Are games important in teaching English as a second

language?

What is the most important thing to do for children under six years old?

Why games are the favorite activity for children?

• Games keep children's interest in the activities.

Do children learn better English, when they do it through games?

• In second language acquisition, games improve the motivation of learning the new language.

• Even children with less abilities in learning, feel a real achieve when they can participate in these games.

• Many games provide a considerable practice in specific aspects of the language. This advantage permit to avoid boredom.

What can BCEP say about this situation?

Game principle

• “Enfatiza el carácter lúdico que deben tener principalmente las situaciones de aprendizaje, ya que el juego tiene un sentido fundamental en la vida de la niña y del niño. A través del juego, que es básicamente un proceso en sí para los párvulos y no sólo un medio, se abren permanentemente posibilidades para la imaginación, lo gozoso, la creatividad y la libertad.” (MINEDUC, 2001)

Therefore ….

• Playful activities must be considered as one of the members in planning the didactic.

Some games samples:

• Memory games• Lottery games• Hidden pictures• Magic bag• Magic box• Twister• Hide and seek• Who stole the cookie?

• Simon says• Puppets• Picture dominoes• Find the difference• Spin off• Songs or dramatized

poems• More??????