LECTURE 7.

Technology Gaming Activities 1

Plan:
Gaming technology.
Pedagogical games.
Educational game

S. Vygotsky and A. N. Leontiev’s psychological theory of activity figured

out 3 types of human activity: Labour Game Educational All of these
activities are interconnected with each other. K. Gross refers to “game” as an
initial school of behavior. The didactic importance of a game was proved by K.
D. Ushinsky. The pedagogical phenomenon of a game was considered in the
works of A.S. Makarenko, V. A. Suchomlinsky , D.B. Elkonin. The practical
research works of such scientists as N.P. Anikiev, O. S. Anisimov, V.V.
Petrusinsky, L.S. Vygotsky, G. A. Kulagin , V. F. Smirnov are the most
valuable. K. D. Ushinsky and J. Selly, K. Buller considered a game as a display
of imagination and fantasy, A. I. Sikorsky, J. Due connected game with the
development of thinking. Summing up their views we can see that game is a
sum of GAME=PERCEPTION+MEMORY+THINKING+IMAGINATION An
excellent researcher of a game technology D. B. Elkonin considers that game is
socially-oriented by its nature and reflects adults’ world. D. B. Elconin
considers game as one of the forms that develops psychological functions and
ways of world perception by a child. D. B. Elkonin “Game-arithmetic of social
relationships”. The main function of pedagogical activity consists not only in
the transition of knowledge but in creation of problem-cognitive-oriented
situations, and in the management of the students’ cognitive processes, taking
into consideration all their individual peculiarities. In human practice the game
activity has the following functions: Entertainment (this is the main function of
a game-to entertain, to delight, to inspire, to arise interest) Communicative (to
assimilate the dialects of communication) Diagnostic (analysis of deviation
from the normative behavior, self cognition in the process of a game) Game-
therapeutic (overcome of various barriers, face it in other life activity types)
Self-realization (development of abilities and lateen potentials) International
communication (acquiring of universal, social-cultural values) Socialization
(integration in the system of public system, intercommunication relations)
Aesthetic (delight given by the game). F. Schiller paid specific attention to the
aesthetic function of a game. The game for him is delight connected with the
freedom from the external needs through the stream of excusive vital energy.
Indications at this function of a game can be met in the works of such scholars
as B. Spencer and W. Wundt. As we have already mentioned the game has been
used as a method of training and transference of elder generations’ experience
to the younger ones since the ancient period. The modern school that aims to
add activization and intensification of the learning process uses the game
activity in the following cases: As an independent method for understanding
some definite theme As elements, sometimes quite significant ones of some
other methods. As a whole lesson or one of its parts (introduction, explanation,
consolidation, control or exercise) As a form of organization of extra-curricular
activity. While the game technology is used the teacher’s objective is to
organize his/her students’ cognitive activity in the process of which their
abilities, especially creative ones can be developed. Game always demands
some definite emotional and mental strain as well as the capacity of decision
making (what to do, what to say, how to win?). The desire to solve these
problems sharpens students’ mental activity. The positive factor is that a student
is speaking a foreign language during this activity. It leads to the conclusion that
the game method keeps an abandon of training opportunities. The use of game
technology assists the achievement of the following objectives: formation of
students’ psychological readiness to speech communication provision students
with natural need of multiple repetition of language material training students
in selecting the necessary speech variant, which is the preparation for situational
spontaneity. Game activity in the process of education works out the following
functions: educative, cultural, entertainment, communicative, psychological,
developing, relaxation. As for the classification of games it is necessary to note
that previous attempts to classify games web made in the last century both by
western and local researches that investigated into the problem of the game
activity. E.g. J. Piaget distinguished three basic types of games which he
corresponds with the stages of a child’s development: game exercises: a child’s
first games through his manual activities such as an object catching, and
manipulations with the toy (age of one year); symbolic games based on
imitation of adult’s life through the specific system of symbols (early pre school
period); Regulated games that basically are role play games. A well known
psychologist L. S. Vygotsky gave a psychological characteristic of games,
starting from the point that a game consists in actions connected with the child’s
activities. Outdoor games (подвижные игры) develop skills of moving and
orienting in the surrounding environment Construction games develop precision
and correctness of child’s movements, work out valuable habits, diversify and
enlarge child’s reactions Conditional games appear from the conditional rules of
actions connected with certain games, they organize the highest forms of
behavior Other psychologists S. L. Rubenstein, D. B. Elconin singled out the
following types of games: Intellectual games –S-O Role play games-S-S M. F.
Stronin, the author of several books dedicated to educative games singled out 2
types of games in FLT: preparatory games develop speech habits, creative
games, the aim of this kind of game is a further development of speech habits
and skills. According to the type of activity games are divided into: psychical,
intellectual, labor, social, psychological. According to the character of
pedagogical process games are divided into: educative, drill, controlling,
generalizing, cognitive, cultural, developing, reproductive, productive, creative,
communicative, diagnostic. According to the character of game methodology
games are divided into: subject, topic, role play, business, imitational, drama.
According to the aim games are divided into: Didactic which enlarge students’
outlook and cognitive activities, they formulate certain habits and skills
necessary for the practical activity, at the process of its realization students’
educational and labor skills are developed. According to D. N. Uznadze “Game-
the form of psychogenetic behavior, which is the inner characteristic, person’s
immanency” Cultural games develop self dependent work, will, cooperation,
collectivism, communicativeness and sociability, esthetic qualities of a child.
Developing games develop motivation, attention, memory, speech, thinking,
imagination, fantasy, creative abilities, reflection, the ability to compare, to find
analogy, and the optimal solutions to the problems. A. N. Leontiev considered
that “Game is the freedom of imagination and personality, illusive realization of
unrealized interests”. Socializing games educates children to acquire the norms
and values of society, adapt to the condition of a certain environment, which
teaches to communicate. According to L. S. Vygotsky “Game is the inner space
of a child’s socialization, mean of acquiring social behavior” . In deciding
which games to use a teacher has to bear in mind a number of points: Does the
game focus on appropriate language or skills? Can it be organized within his/her
classroom? Are materials available or ‘makeable’? Are the learners going to
find the degree of competitiveness or cooperation stimulating? Is the balance
between skill and luck right for the class? Are the children at a stage where they
will benefit from a familiarization through a repetitive practice? Do they need
the stimulation of situations where they have to struggle a little but which are
fun because of the challenge, and can they cope with them? The questions are
many but be quickly dealt with by the teacher who has begun to use games as a
teaching technique and recourse. Language for games. When organizing and
managing games, the teacher needs to rely heavily on prefabricated language,
especially language routines, in the early stages of learning. As simple games
have the same basic beginning and ending and have to be sustained in the same
sort of way, the same routines can be used for all games played in the first
lessons. Also, since many games have more or less the same form (for example,
card games involve giving out, counting and collecting cards; chasing games
involve running to a safe ‘home’ area), the same routines can be used for all
games of the same type. Thus, once the type of game has been learned, it is
relatively easy and quick to teach a second game of the same type. In the first
lessons, the same few simple routines are sufficient for organizing and
managing games. These routines can be repeated more frequently than in
playing the same game in Language 1. Once the routines have been established
it is then possible to expand and introduce new ones. With help from the teacher
(for example, by asking questions to stimulate replies, like ‘How many?’ ‘Is it
your turn?’), children begin to develop interpersonal communication. As soon
as some children know the routines, they can begin to organize the games,
taking the role of the teacher. The teacher should then take the role of a player;
interacting with the ‘new teacher’ and showing the children how to develop
language Introducing and organizing games. The first few times a game is
played, the teacher organizes and manages it totally. As children gain in oral
fluency, they take it in turns to play the role of the teacher and direct the game.
Teacher should then participate in the game as a player, but be ready to offer a
word of advice or act as a referee where the occasion arises. Children need to
know exactly how to play a game; they need to know all the rules. When
children are not sure what to do, chaos can result, particularly in chasing games,
or the ii’ be some confusion whereby a child thinks he has won, but in actual
fact he has broken the rules inadvertently and been accused by the others of
cheating. This can hurt a child so much that he refuses to play games for some
time. Collecting, adapting and making games. Teachers will find it a good idea
to keep their own book of suitable games. Many games are too advanced
linguistically for young children but with some adaptation can be made suitable.
The most effective games are often those made by a teacher or adapted to fit the
needs and local conditions of the children she teaches. There are many different
kinds of games, which can be grouped under three headings: purpose of the
game the different groupings required to play the game the recourses or the
language items or skills practiced The purpose of the game: Games can be
divided into ‘code-control games’ or ‘communication games’. The former aim
to practice new language items and develop accuracy, often taking the form of
hidden drills. The purpose is usually to score more points than others and there
is often a clear ‘winner’. Using these games may certainly be an effective way
of making repetition of language natural and purposeful for young learners.
Many games involve routines and repetitive formulae, which may be a part of
their charm for formulae in “I spy with a little eye”, or in “Happy families” are
the routine of the game itself and very much a means to the end of playing the
game. Such games might be considered as the palatable side of behaviorist ideas
of how language is learnt by repetitive imitative use and reinforcement.
Language practice games might thus be seen as fulfilling a useful role amongst
the ‘pre-communicative’ activities of broad communicative approach to
language teaching (Littlewood 1981). ‘Communicative language teaching
games Within a communicative language teaching game the emphasis is on the
message being transmitted by the medium of the language rather than on the
language itself. According to Palmer and Rodgers (1983), there are 6 features
which can be seen in communicative language teaching games: the players
have to interact they have to deal with some unpredicted information they have
a clear purpose the context of an activity is clear players have to be actively
involved they are given a particular role to play Communicative language
teaching games can be seen as pair or group games where the need to
communicate is powerful and urgent but no fixed language formulae are
available or adequate for doing so. The game is the task which sets off the
search for the necessary language. “Find the difference” is a communicative
language teaching game insofar as a routine, rules and objectives of the game
make it necessary for information to be transmitted from one player to the other.
Resources required. Games can be classified by the resources required to play
them. Some, such as I-spy or Simon says, rely on talk and listening and require
no resources. They are often based on riddles or on providing an appropriate
response involving activity. Others, such as Consequences or Hangman, are
‘pencil and paper’ games, which can often be presented to the whole class using
the blackboard. Some games, like Dominos or Bingo, need cards with pictures
or words; these might include matching exercises or other problem-solving
activities. Language practiced. There are many games which focus on speaking
only, such as practicing new vocabulary or specific tenses; others focus on
listening skills, f. e. Simon Says. Some games, like Hangman, are particularly
useful for developing spelling, while Consequences is good for practicing
writing simple sentences. Reading skills are practiced in games like Synonym
Bingo or Jumbled Sayings, where players match or sequence words.

Control questions:
1. What is the importance of using game technology in FLT?
2. Give classification of game technologies in FLT
3. Give examples of games in FLT
4. What are advantages of game technology in FLT?
5. What are the possible disadvantages of game technology in FLT?

Recommended literature:
1. Jean Brewster and Gail Ellis. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide.
(Penguin English, 2013).
2. Opal Dunn. Beginning English with young children. Macmillan
publishers LTD,2014
3. Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue Teaching English to
Children: From practice to principle, Nelson, 2015
4. Tomas Kral Teacher development making the right moves
5. А. В. Конышева Игровой метод в обучении иностранного языка,
Минск 2016.