So, why games?
WHY THE GAMES ARE EFFECTIVE
1. Human beings learn best when they are being entertained or having fun. The games make learning fun. Although there is a certain level of thinking involved and, sometimes, frustration, the teacher is always there to guide the students and to ensure that the game does not exceed their level of understanding. If the game is at a level that the students can manipulate and learn from, they can enjoy showing off their skills and surprising the teacher and their friends with just how much they know.
2. A language is acquired through practical application of grammar rules and vocabulary. The games allow the children to put what they have learned into practice. By doing this, it builds their confidence in their level of English and shows them that they do know English and they can speak it. They also learn to think about the language and how to overcome the challenges that learning a second language will constantly throw at them; all with a guide by their side to steer them in the right direction.
3. As in all games, social skills are also learned. The students learn how to tactfully interact in a competitive setting in another language, how to lose and win gracefully, and how to react to setbacks and small victories. They learn that making a mistake is okay and that they can learn from that mistake and come back in their next turn and use what they learned to their advantage.
4. The children are motivated by the desire to win points or advantages, which gives them a sense of pride in the presence of others. Instead of their progress being a secret, they get to grow and learn together, especially if the teacher decides to make teams out of the group, so that the children can work together by supporting each other and discussing their answers.
ADVANTAGES OF TEACHER TROUT'S GAMES
1. The series of games are structured in levels so that as the children grow in their second language, the games can grow with them and can be adapted as they make transitions from one level to another. This has been achieved by creating different levels for each game. Most have four levels (some only have two) which are: I.1 and I.2, II.1 and II.2. These levels roughly correspond with A1 / A2 / B1 and transition stages. This motivates the children to work hard so that they can advance and add new levels to the game or even be allowed to play a game that is more advanced.
2. In all of the games, the teacher communicates with the children in the language that is being taught (in this case, English), using words and phrases that the children understand. New words should be incorporated with the intention that the children deduce the meaning from the context, ranging from basic colloquial expressions to those that are more complex.
TELL Games have obtained exceptional results with the students that were exposed to them. The creator has found that when using these games in her private classes, most of her children began speaking either only in English, or the majority of the time in English, within six months. She taught each student only once a week for half an hour, forty-five minutes, or an hour (depending on the age and time restraints). Her students always improved their English skills and many were often at the top of their English classes.
The children felt a real desire to improve their English so that they could win, or advance so that a new game or level would become available. What Teacher Trout learned was that, when using games as a base from which to learn, her students did not feel like they were studying. In fact, all of her students looked forward to her class instead of dreading it. Many were often disappointed when a class needed to be cancelled because they enjoyed learning through the games. They all had their favorites and would ask for specific games for their next class. (Of course, this is always at the discretion of the teacher who must identify the child’s individual [or the group’s] needs and present them with a game that addresses their problem areas, offering their favorites as a special treat or a review.) She was always impressed to see how much they improved as time went on, and how motivated they were to do so in order to advance to a new game.