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Computer Games at English Lessons at School
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| Uchilka | Date: Wednesday, 02.12.2009, 22:40 | Message # 1 |
 Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 24
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| Dear colleagues! There are a lot of discs on sale with different games which may be used at our lessons. I've got many of them, but I don't have enough time for them. I think that only teachers who have 5 or 6 lessons a week may use them. But on the other hand students are crazy of them and such discs help us motivate our students a lot.
What do you think about it? And what discs can you recommend?
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| Teacher | Date: Thursday, 03.12.2009, 12:06 | Message # 2 |
 Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Computer games should be used at different levels in different lessons. Using these programmes should reflect certain teaching principles and beilefs. One problem is that we don't consider computer prgrammes as useful and really necessary. Forget about motivation, be honest to yourselves when you think that you want to or decide to use such a disk.
The first principle is this - positive learning and positive performance. If you use the disc, do the students learn the material? Do they understand what and how they learn? Do you say 'Let's play' or do you say 'Let's study other cases of usage'? Do you use the material from a disc for further extension activities?
A computer game creates or recreates certain environment which should reflect the student's experience or ideas but they should use these games for learning not for playing. Games are nice when the rules of a game are a step towards further success at learning but not at playng.
One recommendation - plan about 20 minutes per game activity once a week or once in three class periods. Do it regularly. After ten sessions like this you can reflect upon the results.
Can you list the games that you use?
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| Uchilka | Date: Friday, 04.12.2009, 21:50 | Message # 3 |
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Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 24
Status: Offline
| I use different discs at different steps of the lessons. The idea of such practise is to drill special rules. I use the following discs: "Правильный английский (4-6 лет, 7-9 лет, 10-12 лет)", "Мышка Мия учит языки", "Английский для школьников (1-4 класс, 5-9 класс)", "Reward (4 levels)". At my individual lessons I use TOEFL tests.
I also use discs at the beginning of the lesson to drill phonetics (some songs on different topics, which I choose accoding to the topic of the textbook).
The main problem is time. It's very difficult to find time for it. Another problem (maybe the most important is that I have only 1 disc and and 11 computers in my classroom. I need a special net version of such discs, but they are too expensive. Only 1 disc "Reward" has such version (the price is 25000 rubles), but I need time and a good techer to learn to work with it.
If I work with 1 disc all the students go the Smartdoard and play in turn. But when 1 student is thinking, the other 14 students make noise..... It's a great problem. 
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| Teacher | Date: Monday, 07.12.2009, 09:42 | Message # 4 |
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Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Yes, getting a net version of the disc is surely a problem. Try any online resource that deals with the same grammar or vocabulary item. Another idea is to use a digital projector (attahced to the computer) when you work with your disc. It will allow you to involve the whole class. Think of how the class will work - repeat, write, translate, make guesses, dictate for others to write? When you do this activity, you should stand at the screen, point to any of the items on the screen. Likewise, it can be a student doing the same. I did a few things like that with a big audience, it worked fine.
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| Uchilka | Date: Monday, 14.12.2009, 21:19 | Message # 5 |
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Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 24
Status: Offline
| Of course, I use the digital projector, but all the same it's difficult to hold the attention of all the students. They work one by one and distract their attention while other students answer.
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| Teacher | Date: Wednesday, 16.12.2009, 09:31 | Message # 6 |
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Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| You are dead right! But I want you to understand one simple principle - if you want to hold thge attention of the whole class, then do not give such an activity to one students while the others are waiting. Otherwise, give similar exercises to the other students on written on pieces of paper. Let them do this part of work, while the one at the smartboard is doing his. I recommend doing such things as a whole class activity. But if you plan to check someone's knowledge and skills, you can do it in another way.
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| Margo | Date: Monday, 04.01.2010, 00:09 | Message # 7 |
 Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 20
Status: Offline
| I have different discs and try to use them during my English lessons.I use discs to drill phonetics, grammar, and for auding. I can recommend you computer discs for children to the book by Biboletova"Enjoy English"( for 2-4 classes)To my mind these discs are worth using.My children enjoy computer lessons.
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| Teacher | Date: Wednesday, 13.01.2010, 09:08 | Message # 8 |
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Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Margo, do you use computer discs or ordinary audio CDs? How do you use them? As a whole class activity or as an independent one? DO you have enough computers in your classroom? Have your students ever used any computer programme or an Internet resource during the lesson?
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| Margo | Date: Wednesday, 13.01.2010, 16:55 | Message # 9 |
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Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 20
Status: Offline
| I have a digital projector and a notebook.I use computer programmes for 2-4 classes to the book 'Enjoy English".Of course I use CD MP3 for auding as a whole class activity.
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| Delify | Date: Monday, 18.01.2010, 10:48 | Message # 10 |
 Private
Group: Пользователи
Messages: 2
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| Speaking about computer games I think that the most important thing is that our students should understand that they are doing a particular task and they will be evaluated for that. And such a task should be interactive, of course. Many disks can be offered as self-study. But to tell the truth I don't like the Russian ones, especially for primary students. There's too much Russian there. And cartoon characters jumping out in the middle of the task and saying something in Russian also distract attention. I like discs from Eurotalk series.
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| Teacher | Date: Monday, 18.01.2010, 11:37 | Message # 11 |
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Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Delify! It all sounds serious and motivating. Can you describe how you use these programmes in class or out of class? Speaking of the Eurotalk series, is the programme for self study or classroom use? Have you ever looked into differences between these two categories?
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| Tatyana | Date: Friday, 22.01.2010, 17:04 | Message # 12 |
 Private
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| I'd like to recomend you disks "Listen and play" for Enjoy English. There are many exercises for students made in Flash. For teenagers you can use a net version of Reward.
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| Uchilka | Date: Monday, 25.01.2010, 20:59 | Message # 13 |
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Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 24
Status: Offline
| Tatyana! Do you have any practice in using a net version of Reward? I have such a version, but I don't have any time to understand all the instructions. Where do you work? Can I visit you and watsh the way you work?
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| Tatyana | Date: Sunday, 31.01.2010, 20:05 | Message # 14 |
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Private
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 15
Status: Offline
| I've been using Reward for some years. I have ten computers in the classroom, so every student can work with the programme (or in pairs). I usually use Reward when I need my students drill the words or grammar structures or practice listening skills. Although it usually takes a lot of time, the students like these activities. I work at school 72. Of course, you can come to us and I'll try to help you.
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