“Weather Forecast for Today”, the game implemented by my partner and I for the Game Plan Exhibition. The game was based on KBSR syllabus specification. The topic chosen is about the ‘weather” expressions whereby students have to give correct expression based on the instruction given from other group. I believe this game is appropriate with the low proficiency level of students because it will be a good start for beginners to love the language.



The children’s understanding of what language is derived from his owns experience of language in situations of use….. [his models therefore included] the instrumental, the regulatory, the interactional, the personal, the heuristic, the imaginative and the representatational. Each of these is his interpretation of the function of language which he is familiar.
(Haliday 1973 : 17)

As for that reason, my partner and I chose this game as one of the game that should be exposed to students especially when we have to deal with low proficiency students. This game will help them in applying their experiences into the class. As Flower (1966) claimed that “we learn to skate on the ice and to swim in the water, not in the classroom. Similarly we learn to speak and write our mother tongue in the full context of our daily usage and experience.” There is no reason why the linguistic environment, unlike the ice rink or the swimming pool, cannot be brought into the classroom in order to encourage further development in language skills.

According to Gardner (1993), the learning or teaching process should focus on the particular intelligences of the person. Whereby as we all know, each person has several intelligences, so as a teacher, we should make a full use of the students’ intelligence. But to fulfill all the seven requirements in a game may cause a difficulty to teacher. As for that, in my game I only focus on linguistic and spatial intelligence.

There are many valid reasons why we chose games as one of the main objective in fulfilling our target as an English teacher to introduce and make English more interesting. Students in other hand, need something that is totally enjoying and meaningful for them. As for that reason, games are automatically stimulating students’ interest, with a proper introduction that will motivate the students. As George (1980) claimed that games contribute to an atmosphere of healthy competition, providing an outlet for the creative use of natural language in a non-stressful situation.

We introduce words relating to weather and their description and also we use the manila cards with drawings to show the difference and obtain their understanding. We also give examples of how to use the words in sentences, so that the students have a clear vision and understand what we are teaching. As what we add in our objective in the lesson plan, the objective of the game is to state the correct ‘weather’ expressions using the drawings in manila cards and related things. As what McCallum (1980) claimed that “language games can be done to focus students attention on specific structures, grammatical patterns, and vocabulary items.”

After a brief explanation by the teacher, the students are divided into two groups. The reason for dividing the students into two groups is that to train the students to work as a team and also by giving idea and discussing to each other which will help them in achieving the goal. This is confirmed by Hamilton (1980), who says “ Collaborative learning, which is basically groupwork, boosts understanding.” We believe splitting the students into two groups is a great idea because the students are totally eager to play and also develop competitive spirit in order to get more points than other groups.

Manila card, crayons, colour pencils, magic pens etc, are being use in this game to create props for the game. This actually gives the opportunity to those students who are great in drawing but lack of confidence when answering question to participate in learning the language.


In this game, the students are required to have one material (either the manila card or props) for each person. Gaudart (1999) indicated that the teacher’s role is as a monitor of the students’ progress and problems. Gaudart (1999) also claimed that ‘introduction as a vital part in playing language games’. As for that reason, we orientate the game by first showing them how to play the game and also provided handouts for the students. Thus, this will help them in understanding clearly the rules of the games.

After a brief explanation about the literature review of the game, I must say that learning through games is a good way in helping the students to love English. Games will not bore the students, furthermore games help students especially weak students to enjoy the lesson, learn new vocabulary and also gain knowledge.

REFERENCES

1. Gardner, H (1993a). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. NY: Basic Books.
2. Gaudart, H (1999) Games as a Teaching Tools for Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages.
3. Hamillton, S.J (9980) Collaborative Learning. 2nd Edition. IUIPUI Center for Teaching and Learning.
4. McCallum, G. P. 1980. 101 Word Game. New York: Oxford University Press.
5. Shepherd, V. 1993. Playing the Language Game. Buckingham: Open University Press.
6. 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.