{"id":3723,"date":"2013-12-06T02:55:45","date_gmt":"2013-12-06T02:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/?p=3723"},"modified":"2013-12-06T02:55:48","modified_gmt":"2013-12-06T02:55:48","slug":"the-games-issue-vicky-loras","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/2013\/12\/06\/the-games-issue-vicky-loras\/","title":{"rendered":"The Games Issue – Vicky Loras"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s Play! – Vicky Loras<\/h2>\n

\"Vicky
\nThere has been a lot of research into the positive effects of play on learning and children\u2019s lives in general. We can also see it for ourselves! Some adults also enjoy some types of games \u2013 with adults we need to have their consent as we do not want to have them feel uncomfortable in any way. The games I will suggest can be adapted and suited both to young children and adults as well.<\/p>\n

One of our favourites is You are the Teacher<\/b>. It can be played in many ways. It can be anything that kids can handle and they need to step into the teachers\u2019 shoes for this one. For instance, I take flashcards and give them to a child, and then to another, then another in turn, until everyone has been the teacher. You can either spread them on the floor and the child points to one, and the other kids answer what is depicted on the flashcard. What can be seen is that the child-teacher loves the responsibility and they also expand, not only yes\/no<\/i> answers, but they love to explain as well (Yes, that is the right one, because a tall bird is called an ostrich \/ No, that is not a blue egg, it is a brown one but that is okay, you can try again<\/i>). What I have also seen is how much kids encourage one another \u2013 there may be the occasional giggle or so, but most of the times they take it very seriously and do a great job.<\/p>\n

What can also be fun in You are the Teacher<\/b> is that sometimes kids want the actual teacher to take part in the game (as with other games as well). In this case, most of the times I make sure I \u201cmake\u201d a mistake. The kids have tons of fun \u201ccorrecting\u201d me and explaining to me, and sometimes even making recommendations that I study more at home!<\/p>\n

Another one we like is The Long Word:<\/b> this game was one of my favourites when I was little. I was taught this game by my cousin\u2019s wife, who worked for the Board of Education in Canada.<\/p>\n

The idea behind the game is this: you choose a big word and the students create new words using the letters from that specific one. Some words that can be used are encyclopedia<\/i>, establishment<\/i>, metamorphosis <\/i>\u2026 anything with a lot of letters in it!<\/p>\n

The best moment is when the students are the ones choosing the words. They come up with the greatest ideas! The teacher then gives them three minutes to find as many words as possible \u2013 the winner is the person with the most words \u2013 however, there is a necessary pre-requisite: they have to be words that really exist! Of course, it is up to the teacher to make it harder: for instance no names, no plurals, only verbs in infinitive form so it can turn a bit into a grammar mini-lesson as well.<\/p>\n

The winner then reads the words s\/he has found and everyone looks at their own, crossing out the ones they have too. If they have different ones that have not been mentioned, they read them out too.<\/p>\n

This activity helps them to:<\/b><\/p>\n