USING GAMES IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR LUPU ELENA 1 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 2 I.1. The importance of learning a foreign language 2 I.2. The importance of grammar in teaching and learning English 3 II. THE THEORIES OF LEARNING ENGLISH 6 II.1. Behaviourism 6 II.2. Cognitivism 7 II.3. Constructivism 7 II.4. Humanism 8 III. APPROACHES TO TEACHING ENGLISH 10 III.1. The Grammar-Translation Method 11 III.2. The Direct Method 12 III.3. The Audio-Visual Method 12 III.4. The Audio-Lingual Method 12 III.5. The Communicative Approach 12 III.6. The Total Physical Response Approach 13 III.7. The Silent Way 14 III.8. Suggestopedia 14 IV. TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR 15 IV.1. Ways of teaching grammar 15 IV.2. Games used for teaching English grammar 20 V. RESEARCH 36 V.1. Preliminaries 36 V.2. Research hypothesis and objectives 37 V.3. Research methodology: 38 V.3.1. The interpretation of the results 49 V.3.2. The conclusion of the research 76 CONCLUSIONS 78 ANNEXES 79 BIBLIOGRAPHY 96 2 I. INTRODUCTION I.1. The importance of learning a foreign language Why is learning a foreign language so important? We live in a globalized world. People from different countries, different cultures connect with each other every day. Language plays an important role in human interactions. The psycholinguist Frank Smith believes that: `One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way`. From a theoretical point of view, language represents a set of sounds or written symbols by means of which people express themselves. But learning the language of another country implies more than that. People also take interest in the rituals and customs of the country to which the language they study belongs to, in its music, literature, history or culture. Therefore, the benefits of learning a new language are multiple: Cultural Understanding Studying a foreign language provides insights into the traditions, customs and values of another culture. It also creates more positive attitudes and less prejudice toward people that are different. By experiencing another culture, people become more aware of their own. Communication Knowing another language opens up new opportunities for communication. It allows you to connect with people who speak that language, whether they are in the local community or across the globe. Managing the linguistic concepts of another language leads to a better understanding of the native language as well. Career Opportunities Jobs in tourism, diplomacy, international business, translation or other fields require language skills. Proficiency in a foreign language is a great advantage. Cognitive Benefits 3 When learning a foreign language, the brain activity is improved and hence, the cognitive decline is slowed down. By challenging the brain, the memory, the problem-solving skills or the multitasking abilities are enhanced. Personal Development Studying a second language can be an engaging and rewarding experience. It requires patience, perseverance and discipline. The learning process leads to a sense of achievement and personal growth. Broader Access to Information Knowing multiple languages allows you to access a wider range of literature, media and information. One can enjoy books, movies or news from different parts of the world, gaining insights that might not be available in the native language. Taking into consideration the benefits above, we can conclude that learning a foreign language is a gateway to new experiences, perspectives and opportunities that foster a deeper understanding of the world. I.2. The importance of grammar in teaching and learning English ‘We spend a large part of our waking life speaking, listening, reading and writing- the central part of a language is its grammar, and this should be of vital interest to any intelligent educated person.' 1 In other words, grammar should be put in the foreground of language teaching and learning. Traditional teachers focused on teaching vocabulary and grammar exclusively ignoring the foreign language teacher’s basic goal: developing students’ communicative competence. Modern teachers, on the other hand, encouraged students to interact with each other and to negotiate meaning, ‘to learn the language by using the language’2, considering grammar of secondary importance. The process of learning a foreign language is so complex that the language systems and the developing of skills go hand in hand. Hence, teaching grammar should provide the framework for receiving and producing meaningful real-world-like messages. 1. Grammar and Writing We can simply define grammar as a set of rules for organizing the language. Knowing and using these rules appropriately, the process of writing will be enhanced. In order to convey 1 Palmer, F. 1984. Grammar, second edition. Penguin Books. Middlesex. p. 9. 2 Vizental, A. 2008. Metodica predării limbii engleze. Strategies of Teaching and Testing English as a Second Language. Third edition. Iași, P olirom. p. 177. 4 a meaning, one should take into account five main elements of grammar: punctuation, tense, word order, connectors and determiners. If one of these elements is used incorrectly, the meaning will completely change. For example: Your dinner/ You’re dinner. Good grammar makes a text easier to understand, clearer and more reliable. 2. Grammar and Speaking Of all the four skills, speaking is one of the most important. Whenever we talk about people who know the language very well, we consider them ‘speakers’ of that language. Grammar plays a vital role in developing speaking skills in English. It serves as the foundation for language proficiency and contributes to language development. In order to convey a message, one must be clear and accurate. This can only be achieved by means of proper grammar. Incorrect grammar might lead to misunderstandings or disagreements. The coherence is very important too. Understanding the structure and the organization of the sentences helps expressing thoughts and ideas more effectively. Fluency can be enhanced as well. Being confident in your grammar skills, you can express without hesitation or pauses. For native speakers, things are much easier. They learn to speak before they study grammar rules. It’s all about intuition. But, as a second language learners, speaking can be very challenging. Therefore, teachers should pay attention to every aspect. Practicing grammar rules improves speaking abilities in English. 3. Grammar and Reading Grammar and reading are intricately linked. Teaching and learning grammar improve reading comprehension. ‘To read a sentence is to analyse it – its words, its grammar and, ultimately, its meaning.’ 3 Knowledge of grammar helps readers to understand the structure of the sentences: subjects-verb agreement, word order and punctuation. It allows them to extract meaning effectively by deciphering complex sentences. When it comes to literature, the grammatical analysis is really helpful. Literary works are well written and they offer a good exposure of the language. Readers that have a strong grasp of grammar can decode the message of the texts, appreciate stylistic choices, engage in critical analysis. 3 Hudson, R. 2012. Becoming a Grammar Teacher. Why? What? How? p. 9. 5 Integrating grammar instruction with reading activities will significantly enhance reader’s ability to understand and interpret written texts. 4. Grammar and Listening Developing the listening skill implies identifying and understanding of what the others are saying, at normal speed and in real-life conditions. Grammar improves one’s ability to perceive a message and response effectively. ‘Only a good listener can be a confident speaker.’ 4 Here are some of the benefits of grammar in listening comprehension: Sentence structure: a good grasp of grammar leads to a better understanding of the structure of the sentences and conversations. This way you can anticipate what comes next and follow along when listening. The recognition of different verbs and tenses allows you to understand the timeline of the events and easily follow the speaker’s train of thought. Complex sentences can be very hard to understand unless you don’t break them into meaningful chunks. This process implies knowing how phrases and clauses are constructed. Grammar knowledge helps identifying the roles of different words in a sentence: subjects, modifiers, determiners etc. It assures interpreting the speaker’s meaning accurately. Pronunciation and intonation are also influenced by grammar rules. For example, knowing where stress falls in a sentence or how to pronounce the word endings correctly, makes it easier to understand the meaning that is conveyed. 4 Vizental A, 2008. Metodica predării limbii engleze. Strategies of Teaching and Testing English as a Foreign Language. Third edition. Iași, Polirom. p. 143. 6 II. THE THEORIES OF LEARNING ENGLISH Learning a language is a complex process. According to Bonta (2013), learning means: Acquisition (knowledge, skills, methods, strategies); Mental processes (making sense, memorizing, abstracting meaning, expanding, solving problems); Putting into practice (applying, using knowledge and skills). 5 Researchers in the field have identified several language learning theories: Behaviorism Cognitivism Constructivism Humanism II.1. Behaviorism Behaviorism started with B. Watson’s paper: ‘Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It’, published at the beginning of the 20 th century: Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select—doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. 6 B. F. Skinner was an American psychologist and a Harvard professor. He’s the theoretician of the ‘behaviorist theory of learning’. According to it, learning is a process of conditioning in an environment of stimulus. The human behavior can be influenced by reward or punishment. Skinner explains the difference between informal lear ning, which occurs naturally, and formal education, which depends on the teacher creating optimal patterns of stimulus and response (reward and punishment), or ‘operant conditioning’.7 The followers of this theory believed that the observable behavior should be studied while mood, emotions or cognition are too subjective. In education, behaviorism can be used for creating positive behaviors using reinforcement. Teachers use skill and drill exercises. Through repetition they model correct responses. Other methods can include complimenting students or offering them rewards. 5 Bonta, E. 2013. Teaching English: a pragmatic approach. Second edition. Alma Mater, Bacău. p.24. 6 Penn State University. 7 Newlearningonline.com. Skinner’s Behaviorism. 7 The usage of tests to measure performance is also considered a behavioral approac h. It is applied nowadays when dealing with beginners in particular. II.2. Cognitivism This learning theory replaced Behaviorism, in 1960s. It deals with the mental processes. Some of the theoreticians of this theory were the psychologists Jean Piaget, Albert Bandura (Social Learning Theory) or David Kolb. Cognitivists considered that humans learn from thinking. The mind, the brain is seen as a computer who receives, organizes, saves and retrieves information. In education, the cognitive learning theories claim that knowledge occurs when students are actively engaged in problem-solving activities. When they seek solutions, their brain will progress from the current knowledge. This way their learning is better than when they are taught facts and procedures. Active learning is emphasized over the passive one. While passive learners simply memorize the information, the active learners engage in meaningful tasks. The following are the main principles of cognitivism for more effective human learning in Educational Settings: Learning must be purposeful and focused Learning must be self-directed Learning must come from analysis to discovery Organising information into Schemas helps students build conceptual models Long-term memory is enhanced by enabling students to organise and encode learning material Curriculum content must be well-sequenced and understood in the context of the bigger picture 8 II.3. Constructivism Constructivism is based on the idea that individuals construct their own knowledge on the basis of their personal experience. Therefore, the previous information is the foundation base for the new things. Here are some of the principles of this theory: Learning is a constructed process. Each student takes pieces and puts them together in a unique way. 8 Structural Learning.com. Cognitivism Learning Theories: A Teachers Guide. 2022. 8 People learn to learn, as they learn. Learning implies constructing meaning and systems of meaning. The future information will be better perceived with the help of current one. Learning is an active process. Learners have to get involved in their development. Motivation is essential in learning. The role of educators is to engage students in exciting activities that promote active learning. Scaffolding, Zone of proximal development, Problem-based learning or Discovery learning are educational concepts derived from constructivism. Scaffolding views learning as a step-by-step process. At first, the teacher offers students help by means of simplified language, task modelling, visuals, pieces of advice etc. Gradually, throughout the learning process, the teacher offers more and more freedom, until the autonomy is achieved. Zone of proximal development (ZPD) is a concept developed by Lev Vygotsky. It refers to the space between what students can learn on their own and that of learning under a teacher’s guidance. Problem-based learning supports student’s active participation in the process of learning. It helps developing critical thinking and increases motivation. Discovery learning (Jerome Bruner) promotes responsibility and autonomy. Students learn or discover new things on their own. II.4. Humanism The humanistic learning theory takes root in humanistic psychology. It is a system of thought whose main focus is on human being rather than on supernatural or divine insight. Throughout history it was an important movement, tracing back to Ancient Greece or The Roman Empire, Renaissance up to modern era. It was developed in the early 1900s by psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, James Bugental or Carl Rogers. In education this theory is a student-centered one. It relies on the idea that children are good at the core and education should take into consideration the human being as a whole. In order for students to learn well, all their needs should be met. In the process of learning feelings, social skills, intellect, artistic skills or practical skills are engaged, as well as self-esteem, autonomy and personal goals. There are several important principles of the humanistic learning theory: Student choice. Humanistic teachers encourage and motivate their students by offering them the opportunity to choose what they want to learn and take their time to reach their objectives. Next >