The games are effective teaching tools on several levels. One of the greatest inhibitors to learning is anxiety. Talking and playing with your peers is one the ways to reduce anxiety and relax the brain so that one can learn and remember new information. As you laugh at your errors, socialize and self correct in a playful atmosphere, increases the likelihood that you will retain the information and be able to use it later.
Second languages teachers tend to overcorrect their students assuming that students learn language from listening to them explain their errors. One acquires language by using language. One learns about language by listening to some explain the language. Language classes need to focus on facilitating the acquisition of language. Socializing and interacting with one’s peers in the target language facilitates the acquisition of the second language.
Active learning allows people to participate in their own learning. The interaction among students transfers to acquiring new knowledge such as learning a new language. The games in Al Rescate del Estudiante del
After the conclusion of the games a group discussion is held where general principles are discussed. The learning targeted is relevant and meaningful. The student can leave the learning session being able to use Spanish in a “real life setting”. Students can act on what they learn more immediately which is the purpose of learning a language.
Thank you for your words, Dr McHenry! ¡Muchas gracias por sus palabras, Dr McHenry!
ResponderBorrarAs I've said elsewhere, Maria and Darleana, I think using games to learn anything, particularly foreign languages, is a great approach! As Darleana points out above, it helps to lessen one of the main impediments to learning: anxiety. Further, if the game is structured in a way that not only do students lose (or lessen) their overall anxiety, but also do not believe that they can "fail" in the traditional sense of the word, learning will only be further accelerated. Paul
ResponderBorrarGames catch our attention so naturally that students make a bigger effort to concentrate and memorize, and at the same time they relax. Games provide marvelous ways for students to improve their ability to attend. = )
ResponderBorrarGames give people an opportunity to learn in a supportive friendly atmosphere. You can laugh at your errors and shake it off. You can create a strategy during the game and experiment. There is no judgement and no criticism if properly facillitated.
ResponderBorrarExactly! They promote positive competition
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