Friday 12 September 2014

Language Games

Language games

Introduction

Why use language games in ESL / EFL classrooms?

Games are fun and children like to play them. That in itself is a strong argument for incorporating them in the language classroom. Playing games is a natural part of growing up and learning. Through games children, experiment, discover and interact with their environment. Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language.

What is a language game?

What differentiates language games from other activities in the ESL / EFL classrooms, is the presence of a visible set of rules which guide the children’s actions. Children can also employ their language skills strategically in co-operative games where a group works together to achieve certain goals. Language games are a healthy challenge to a child’s analytical thought .The rules of the game set clear limits within which the children’s natural decision making processes must function. The key to a successful language game is that these rules are clear and the ultimate goal is well defined .

Integrating games into the syllabus

Games can make your lesson planning easier .Once you have played the games a few times and feel comfortable with them ,you will be able to insert them into your program with very little preparation , especially if you have made materials which can be used more than once . games can serve as a valuable backup if you go through your material too quickly or if something unexpected happens, for example, your colleague is ill and you need to cover her class as well as yours they can help you control the rhythm of your lesson and get a group of unmotivated children up and moving around, participating in your class, and being more receptive to the rest of the lesson.  
How you use a language game will depend on the personality of the group of children. Do the children have a long attention span? Are they very active? What is the boy /girl ratio? Also consider external factors such as the time of day the English lesson is held and what happens before and after it ?
‘ROUSERS’ wake a class up, typical rousers are movement games and games where there is an element ‘ of competition .Guessing games also tend to get the children excited. ‘SETTLERS ‘on the other hand calm a class down. Typical settlers are craft activities and listening games. 
Before choosing a game the teacher must also consider safety. Is the space big enough for a lively movement game? Can the children fall and injure themselves? Is the floor dirty? And not fit for sitting on? 
For the success of any language game the teacher has to think ahead and prepare well all the materials required .She must also be well aware of the rules of the game. The teacher must also consider the principle of Variety and try to play different games from lesson to lesson. Children will always ask for their old favorites, but don’t give in, for can have too much even of as good thing.
Examples of Games;

Simon says (Action verbs + Parts of the body)
Game type: Movement Game, ‘ROUSER”
Aims: Language: Names : basic introduction and and greetings
Students should only obey the commands if you preface each one with Simon says. If you omit the preface Simon says any student who obeys the command can no longer participate in the game. The last student to remain in the game is the winner.

Simon says: "hands up", "hands down", "thumbs up", "thumbs down", "fingers up", "fingers down".
Simon says: "touch your eyes / ears / nose / mouth with the forefinger / middle finger / ring finger / little finger / of your (right)(left) hand.
Simon says: "put your right hand / left hand / both hands on your right / left knee."
Simon says: "shut / open your eyes", "stand up / sit down", "stand on your right / left leg".
Simon says: "bend your knees / body", "straighten your knees / body".
Simon says: "fold your arms", "put your arms by your side".
Simon says: "wave your right hand", "STOP", "jump up and down", "STOP".
Simon says: "point at the ceiling / floor with the forefinger/ middle finger / ring finger / little finger / of your right / left hand.




To view this language game ,follow the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpE7Wi-F0ZA


Game type ‘SETTLER’: is shown in the above video clipping


Conclusion: Thus a language game should be fun, but the language element should always be kept at the forefront of the planning. The teacher must keep the focus on clearly recognizable objectives ,rather than moving from theme to theme in an attempt to introduce popular games. The teacher must also ensure that the activity is concluded when the fun is at it’s peak. It is truly important not to play a game for tool long, Children will begin to loose interest and wander off. Chaos may ensue. Games can provide the stimulus to language learning.The  game context makes makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children and makes the reasons for speaking plausible even to reluctant children.

Reference:
Games for children: Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson
www. onestopenglish.com/teenagers/skills/game
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language.assisstant/games



Thursday 11 September 2014

NCERT

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an apex organization set up by the Government of India, with headquarters located at Sri Aurbindo Marg in New Delhi to assist and advise the central and state governments on academic matters related to school education. It was established in 1961.
Objectives
National Council for Indian Education (NCIE) and National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) are two different concerns. Among the top priorities of NCERT are:
1.   Implementation of National Curriculum Framework
2.   Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE)
4.   Education of groups with special needs
5.   Early childhood education
6.   Evaluation and examination to reform IT education
7.   Competitive Value education
8.   Education of girl child
9.   Production of teaching-learning experience
10. Improvement in teacher education
11. Improvement of thought of student
Functions
The main functions of the NCERT are:
1. To assist the ministry of human resource Development in the formation and implementation of its policies and programmes in the field of education.
2. To undertake necessary research, innovations, experiments, pilot-projects, advanced training and extension services.
3. To maintain liason between Central and state Education departments.

Constituents
There are a number of constituents of the NCERT through which it provides academic and technical support for the improvement of school education. They are :
 Regional Institute of Education (RIE) at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhuvaneshwar and Mysore
Pandit Sundrelal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Educational technology (PSSCIVE)
Central institute of educational Technology (CIET)
Field advisor’s offices in the state
Activities
The important activities of the NCERT are in the following areas:
1.     RESEARCH:
The NCERT conducts in house research and also supports research programmes of other institutions /organizations by providing financial assistance and academic guidance.
    2.     TRAINING:
The NCERT also undertakes activities to for the pre-service and in-service training of teachers at various levels(pr-primary, elementary, secondary and Higher  secondary)and also in such areas as vocational education, educational technology, guidance and counseling and special education.
   3 .      EXTENSION:
The NCERT has comprehensive extension programmes in which various Departments of the NIE, RIE’s, CIET, PSSCIVE and the offices and the offices of the field advisers in the state are engaged in various ways .It works in close collaboration with various agencies and institutions in the state , and also works extensively in association with Extension service Departments and centres in teacher training colleges and schools with the purpose of providing assistance to teachers, teacher educators ,educational administrators, question paper setters ,text-book writers, etc .Conferences, seminars, workshops and competitions are organized  on a regular basis as part of the extension services.
4.        DEVELOPMENT:
Developmental activities in school education constitute an important function  of the NCERT. The major developmental activities include development and renewal of the curricula and instructional materials for various levels of school education and steps for making them relevant to changing of children and society at the same time.
5.       PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION:
The NCERT publishes textbooks for school subjects from Classes I to XII. NCERT publishes books that are used in government and private schools across India that follow the CBSE curriculum.it also brings out workbooks ,teachers guides,supplementary readers,research reports,etc

For dissemination of educational information the NCERT publishes six journals ;

THE PRIMARY TEACHER:is published both in English and Hindi and aims at giving meaningful and relevant educational inputs to primary school teachers.

The school Science :
Serves as an open forum for discussion of various aspects of science education.
     Journal of Indian education : provides a forum for encouraging original and critical thinking on education through discussion on current educational issues 
Indian educational review- contains research articles and provides a forum for researches in education.
Bharatiya adhunik shiksha –published in hindi
it provides a forum for encouraging critical thinking on contemporary issues in education .besides these a house journal called NCERT news letter is also published in English and Hindi.


6. EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES
The NCERT interacts with international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, NFPA and the World Bank, to study specific educational problems and to arrange training programmes for personnel from developing countries. The NCERT also acts a s a major agency for implementing the Bilateral cultural exchange programmes entered into by the government of india.with the government of other countries in the fields of school education and teacher education.

Thus the NCERT is an important apex body that helps to plan , implement , monitor ,supervise control and evaluate the various educational programmes at the National level It acts as the Secretariat of the National Development Group (NDG) for Educational Innovations.




Monday 8 September 2014

Competency test in English- SET

INTRODUCTION

What is the SET?

The Safety English Test (SET) is an online English Language competency test designed specifically for the global energy industry.


SET is the result of two of the industry’s leading training providers joining forces to promote English competence and safe working practices throughout the energy industry.


SET benchmarks an employee’s level of English language skills within the specific context of safety in the energy industry. 

Language Solutions International Ltd provides specialised English Language Training to oil, gas and petrochemical companies.
Atlas Interactive supplies e-learning in technical and safety training to the energy sector.

SET is the only English language test designed specifically for the energy industry, and endorsed by industry bodies.
Companies which use SET to verify minimum English language standards
will be:
Ensuring safety training delivered in English is understood
Reducing the risk of misunderstandings in critical situations
Enabling active participation in a positive safety culture
Identifying skills gaps
Formalising minimum competency levels
Improving compliance with industry safety guidelines
Setting clear benchmarks for recruitment, both internal and external
Incentivising staff by providing industry-recognised qualifications
Promoting best practice

Key features

Developed specifically for international energy companies
Content focused on authentic language and situations
Integrated voice-recording technology
Randomised question selection from an internal test item bank
Benchmarked to international English language testing standards
Active skills of speaking and writing marked by experienced examiners, not by machines

The link can be used to watch the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvj1TECjOsg

An innovative teaching Manuel on Macbeth

The teacher reads aloud from
There was once in Scotland a king , whose name was Duncan . He was fair a minded, kind hearted man.........................The witches now turned to Banquo. They told him that some day his descendants would rule over the country as kings.
Teacher uses a video to show Macbeth's encounter with the witches
To view use the link(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZjDqPCJOaI)
Silent reading 
The students are then asked to do the silent reading , the teacher also reminds them to do the track reading and to also refer the glossary if necessary.

Mega Phoning
The teacher then megaphones the doubts to the entire class and clears them with the help of the glossary and pictures on the laptop.


Word Study 
Chieftain:Leader of a clan



Rebel: to oppose authority

Example : The Indians rebelled against the whites








Startled : Shocked



Descendants: sons / successors
Example: Akbar and his son Jahangir were the descendants of Babur


Babur 

Akbar 

Jehangir

Witch:A woman who is thought to have magic powers



Prophecy: To tell in advance 



Global comprehension questions:
  • Who was Duncan ?
  • Whom did Macbeth and Banquo meet on the way back home?



Detailed study:

  • Why did the king send Macbeth and Banquo to crush the rebellion?
  • Were they successful?
  • What was the prophecy of the second witch ?
  • What was the prophecy of the third witch ?
  • Do you think Macbeth believed in the prophecy of the third witch? 
  • What did the witches tell Banquo?





Sunday 7 September 2014

A power point presentationon - 'The Princess on the road'

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION 
THE PRINCESS ON THE ROAD   
S                                                                            Slide :1


      Kathleen Conyngham Greene (1885-1924)       
 The author is a British Playwright, 

she has written five plays.

                                                                       Slide : 2                                                                                                                                                












  Slide:3

"The Princess on the road" is a one act play.
Slide:4
The Princess 
tired of the banquets, 

Slide:5
desired adventure 

Slide:6
       So she disguises herself as a peasant girl.
Slide:7
        Twelve miles from home, she reaches a village.
      Slide:8      
 The peasants in the village are out harvesting in the fields.
Slide:9
  The princess finds a peasant boy.
Slide:10
         She asks for a cup of milk, he points towards a cottage.

Slide:11
Slide:12

 The princess thinks it is a great adventure to fetch the milk from the cottage by herself.

                    Slide:13
Slide:14

   The boy refuses the bread the princess offers; he says it is the Sunday Loaf.


Slide:15
       After eating some bread, the princess crumbles the rest and gives it to the ducks.