GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM: MORE THAN JUST HAVING FUN

GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM: MORE THAN JUST HAVING FUN
By Raul Mora and Maria Lopera

Usually when teachers bring games into their lessons, it is just a way to be dynamic or to spend time because they have not prepared the lesson. However in the article “Games in the Classroom: More Than Just Having Fun”, Raul Mora and Maria Lopera shows how with this attitude teachers are letting aside the pedagogical relevance of games. In the present analysis I will discuss the main ideas of this article, relating them to my experience and reality as a pre-service teacher.
First of all, Raul Mora and Maria Lopera start by saying that games can cause lots of fun in the classroom as to students as to teachers, so developed in a proper way they are useful tools for teaching, since through them students can interact with the language and the culture, as well as among themselves. Equally, games give opportunities for students to acquire learning strategies, practical to their improvement. In this point I agree; I have notice how little children and adolescents enjoy better a class in which games are carried out, they pay more attention and participate actively.
However, it is really significant to relate in any way the games brought to the classroom with pedagogy, on the contrary they will not be so helpful and time spend on them will be lost. To do that, games must be integrated in the syllabus and the lesson plans of courses, so teachers will be sure they are being valuable. This aspect makes me know how careful I should be when selecting the appropriate games for my lessons.
Now the, Raul Mora and Maria Lopera also mentions the biggest benefits of applying games in the classes, they increase students self-confidence, promote critical thinking, minimize anxiety and enriched collaborative learning. Moreover, they can encourage competences and work out the diverse intelligences that exist in the class.
Finally, the article exposes how a pre-view, view and review lesson plan is the most proper one to carry out games in the class. In this way I have spread my understanding about games, their usefulness and correct form for me to apply them in my lessons.