HANIMARLIA HASSAN
800717-01-5062
4 SPL
AP 980064

LITERATURE REVIEW
Language games enhance learning in many different ways. How did the language game that you implemented for Game 1 activity might have enhanced language learning of your “students”?
Language games may enhance language learning in many different ways in order to make the content of English language more meaningful and sufficient to the students. Generally, language games give the educators the chance to boost creativity and inventiveness in teaching the target language through selected ideas and the appropriateness of the content among their students. According to McCallum, language games can function as reinforcement, review and enrichment. They can also be used in any language teaching situation and with any skill whether listening, speaking, reading and writing. For some extends, these foundations give a certain view on what the language games are all about which to put the students as the center of the learning process. It means the activity is more focussing on students’ attention on specific structures, grammatical patterns and vocabulary items (McCallum). To top it up, students are needed to do activities prepared on their own where the teachers will make sure that they will aid and guide them all along as long as they can ensure the maximum of their participation in each activity.
Therefore, more or less, one may realize how difficult and easy it is to implement an activity that we can be sure could enhance the language learning of the students. I myself along with my friend did come up with an activity which we consider it as spelling activity using nouns on vehicles, buildings and occupations. It’s done in a quiz manner where the students are divided into three groups equally. Based on certain clues, students from different groups will take turn to answer the clues whether it’s vehicle, building or occupation. Then, they need to spell out the words by using the pieces of colored cardboard letters correctly.
According to Howard Gardner, the Multiple Intelligence consists of nine theories which are Visual/Spatial, Verbal/Linguistic, Mathematical/Logical, Bodily/Kinesthethic, Musical/Rhythmic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Naturalist and Exsentialist. I would like to take Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence and Visual/Spatial Intelligence as the foundations of this game. Linguistic Intelligence promotes the children to demonstrate strength in the language arts that are listening, speaking, reading and writing. These students are said to have always been successful in traditional classrooms because their intelligence lends itself to traditional teaching. While latter which is Visual Intelligence allows the children to learn best visually and organizing things. They like to see what you are talking about in order to understand. The children enjoy charts, maps, graphs, tables, illustrations, art, puzzles, costumes or anything that is eye catching.
Based on Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence, students are needed to listen attentively to the clues read by the teacher. Through the given clues, students will go through with the thinking process where they need to discuss with each other using all the input of language points. Through speaking skill, the students will produce the output by giving the correct answers. Then, the students will be asked to spell out the word at the front so every student can see. What the student needs to do is to use the coloured cardboard letters and organize them into a correct word.
Therefore, the mentioned game may be practised as one of the class activities if the teacher wants to promote language arts and students’ visualization. This may allow the idea of enhancing the language learning among the students. As what has been mentioned before, language game is implemented to ensure maximum students’ participation besides offering an enjoyable informal learning atmosphere. It also provides an outlet for creative use of natural language in a non-stressful situation. To certain extends, we need to comprehend that language games give way on a whole new idea of teaching in advance instead of teacher-centered, conventional (chalk and talk) atmosphere.


Posted by: Hanimarlia bt. Hassan (Username: mikewazowsky) using Sharifah’s file (Username:howsh)