KRISTY INUS
801101-12-5404

Literature Review


The game ‘Weather Forecast for Today’ is a game adapted from a book of language games. It is a game where the students learned to use expressions related to weather features using illustrations and related materials (real authentic things).

This game was selected to teach these new vocabularies because of the ability to relate the learning to the real life situation. The rationale behind it is to reinforce vocabulary items by providing common associations for each item, and to practice and identify vocabulary items associated with the different weather features (McCallum, 1980). This game is also selected for intermediate level students of Standard Five, since the students here in our own country would find this game challenging enough. It is also because of the status of English as a Second Language may not be fully achieved yet due to the majority of students’ low language proficiency. Thus, even though this game may be considered simple to schools in western countries, it proved to have a certain degree of difficulty when it was implemented in our place.

As it was known, language games are significant because they can highly motivate the students to learn the language. In this case, this game helps to gain the students’ interest, where they are able to interact with each other and use most of their senses. Students, as quoted by McCallum (1980), in the informal atmosphere of game play are less self-conscious and therefore more apt to experiment and freely participate in using the foreign language. The level of edutainment in this game is high, so as the logic was stated above, students’ are more motivated to learn the language.

This game also helps to enhance language learning of the students’ since it includes ‘real life’ situations and materials. Wright, Betteridge, and Buckby (1984) agreed that this point is generally true: the teacher and the class must be convinced that the language used in this type of activity is relevant to ‘real life’ situations, i.e. situations out of school where English is used. Thus, this should add a bonus point to this game, since English is not about knowing, but about using it.

Lastly, this game is also significant in terms of the indirect focus on the interrelationship of language and situation, where in Chomsky’s terms, we put these elements of our linguistic ‘competence’ into ‘performance’, in real situations (Shepherd, 1993). By using different types of weather features, the students can see the appropriateness of certain materials to the situations. This would help them in their usage of the language correctly and reasonably.


References:

·McCallum, G. P. 1980. 101 Word Game. New York: Oxford University Press.
·Shepherd, V. 1993. Playing the Language Game. Buckingham: Open University Press.
·Wright, A., Betteridge, D. and Buckby, M. 1984. Games for Language Learning: New Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.




LESSON PLAN
Subject: English

Primary: 5 Bijak (Intermediate) Attendance: 40
Date: 6/12/2001 Time: 3.00- 3.40 pm
Topic: Weather Forecast for Today Venue: 5 Bijak

OBJECTIVE:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
1) state the correct ‘weather’ expressions using the drawings in manila cards and related things.

TEACHING AIDS:
1) Poster containing picture of weather features (Set Induction)
2) Manila cards containing drawings related to weather features
3) Crayons
4) Colour pencils
5) Magic pens
6) Marker
7) Props including umbrellas, hats, and sweaters
8) Students’ handout containing rules of game

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
1) Students have learned to use the simple present of the verb ‘to be’, so the children should be able to use expressions related to weather features (e.g. ‘it’s rainy’).

DELIVERY:
Content 1) Weather features:It’s rainy. Take your umbrella.It’s cloudy. Close your umbrella.It’s windy. Wear your scarf.It’s sunny. Put on your hat and sunglasses.It’s snowy. Put on your sweater.

Comprehension/Skills : Vocabulary/ Grammar

Teacher – Student Activities
Set Induction1) Teacher shows a poster containing drawings of different weather.
2) Teacher asks the students to guess what they will learn on today’s lesson.
3) Teacher asks questions to the students regarding weather; do they like rainy/sunny day, have they ever seen snow before, etc. 4) Teacher introduces the topic for today.

Activity 1
1) Teacher introduces words relating to weather and their description. Teacher uses the manila cards with drawings to show the difference and obtain their understanding.
2) Teacher gives examples of how to use the words in sentences.

Activity 2 (Language Game)
1) Teacher tells the class that they will play a game and divides the class into two groups.
2) For each group, teacher distributes empty manila cards and asks the students to make their own drawings following the models shown earlier. Teacher gives them 5 minutes.
3) Teacher gives out the handouts to the students and explains the rules for the game.
4) Teacher distributes the props to each group and tells them to get one material for each person (either the manila card or the props).
5) Teacher orientates the game by first showing them how to play.
6) In the game, the first group will call out a weather feature and show the correct manila card to the other group. The other group will have to show the right prop for the weather. Then the next group changes its role with the first group. The game will go on for 5 rounds. The teacher will facilitate the game and keep marks
.7) The teacher counts the marks and announces which group is the winner. Teaching Aid:PosterTime: 3 minutes.Teaching aid:Manila CardsTime: 5 minutes.Teaching Aids:Manila cardsHandoutsPropsCrayonsColour pencilsMagic pensMarkersTime: 30 minutes.

CLOSING:
Teacher asks them to hang their drawings on the wall and write the weather expressions on the board, before telling them to copy the expression on the drawings.

HOMEWORK:
Make a sentence for each of the weather expressions. Hand in the assignment tomorrow.

TEACHER’S NOTES:


(Students’ Handout)

Rules of the Game


1) Divide the class into two groups.
2) Teacher will distribute matching props to both groups; umbrellas, hats, sweaters, etc.
3) Everyone in both groups must have one item in hand, either the manila card you have drawn earlier, or the props given by the teacher.
4) The game starts with the first group discussing what weather feature to select. They will call out one weather feature to the other group, and at the same time hold up the correct manila card. The other group will have to show the right prop for the weather.
5) The first group changes its role with the second group. The game will go on for 5 rounds.
6) One mark is given for each correct answer. The group with the most marks will be the winner.