游戏在小学英语教学中的应用研究(2)
Game teaching plays an important role in English teaching in primary schools. It can lead to the competition, fun, and attract the students’ attention. What’s more, game teaching can improve the quality of English teaching in primary schools. Game teaching was listed in New English Curriculum Standard. It shows its merits in arousing pupils’ interest in learning English and improving learning efficiency.
This study is an empirical research based on the research at home and abroad. And it focuses on investigating the application of game in English teaching in Zhoukou Little Star English School. Analyzing the data collection, a conclusion on the application of game in English teaching in primary schools was drawn after the data collection was analyzed. It provides experience and basis for the future English game teaching in primary schools.
Ⅱ. Theoretical Framework
2.1 Definition of Game Teaching
Game in language teaching is defined as an organized activity that usually has the following properties: (Richard Jack C, Platt John, Platt Heidi, 1992) a particular task or objective; a set of rules; competition between players; communication between players by spoken or written language.
English game teaching is an important instructional method which is used in teaching English for purpose of stimulating students’ learning interest and improving teaching effect. Ding Zhicheng (2005) pointed that game teaching transforms monotonous language phenomena into interesting games，creates harmonious and vivid communicative context. Game teaching is a kind of instructional activities. The activity integrates games into teaching for instructional aims. English game teaching aims at creating suitable context for students to learn and practice English with the application of interesting games and team work (Zhang Haiyan, 2007). The teachers create real instructional situation according to concrete instructional goals and content as well as game rules．Moreover, the teachers can also use interesting activities to organize students language learning and English practice in lively and happy mood.
2.2 The Research of Game Teaching Abroad
Game teaching begins early in abroad. Plato focused on the role of game for children’s education. He thought game should not only be played, but combined with ethical education. In the 17th century, John Locke stressed teachers need to create a joyful atmosphere to attract students’ attention in teaching process and teachers should instruct students through using games. In the 18th century, the French philosopher Rousseau declared children should express their energies freely to develop their personal talents. Games could supply a good learning atmosphere.
Before Froebel, researches on game teaching were not systematic due to the limitation of society and education. It was mainly used in kindergarten and seldom in primary school. In 1837, Foebel probed into game teaching in a systematical way and advocated the integration of game and teaching. His theory was firstly based on scientific knowledge of children’s psychological and physiological development (He Feiying, 2008:9) and explained the intrinsic mechanism of game in stimulating the development of children. From Froebel, the researches on game teaching have a new development.