5.5 Using games when necessary 11

6. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13

1. Introduction

Since English has become more and more important in the world, it is very important and essential for children in primary school to study English well. However, many teachers are far from clear about primary school English aim. They still use the traditional teaching method which is not suitable for the children’s English learning. Students feel bored and have little interest in English. Psychologists believe that the lack of direct interest will  make learning a burden. On the contrary, if students are interested in what they are learning, they will  produce strong curiosity.  The New Primary English Curriculum  Standards point   out that it is one of the main aims of English teaching in primary schools to stimulate pupils’ interests in English and to develop their enthusiasm for learning English. So, how to stimulate students’ interest? How to change the boring traditional teaching model? Using game-teaching method can help us.论文网

Game-teaching method has so many advantages, such as learning and practicing the language unconsciously, stimulating students’ learning interest and motivation, developing students’ listening and speaking abilities and providing a meaningful context for children.

2. Literature Review

2.1 The definition of “game”

What is “game”? A game is structured form of play, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Ludwing Wittgenstein may be the first academic philosopher to give the definition of “game”. He said that the elements of games, such as play, rules, and competition, all fail to adequately define what games are. He concluded that people apply the term “game” to a range of disparate human activities that bear to one another only what one might call family resemblances. Spodek Bernard and Saracho Olivia think that a game is an important playing activity which has strict structure and has detailed rules to follow (Spodek, Bernard & Olivia 21). Byrne thought game’s definition is a form of play governed by  rules. They  should be  enjoyed  and  fun. They  are not just a persion,  a  break

from routine activities, but a way of getting the learner to use the language in course of the game (Byrne 33). Jill Hadfield defined games as “an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun (Hadfield 12).

2.2 Relevant researches of game-teaching method

Game-teaching method has been used from ancient times. In Athens and other cities in ancient Greece, there were more than 50 kinds of games for children which are very popular. Plato, the most famous ancient Greek philosopher and thinker of idealism hold the view that games are not just for fun, and they should be combined with moral education.

Fredrich Froebel, a Germany educator in the 19th century, holds the view that games are the characteristic of children’s activities. Games and languages are the component elements of children’s lives. Games can make children’s inner activities and inner lives more independent and make children pleasure, free, and satisfied. Fredrich Froebel designed a series of toys and teaching method for children which gradually evolved into essential school supplies and learning matter. Fredrich Froebel’s game theory lays the foundation of  scientific understanding of physical and mental development of children.文献综述