An Investigation on the Effects of Utilizing Games in Teaching English among High School Students
1.0 Introduction
Today, the academic world is witnessing the creation of new learning environments. One thing is clear: technology will continue to be a single most important determinant of delivering teaching and learning processes and activities. Technology, despite its benefits it can bring to the classroom, also disrupts the learning of the children especially during their early childhood. The underpinning is that although they are earlier exposed to how technology can aid them on their learning other aspects of learning and development are being sacrificed. These are the social and emotional development of children.
How English can be taught effectively is the question, and the advent of information and communication technology is seriously being considered. The process of teaching the subject is guided by statutory framework called curriculum. Such curriculum outlines the subjects to be addressed at all levels. Within these subjects are carefully planned scheme of work for each academic year that ensures continuity within and across levels.
Further broke down into units, this will contain series of lessons that are usually topic-based. For each lesson, the teacher develops own individual lesson plans containing key objectives of learning outcomes to meet the criteria outlined by the corresponding unit. The very premise is that in accomplishing predetermined objectives there must be selection of tools, methods or systems that the teachers must incorporate for the purpose of optimizing the learning process.
There was an ongoing advocacy to teach English contextually instead of simple conceptualization. Currently, advocates develop a more effective English teaching schemas that centers on the use of manipulative, concrete and abstract methods while there are also virtual-simulation-based methods in the form of games. The latter is said to be the most significant development on teaching English to date.
This paper proposes to investigate the effectiveness of these simulation games as teaching materials in teaching English. The rationale behind this is to understand how the English literacy and competency are achieved through the utilization of such. This research could be significant for many teachers who are finding hard to make their students acquire deeper understating of the subject using traditional teaching tools and methods.
2.0 Problem Statement
The main purpose of this research is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the status of English education with respect to the use of simulation games as teaching materials and how this could effectively contribute to the English literacy of the students. To achieve this aim, the research will attempt to answer the following questions:
1. What are the current simulation games as teaching materials that are in used in teaching English?
2. How do the effectiveness of these materials is measured? What are the indicators that these materials are effective enough to aid the process of student learning?
3. What are the benefits and downsides of using these materials? How these materials could contribute to deeper learning of the students?
4. Are the learning objectives achieved through the use of simulation games as teaching materials?
5. How do students and teachers view the use of these simulation games as teaching materials?
3.0 Methodology
My study will be an action research as it is classroom-based writing research. Action research focuses on community of practice for the purpose of improving ways of addressing issues and solving problems. Action research also aims at improving strategies, practices and knowledge of the environment where practice is taking place. In here, I, as the researcher am already a part of the environment. I will collaborate with English teachers and high school students to employ simulation games while teaching inside the classrooms.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment