1.0) Introduction

1.1) What is language game?

A language game is come from two words that are language and games. Referring to Oxford Dictionary, Language is the system of sounds and words used by humans to express their thoughts and feelings. However, game is a form of competitive play or sport with rules. Therefore, language game is one of the competitive play in order to learn a language.

2.0) The rules of the game

Teacher will divides students into two teams and arranges them to sit facing each other. Both groups have to toss the coin first to take a turn. The group who gets the turn will throw the bag. At the same time, music will be played when the games starts. Once music stop, students will stop throw the bag. A student who holds the bag must take the bag and run to the Checkpoint at the front and center of the class. At the same time, the other group starts counting 10 seconds. After that, a student will take out a piece of paper from the bag and categorized the word whether it is countable or uncountable noun. The correct answer will get 10 marks. Then, a student wills run to his/her group members. The same category will be listed by group member as many as they can. But the word should be start with the first alphabet ( e.g: Sugar; start with s from a piece of paper that the one categorized). 2 marks will be given for each and every word- considered as bonus mark. However, the words that cannot be categorized by the player will be opened to another group. The other group member will categorize it and they will get 5 marks but there is no word-list for bonus mark. Students who have already got a bag should not receive it twice unless after all students in the group get the bag. The winner is considered from the highest mark.







3.0) How did the language game implemented for game 1 might have enhanced language learning of your students?

3.1) Promote Collaborative learning.

The game that my friend and I implemented in class last time basically involved all students in class. Students are divided into 2 teams and they tend to work each other. The part that we can see students work together is when students have to list as many as they can a word that once categorized. (Example; Sugar-Uncountable nouns). They have to list with the same category and the word that they listed must be start with S. Students need to think the word as fast as possible. (While opposite group will count till 10). So, they need to cooperate and participate to each other in order to be a winner. This condition actually promotes students especially for shy &unmotivated students to work together with other students. During that time, unmotivated students would not think about themselves, however, they think about how to contribute mark to their group members or team.


3.2) Involve Active Physical Response

Active physical response was engaged in this game. This is because in this game, first, students are required to throw the bag to the opposite while the music opening. Moreover, once receive the bag (see the rules of the game) has to run to the checkpoint, open as fast as possible, and answer immediately. These involve active physical movement where it is one of thing that can reduce student’s unmotivated feeling. Besides that, students can easy remember when they play active roles. According to Richard and Rodgers, 1986, combined tracing activities, such as verbal rehearsal accompanied by motor activity, increase the probability of successful recall. The sentence can be concluded as:

VERBAL REHEARSAL + MOTOR ACTIVITY = SUCCESSFUL RECALL.





3.3) Reduce students’ Affective filter.

The lesson that we presented was considered as one type of language games. Whenever one talk about games, there is nothing to worried. When games apply in classroom, students will become motivated and relaxed. It happened because students’ affective filter goes down. According to Lightbown &Spada, 1993, Krashen theory tells that ‘Affects’ refers to such things as motivates, needs, attitudes, and emotional state. The filter will be ‘up’ or operating when the learners are stressed, self conscious, or unmotivated. However, it will be ‘down’ when the learners are relaxed and motivated. By learning a language using this game, students would be able to reduce their unmotivated feeling especially for students who are shy and have low confidence. By having game in this class, all students would feel comfortable and motivated or in Krashen;s terms called ‘lowered affective filter’. (insert music element)

3.4) Learn grammar implicitly.

In this game, it required students learn grammar implicitly rather than learn grammar explicitly. Students pick up the knowledge in unconscious way. In another term, students learn grammar in context without they knowing it. (Krashen, 1993). Learn grammar in explicit way will bring students to bore. They felt uncomfortable and unmotivated because the rule is somehow hard thing to follow. By having this game, students feel more comfortable and enjoyable. They do not even consent the grammar rules. It just a game and they deal fun from it.

3.5) Test students’ vocabularies and promote reading.

Vocabulary is an important thing for students in order to built a sentence. In this game students have to list out as many as thet can vocabularies in the same category and start with the same alphabet. Students need to have a lot of vocabularies in mind so that it will be easy for them to pick up the game. Thus, automatically, promote students read a lot in order to enrich words in their mind.


3.6) Promote fast thinking

This game basically promotes fast thinking. As I mentioned before, in one part of this game, students have to list out as many as they can, word that once categorized immediately-while the opposite group count till 10. Students have to think as fast as possible and required them to think spontaneously. They need to pick up the meaning of the word instead of think whether it is countable or uncountable noun. For example; while they-in group/team lists out the word sugar, salt, sauce, salad,- they have to take into account either the word is countable or uncountable nouns.

3.7) Mark-Reinforce students

Commonly, human will be more aggressive when they have something as reward. In this case, students are reinforcing by mark, In order to win or get highest mark, students tend to play active roles. Each student has to participate to each other to compete with opposite group. Competition will make students become more confident and active in participation. This is because; students feel that they have a responsible in the game. Both mark and competition reinforce students in learning a language.

3.8) Students centered

This game promotes students’ centered where by it need totally or more focus on students’ commitment and students’ participation. Teacher plays a role as an instructor who gives an instruction to students and just makes some material preparation. Students have to play, the roles. This condition allows less-teacher centered in class. So, students learn more by their own self rather than spoon feed by the teacher.

3.9) Sustainable

Basically, this game is a sustainable game in terms of it can be used in other lesson topic. Example, this game needs students to categorized whether the word is countable or uncountable nouns. Once, it can be applied in present tense/past tense. Moreover, it also can be applied in order to categorized nouns/verb or even name of country. This game test students’ to vocabularies. To produce many words, student must be knowledgeable.

4.0) Conclusion

As a conclusion, this kind of game basically is easy to play and it is knowledgeable. Students can play by their own selves within their peers. Instructor just introduced the game and they can go back home and play it.