classroom➢ Fun atmosphere for both Educator &

Students

Cons➢ Imposes extra workload on the busy

Teacher/Educator ➢ May not be acceptable curriculum

didactic material to Stakeholders➢ Can create negative developmental

challenges➢ Not always ensures engagement &

motivation

Presentation slides prepared by Mrs Nives Torresifor EFL Talks - AnswersFebruary 20, 2016Online live Webinar

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