How to Use Games in English Teaching游戏在英语教学中的运用

How to Use Games in English TeachingAs English becomes more and more accepted as an international language,interest in the English teaching to younger learners has been steadily growing in recent years. Accompanied with the carrying out of the new English Curriculum Standard by the Ministry of Education of Chinese government, there are a lot of new problems arising from the field of English teaching in the primary schools. This thesis holds the hypothesis that game-teaching approach should be adopted in children’s English teaching, and also probes into the reliability and pros and cons of using games in the teaching process.Games are a different kind of play activity. They are highly structured and include specific rules to be followed (Spodek Bernard and Saracho Olivia, 1994, p.132). Specially, teaching game is one of the kinds of the games. Byrne (1995) gave the definition to games as a form of play governed by rules. He suggested:“Games should be enjoyed and fun. They are not just a diversion, a break from routine activities, but a way of getting the learner to use the language in the course of the game.”(Byrne, 1995, p. 32).From the above, we can safely drawn a conclusion that “game” in language teaching (teaching game) can be defined as an organized activity that usually has the following properties: A. a particular task or objective; B. a set of rules; C. competition between players; D. communication between players by spoken or written language.There is a widely-held lay belief that younger second language learners generally do better than older learners. Children exercise a good deal of both cognitive and affective effort in order to internalize both native and second languages. Moreover, one of most essential thing that teachers teaching children’s English should make all means to motivate their spirit and sustain their interest in learning English. Therefore, most of those teachers chose the method by using games in the teaching process,because games using is closely related to characteristics of children for their age and their features of psychology. However, just as we know, language learning is no t easy work. In a word, games can help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and they play an important role in language teaching:It has been found that one appropriate strategy to encourage language acquisition is using language games. Children have a greater need to be motivated by the teacher or the material, and they are easier to be motivated.Many scholars agree that games in the language classroom have been considered a better way to arouse the interest of children, John Dewey claimed games were integral to schooling since they provided active and position learning experience. Games are also listed in the language skills for the learning stage of primary school in the New English Curriculum Standard. When using games in the classroom, it is beneficial for teachers to have a complete understanding of the definitions of games: a form of play concerning rules, competition, and an element of fun. Teachers should also consider the advantages of games: the ability to capture students’ attention; lower students’ stress; and give students the chance for real communication. (Campell Linda, Campell Bruce and Dickson dee, 1999).For adults and children, difference between the age group in learning styles, abilities and motivation entail corresponding differences in selection of materials and methodology and in lesson plan. Children have a greater immediate need to be motivated by the teacher or the material in order to learn effectively. Teacher can raise children’s motivation and enthusiasm by se lecting interesting activities. They are always curious about the interesting things. Games are one excellent means to maintain the curiosity in the English course. When the teachers ask the children to play games, they are prepared to enjoy. All this mean that it is easy to maintain a high degree of motivation and to make the English class into an enjoyable and stimulating experience for the children.To successfully teach children English requires specific skills and intuitions that differ from those that a teacher would use for adult teaching. Brown (1994) suggestedfive categories help the teacher to give some practical approaches to teaching children as follows:The first one is intellectual development. Since children (up to the age of about eleven) ar e still in an intellectual stage of what Piaget called “concrete operations,” we should remember their limitations. Rules, explanations, and other even slightly abstract talk about language must be approached with extreme caution. Play (game) is a way of m anipulating the outside world so that it serves a vital function in the child’s developing intellect and remains.The second one is attention span. One of the most salient differences between adults and children is attention span. Children have short attention spans. The short attention spans come up only when the teachers present stuff that to them is boring, useless, or too difficult. Since language lessons can at times be difficult for children, the teachers should try to make them interesting, lively, and fun.The third one is sensory input. Children need to have all five sense stimulated. The activities should strive to go well beyond the visual and auditory modes that we usually feel are sufficient for a classroom. As it is mentioned above, games use both visual and aural channels to activate the language production.The fourth one is affective factors. Children are often innovative in language forms but still have a great many inhibitions. They are extremely sensitive, especially to peers: What do others think of me? What will so-and-so think when I speak in English? Children are in many ways much more fragile than adults. Their egos are still being shaped, and therefore the slightest nuances of communication can be negatively interpreted. Teachers need to help them to overcome such potential barriers to learning.And the last one is authentic, meaningful language. Children are focus on what the new language can actually be used for right here and now. They are less willing to put up with language that does not hold immediate rewards for them. The need for meaningfulness in language learning has been accepted for some years. If the children are amused, angered, challenged, intrigued or surprised, the content is clearly meaningful to them., therefore the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speakand write will be more vividly experienced and better remembered. Games in language can meet the needsfor “meaningfulness”.OrganizationGames in language teaching can be divided into different categories. There are five types of language teaching games, consisting role-play, musical activity, intelligence games, sports games and drama performing, which met the need to develop students’ multi-intelligence.In games for language learning, the authors (Wright Andrew, Betteridge David and Buchby Michael, 1984) grouped the games according to their general and spirit (different functions as: picture games, psychology games, word games, true or false games, memory games, question and answer games, story games, guessing and speculating games and miscellaneous, which is easy for the teachers to handle.) Games can be found to give practice in all the skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), in all the stages of the teaching/learning sequences (presentation, repetition, recombination and free use of language) and for many types of communication (e.g. encouraging, criticizing, agreeing, explaining). Several characteristic of teaching games must be considered: First, a game is a closed activity. Games must have a beginning and an end. It must be easy for the players, or the teacher, to know who is about to reach the aim. Second, a game needs less supervision from the teacher. This must be understood as linguistic supervision. Sometimes the game is conducted by the teacher who acts as judge, scorer and/or referee. Third, it is easier for students to keep going. Compared with pair or group work, a game has a lucid element that other interaction patterns do not have. This makes the activity more attractive.There are four types of games as cooperative games, competitive games, communication games and code-control games, which has been greatly adopted and will be stressed as following:The first one is Cooperative Games. In this type of game, the main action is centered in trying to reach the aim in cooperation. Players or teams work together towards the common goal (Jill Hadfield, 1984). This type of game is excellent toencourage the shy students, since it requires the participation of all the members of a team, group or pair. Some typical activities may include the completion of a drawing, putting things in order, grouping things, finding pairs or finding hidden things. Students are involved in the exchange of information to complete the task and in giving instructions. For example:Title: Cards on the TableAim: To memorize the correct spelling of words in an enjoyable way.Procedure: First, give the students one letter card each, and clear a space in the classroom and put a table in the middle. Then have the students stand in a circle round the table, 3 or 4 meters from it. Each student has one letter card each.Then the teacher calls out words he wants to revise, one at a time, and any student who holds a letter that is in that word must run forward and put the letter on the table.The last person who puts his letter down must spell the word and give its meaning. If unsuccessful, he/she is out of the game, and the teacher gives the correct answer. Students should take back a different letter from the table each time, i.e. they should swap with someone else.The second one is Competitive Games. In this kind of games, players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal. As the name indicates, in this type of game there is an overt competition between teams, or sometimes of an individual against the rest of the class (as in 20questions). The competition may also be of individuals against other individuals. The object of this type of game is finishing of reaching the end before the other competitors, making more points, surviving elimination, or avoiding penalties. The rules may require the players to produce correct language as part of the game and force students to draw conclusions more quickly. For example: Title: Slap itAim: To recognize words and listen for relevant informationPreparation: A set of 10-15 pictures of different kinds of food items for each team of 4 to 6 people.Procedure: Put the items on a desk and the students sit around the desk. The teacher describes the food item. When a student has an answer, she/he slaps the cardand says the word aloud. If the student is correct, he/she gets a team point. If the student is wrong, he/she is out of the game. Alternatively, in each group each student plays independently. If the student slaps the correct picture, he/she keeps the card as a point. The person or team with the most cards/points wins.The third one is Communication GamesThe main objective in this type of the games is getting the message over to the other players and reacting appropriately to their messages. For example when giving instructions, the player must be clear about rules, and the player following them must do exactly what he is required to. The tasks are usually practical, like following instructions, drawing, persuading other players, etc. this means that players will concentrate on the task rather than on the language, besides, students can see the results of their use of language at once, which will help to build students’ confidence.The thesis shows another illustration to this point at follow:Title: Have You Seen My SheepAim: to encourage careful description and listening about dressProcedure: A circle is formed with one player called IT outside the circle. He/She moves around the outside of the circle and taps someone on the shoulder asking, "Have you seen my sheep (or dog, cat, goat...)?" The Student responds: "Yes I have seen it." IT asks, "What's it wearing?" or "How is it dressed?" The student must describe someone in the circle e.g. green shirt, brown shoes, long hair. On recognizing that he/she is being described, the student must run round the outside of the circle away from IT. If caught before getting back to his/her place, he/she takes the place of IT.The fourth one is Code-control Games. This type of game requires that students produce correct language: structures, spelling, pronunciation, etc. the production of correct language will make the players of the team win points. For example: Title: Listen and ActAim: understand the meaning of some verbsProcedure: after learning some verbs, such as: run, walk, sit, stand, and swim, and so on, teacher say one word of them fast. Then have students stand in front of the blackboard and show the correct actions. Then continue.At the end of this part, one major problem must be mention about is that how can teachers adopt teaching games to sustain young learners’ interest in those teaching games. There lays a fact that those teaching games must changeable and variety. The teacher should find “new” games through different channels includi ng newspaper, radios and television programs. It is a wise precaution to collect and file games for use whenever you happen to come across them. Nowadays we also can surf the net get more information including the new games. The games we discussed above re fer to the games in classroom. After class we can encourage the children to use the games on the Internet if the condition permits. Thus, the language level is determined by the type of use, not just by the structures and vocabulary items.ConclusionThis thesis aims to examine the assumptions about game-teaching approach for children English teaching in the light of some literature and research, and also probes into the reliability and pros and cons of using games in the process. One useful strategy to encourage language acquisition is using language games which are defined as a form of play concerning rules, competition, and an element of fun. Games have the ability to capture students’ attention; lower students’ stress; give students the chance for real communication. All this mean that it is easy to maintain a high degree of motivation and to make the English class into an enjoyable and stimulating experience for the children. Games provide not only a learning experience but an enjoyable activity as well. Students, in the informal atmosphere of game playing, are less self-conscious and therefore more apt to experiment and freely participate in using the foreign language. Therefore, it may be challenging for teachers to try to add some games in class in order to develop students’ English proficiency of the target language.References中国基础教育司（2001年7 月）.国家英语课程标准（实验稿）.中国基础教育司工作组出版.Cesar Klauer.（2001）.Teaching with the brain in mind. Association for Supervision&Curriculum Development.Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century.New York, NY: Basic Books.Jill Hadfield, (1999). Elementary communication games .Oxford University Press. Spodek, Bernard; Saracho, Olivia (1994). Foundations of early childhood education.Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Hall Canada.Wright Andrew, Betteridge David and Buchby Michael. (2001).Reframes of mind: Thetheory of multipleintelligences. New York, NY: Basic Books./book_details/index2.php?isbn=0133267377&type= classification&mysearchterms=JDD... - 27k/nyutoday/archives/14/09/green.nyu - 7k/yingyu/xinwen3.htm - 23k。

AcknowledgementsThanks for giving me this chance to achieve this paper and to make the conclusion for my four years’ education. Through writing this paper, I have gained more knowledge than I supposed.My sincere thanks are due to my supervisor, __YuMen_ for helping me to clarify my thought and sharpen my thinking.Here, I also want to give my thanks to other teachers and my classmates who gave me much help. Thank you!AbstractEnglish has made itself into Junior high and primary school since 2001.As an international “tool” ,English plays an essential role in our daily life,but in fact our teaching is to instill knowledge into students’ mind,while students are only passive receivers whose interest drops down as time goes by.”12-15 year-old pupils can focus on learning for 30 minutes,they will be absent-minded if our teaching method shows inflexible,monotonous or dull”.How to draw their attentions to learn efficiently? A new teaching method:game teaching in primary and secondary school shows strong vitality and wins students’ heart nowadays.”Mere curiosity adds wings to every step”.What we need to do is to simulate their interest and raise their desire.The paper aims to explain that game-teaching approach is not only practicable but also inspiring.It mainly introduces the theoretical basis of this approach,present and previous studies&situations of game teaching,importance,application and a study suing games in junior school English teaching.Key words :game；teaching ；Interest；Junior；school摘要英语已经于2001年起加入到小学和初中的教育中来，作为一个国际性的工具，英语在日常生活中扮演着重要的角色，但我们填鸭式的教育使得学生的学习兴趣随着时间推移而减弱。

On Application of Game Teaching Method in Primary School English TeachingAbstract The New English Curriculum Standard describes that the aim of primary teaching is to foster students’ interest in learning English. The paper aims to expound that game-teaching approach in primary schools is not only practicable but also efficient. The paper introduces types of games, superiorities of games in English teaching and the history and present situations of primary school English teaching. d The paper also include the theoretical basis of game teaching and a Study of using games in primary school English teaching.Key word games, types, primary school English teaching, theoretical basis, research谈游戏教学法在小学英语教学中的应用摘要: 新的英语课程标准描述,主要教学的目的是培养学生学习英语的兴趣。

本文旨在阐述游戏教学方法在小学不仅是可行的而且是行之有效的。

本文介绍了游戏教学法的类型,游戏教学法在小学英语教学中的优越性以及它的历史和当前在小学英语教学的发展现状。

若云軒论文英文题目: Application of Game Method in Primary EnglishTeaching论文中文题目: 游戏教学法在小学英语教学中的应用本科毕业论文（设计）目录ContentsAbstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 摘要----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1Ⅰ. Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21. The definition of game teaching method2. The development of game teaching method3. The classification of game teaching methodⅡ. The Positive Effect of Game Teaching Method ------------------------------------------- 41. Activate classroom atmosphere and create a pleasant surroundings2. Create students’ captivities and initiative3. trengthen the memory effect and cultivate the study habits4. Train the general quality and show the humanity qualityⅢ. The Application of Game Teaching Method in Primary English Teaching Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 61. The trim of the application of game teaching method2. The procedure of the application of game teaching method3. After the application of game teaching methodⅣ. The Foremost Criterion of the Game Teaching Method -------------------------------- 81. The game should have a certain purpose2. The game should be fit to students from different levels3. The game should have the principle of participation4. The game should be universal5. The game teaching method should be more creativeV. The Problems we Should Pay More Attention in the Teaching ----------------------- 111. The intent of the game is not distinct enough2. The design of the game is not simplified3. The rule of the game is not strict enough4. The time of the game should be more flexibleⅥ. Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Bibliography ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13Application of Game Method in Primary English TeachingAbstractPlaying game in English is one of the effective ways in English study and it is suitable for the development of physiological characteristics of pupils. From the significance of games in English teaching of the children, the thesis introduces the reliability of application of games teaching in English and its importance. Game teaching is benefit to arouse abundant imagination of students and strongly creation awareness, fully developed their characteristic and cultivates the sense of competition and collectivism spirit. Using game teaching not only can develop the interest of students but also arouse the ability of thinking, making students have a right study method to improve study English interests.Keywords: primary English game teaching interest developed摘要游戏教学是一种有效的英语学习方法，它适合孩子身心发展的特点。

英语如何利用学习游戏提升学习兴趣Nowadays, learning English has become more than just a necessity; it has evolved into a form of entertainment. As an English teacher, I have witnessed the incredible impact that learning games can have on students' interests and motivation. In this article, we will explore how to use learning games effectively to enhance English learning, capturing students' attention while encouraging their progress.1. Introduction: The Power of Learning GamesLearning games have the power to transform a mundane learning experience into an exciting adventure. By incorporating interactive activities, challenges, and rewards, they engage students on multiple levels and stimulate their curiosity. As a result, students become more motivated, enthusiastic, and eager to participate actively in English learning.2. Benefits of Learning Games2.1 Enhancing Vocabulary and Grammar SkillsLearning games provide a fun and interactive way to expand students' vocabulary and reinforce grammar rules. Engaging in word puzzles, crosswords, or quizzes helps learners familiarize themselves with new words, idioms, and expressions. Moreover, interactive grammar games enable students to practice grammatical structures in a meaningful context, improving their accuracy and fluency.2.2 Enhancing Listening and Speaking SkillsListening and speaking are fundamental components of language acquisition. Learning games can enhance these skills by incorporating voice recognition technology, speech exercises, and interactive dialogues. Through these games, students can practice pronunciation, develop their listening comprehension, and build confidence in oral communication.2.3 Cultivating Reading and Writing SkillsReading and writing activities are essential for language development. Learning games can offer a wide range of reading materials, such as interactive stories, news articles, and even virtual books. By engaging in writing games, such as storytelling or creating dialogues, students can enhance their writing skills while expressing their ideas creatively.3. Strategies for Implementing Learning Games3.1 Integration into Lesson PlansTo maximize the benefits of learning games, teachers should incorporate them into their lesson plans strategically. By aligning the games with the curriculum objectives, teachers ensure that the games contribute to students' overall learning progress. Additionally, integrating games throughout the lesson allows for a balanced approach, combining interactive activities with traditional teaching methods.3.2 Variety and FlexibilityThe key to maintaining students' interest is to provide a variety of learning games. From online quizzes and interactive videos to role-playing and board games, teachers must diversify the resources to cater to different learning preferences. Furthermore, flexibility in game selection allowsteachers to adapt to various proficiency levels and address individual learning needs effectively.3.3 Collaboration and CompetitionLearning games can be designed to foster collaboration and healthy competition among students. Group activities, such as language-based board games or team quizzes, encourage teamwork and cooperation. Similarly, incorporating leaderboards or challenges in digital games motivates students to compete with themselves or their peers, spurring them to strive for improvement.4. Conclusion: A Bright Future for English LearningIncorporating learning games into English education revolutionizes the traditional classroom experience. By utilizing the power of games, teachers can capture students' attention, spark their curiosity, and enhance their motivation to learn English. With continuous advancements in technology and innovative game designs, the future of English learning holds unlimited possibilities, where education and entertainment intertwine seamlessly.Remember, learning English should be an enjoyable journey, and learning games provide the perfect vehicle to transform the process into a captivating adventure. Embrace the power of games and witness the tremendous impact they can have on your students' learning experiences. Let's make English learning fun, engaging, and ultimately, effective!。

Using Games in the ClassroomWith the remarkable growth in the gaming industry in recent years, educators have begun looking at games as a way of reaching students in this new digital world. While games have certainly been the target of criticism and even vilification in the popular media, many do possess qualities beneficial to education, such as the presentation of scenarios, problem solving, collaboration, and metrics. Among the early researchers of game pedagogy is James Paul Gee, professor of reading at the University of Wisconsin. Gee sees games as models for sound pedagogical practice. To convince consumers to pay for the privilege of learning the often complex rules, scenarios, and interactions within their games, Gee argues, game manufacturers have had to become expert teachers. In the game Rise of Nations for example, where players learn how to govern an empire through a combination of tutorials and game design, Gee sees valuable devices at work, including: Just in time learning--the player is introduced to rules and concepts as neededSelf-paced learningMotivation of players to push the boundaries of their own knowledge and skillsUse of different forms (visual, oral, and text) for redundant information[1]Henry Jenkins and Constance Steinkuehler also see games as teaching skills students will need in the modern world. For Jenkins, games form a part of a new generation of media that is distinguished by the active participation of its consumers. Average users don't just watch the screen; they now create video, write to the Web, and publish digital photos. This new media demands a media literacy that everyone will have to master in order to succeed in the years to come. Games--even single player games--encourage, if not require, participation within a community. The collaborative problem solving, research, critical analysis, and diplomatic skills are fundamental in today’s society and will become increasingly integral in the future.[2]Steinkuehler focuses her research on the use of scientific analysis and writing in the most popular massive multiplayer online game, World of Warcraft. Like any game, World of Warcraft, uses a series of algorithms to determine the outcome of various player choices and actions. Deconstructing these algorithms is a key to succeeding at the game. As a result, players spend a great deal of time in forums and other resources comparing research and solutions to different situations. In addition, Steinkuehler also sees evidence of literary practices at work in the creation of fan fiction surrounding MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming).[3]As a result of this research, a larger number of faculty members are open to the idea of introducing games into their courses. But then the challenge: how to find a suitable game and integrate it in a way that matches the learning objectives of the course? Unfortunately, these tasks are still difficult. Many games are potentially suitable for use in a college or university classroom; however, finding these games can be a formidable task. There has been an effort to make this easier by distinguishing between “serious games” and other commercial games, but this distinction can be arbitrary and excludes a large number of games that are potentially useful. Finally, once a game is selected, there are few practical examples available to use as a template for integrating the game into the course.To help with this process, I have organized games into three categories based on the complexity ofintegrating them into a course. Games in category one require very little change in the course as a whole. These games contain content or principles matching many commonly taught courses. They are also simple, allowing someone to begin playing the game without any instruction or after a short demo of no more than fifteen minutes. Instructors can assign the game to their students as homework then have them compare their experience of the game with the assigned readings on the same topic, for example. Even games in this simplest category offer some of the advantages discussed by Gee: Students will have different experiences depending on how they play the game; they will work at their own pace; and develop a unique understanding of the scenario by working through different possible outcomes and the factors involved in producing these outcomes, challenging their own logic as they progress.The second category features games that require some restructuring of the course as a whole. These games have appropriate content or principles, but they are more complicated and take longer to play. Most require an hour or two for beginners to learn and may take an equal amount of time each night for one to several weeks to finish. It is important to recognize that this complexity has a benefit as well, allowing students to become immersed in a much more sophisticated environment as well as giving them the opportunity to explore possibilities they may otherwise not encounter during the semester. Critiquing the game will also require greater mastery of the topic in order to understand the rules and variables governing the simulation and recognize bias, missing factors, or other inaccuracies. The complexity of tasks assigned to the students also lend themselves well to group work and involve more of the skills discussed by Jenkins including diplomacy, collaboration and interaction with peers via the internet.In the third category, games become a means of creation. The playing of the game is a mere subset of the overall activity. The fundamental learning stems from creativity with new media, interaction in small to very large groups, and the construction of new media using the games as a platform--areas researched and endorsed by Steinkuehler and Jenkins. This adds to the time required to integrate the game into the course, but students benefit from the opportunity to apply principles learned in the course, that is, putting theory into practice. Some of these activities may require help from a technologist if the professor is not especially computer savy; however, none of the scenarios provided are limited to an especially technology literate class.Category IGames included here are simple simulations designed to give the player an introduction to a topic. Some of these games take advantage of their immersive characteristics in order to present a certain view of a given reality. These games are easy to play, often web-based, and frequently focus on current events. While I would not recommend these games as primary content sources for courses, they do provide students with means for reflection and as material for class discussion.Oil God, designed by the independent games studio Persuasive Games, allows you to wreak havoc on the world through war and disasters in order to double the cost of gasoline and boost profits for your company. By targeting political insurrection, war, and disasters on nations that are key suppliers or distributors, the player can double gasoline prices in a very short period of time. The game should certainly not be used as an accurate economic model for predicting gas prices basedon turmoil; however, it does make a clear and compelling argument about the motivations behind much of the conflict in the Middle East.Global Warming Interactive revolves around Brazil’s development of alternative fue ls over the past decades. [4] Players control three advisors in the government of Brazil beginning in 1960. Each advisor has their own agenda and specialization: economics, policy, and science. The budget must be structured as a compromise between all three to allow Brazil to develop and find alternative energy sources before its supply of fossil fuels is exhausted. By taking on the role of an advisor, students learn first-hand how negotiation, politics, and diplomacy inform strategy.A game for the sciences is Foldit, a puzzle game for folding proteins. Foldit brings together several interesting qualities. First, students need to understand the basics of proteins to solve the puzzles (addressed through the game's tutorial). Second, the online component to the game allows teams to compete by creating better proteins. Finally, the game is an example of crowdsourcing, the process of outsourcing a task to the public at large. Crowdsourcing is one of the cornerstones of Web 2.0 and Jenkins' idea of new media. The game functions as a framework for collaborative problem solving. In this case, scientists are examining the possibility that the crowd can do a better job than computers alone at constructing proteins for specific medical and scientific purposes.Because games are a form of storytelling, it should not be surprising to find examples of literary games or interactive fiction in the mix. Some of these games create literature; others use famous works as a basis for the story. Kafkamesto is one example of the latter. By incorporating aspects of Kafka's novels, the game could function as an introduction to the themes in his writing, or as a means for students to synthesize their understanding of Kafka by offering a critique of the game. The creation of a game based on literature provides and array of challenges, including the transition from text only to inclusion of audio and visual materials. To critique the game, students will not only have to understand the work of Kafka, but the expression of themes through different media as well.The traditional commercial games in this category are more complex, but still very easy for beginners to play. Games like A Force More Powerful and Peacemaker are turn-based games reflecting current events. A Force More Powerful is designed as resource for groups seeking political change through non-violent means. The game uses scenarios based on oppressive regimes and resistance movements around the world. Players can specify goals including the involvement of minorities in the political process, free elections, and removal of the current regime from power. The game is an effective tool in exploring the sources of power and instability in a given regime.Peacemaker explores the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and allows players to lead either side toward peace. Players react to actual events that have occurred in the Middle East with diplomatic, economic, and military actions in an attempt to balance the demands of disparate factions within their community while moving towards a permanent peace. The game is simple to understand but manages to convey the political realities facing each side. Video clips of actual events lend realism to the game.[5]Games for foreign languages have distinct advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, students need to understand a large amount of content in the target language to succeed in the game, and the games themselves offer redundant information in multiple forms. Single player games, having peaked to a certain degree in the area of graphics, have focused more on creating a compelling storyline with large amounts of audio and or text in a given language. The overall experience has become more cinematic with the student becoming more deeply involved in content created in the target language. With multiplayer games (MMORGs) like World of Warcraft, students can interact and collaborate with native speakers in the target language bringing a whole new level to the idea of an "immersive classroom." A few adjustments need to be made to connect to a “world” outside of one’s actual geographic location, but these are far from insurmountable.[6]Connecting game content with a language class curriculum, however, remains difficult. Even when the material seems to be a rough match with a topic covered in class, like learning the parts of the house in Sims 2, students will nevertheless encounter a large amount of unfamiliar vocabulary and grammar. And because these games are player-driven and therefore unpredictable, preparing materials for class is virtually impossible. A teacher should be prepared to view the game as general practice in the areas of reading, listening, and speaking without the expectation of reinforcing specific points of grammar or vocabulary. At Dickinson, we have installed a large number of single-player commercial games (including Sims 2, Bioshock, Die Gilde II, Neverwinter Nights II and Oblivion) installed in the language lab for students to play on their own. These are usually European versions with the English language disabled o r not installed. It’s a heavily-used resource for students, used in much the same way as foreign language TV and DVDs have been in the past.Category IIGames in this second category are closely related to the more traditional strategy board games. Some, like Civilization, Axis and Allies, and Avalon Hills Diplomacy, are spin offs of the old board games. Most are turn-based and many reflect a historic period with accuracy and attention to detail, making them well-suited to courses in political science and history. By allowing players to see a situation from different points of view and understand the decision processes of the actors involved, students learn about the causes and effects at work in particular periods in history. Of course, with great detail also comes complexity. Instructors should count on at least one class period for students to learn how to play the game itself. Most games require one to two hours of play per day for at least one week to finish a single game.Rome Total War is a good example. This is a sophisticated game that gives the player the ability to control a power either within or against Rome, beginning in 107 BC (though it simulates the reforms of Gaius Marius between the years of 240 BC – 180 BC).[7] Barbarian factions include the Gaul, the Greek states, and the Carthaginians, each of which have distinct technologies and military units. The game contains numerous historical inaccuracies for the sake of improved game play; however, as with many games, players have developed modifications to create more realistic scenarios. These modifications--or “mods” as they're commonly known--can be downloaded forfree. Two of best known are Europa Barbarorum and Rome: Total War Realism. Both sites have installation instructions and information about the changes made and the reasoning behind each. Students can then examine the documentation while playing the game to provide a critique and suggestions for future modifications.Civilization IV is a direct descendent of the Civilization board game. The basic game simulates human history from 4000 BC to 2000 AD. The player becomes the leader of a civilization and makes decisions regarding technological innovation, economy, culture and war. A civilization can win the game by diplomatic, military, technological, or cultural means. Of course, the game is simplified in order to remain playable--factors like disease, civil war, and internal strife are excluded, for example. But even with these limitations, the game succeeds in teaching players about the enormous effects of resources, technologies, and religion on particular historical moments. Try surviving the Iron Age in this game without access to iron ore; it's very challenging indeed.Civilization IV also has many mods available for download. These are usually historic scenarios that create maps, technologies, leaders, and religions of certain time period. Some, such as the Greek world or the unification of China, are included with the purchase of the game or expansion pack. Others are created by players and can be downloaded for free from sites like the Civ Fanatics forum. [8]Category IIIThe key difference in this category is the shift in the student's role from player to creator. Most games in this group allow advanced users to use the game as a platform for creation. While this was originally viewed as “cheating” by some, game makers quickly realized the economic rationale: allowing players to create their own content effectively extends the shelf-life of their titles. With mods, players change basic rules and variables within the game without have to understand much of the inner workings or source code of the game. Civilization IV is clearly designed with the potential of modding in mind. For beginners, there is a GUI interface that allows players to create maps, set up diplomatic relations, as well as assign technologies, population, buildings, and military units to the civilizations. By opening a single text file, the player can also set most of the starting variables for the beginning of the game including the year, civilizations, and time elapsed after each turn. By opening other xml files, more advanced users can create new civilizations, government civics, units, technologies, and religions and add them to the game. Very advanced users can even write code in python or C++ to generate events and make fundamental changes to the game logic. Creating mods in this way will require collaboration among the students and most likely their peers via the internet as a matter of necessity.Typically the most difficult aspect of creating mods is not the technology, but getting the details right. To create a historical scenario in this way, students must do a great deal of research to understand the technology, culture, religion, leaders, economies, and governments of the time. Students can work in small groups with a particular research focus and then combine theirinformation in a single mod, publish it for feedback and play the game themselves. By analyzing the game, they can determine in which ways the scenario reflects historical reality and where other factors were either not considered or given false values. For more information on this kind of project, look at the wiki and tutorials online at /gaming/index.php?n=Main.Worksheet. [9]It is also possible to create games from scratch with text-based platforms like Inform 7.[10] This free software is proficient at understanding natural language, so it is not necessary to know any coding. An excellent tutorial comes with the software as well, and because everything is text-based, there is no need to create or modify graphics. There are no limitations set by Inform 7 on the type of environment or story, so players could just as easily set a game in Paris during World War II or in a virus moving through the human body. What students do need to understand, however, is the environment--the object of study--as well as all the possible interactions of people and/or objects within the game. Creating any game from scratch can seem a daunting task; however, it provides a unique opportunity for the class to combine everything they have learned and researched to create something that can be utilized and expanded upon by others.Games can also serve as a platform for the creation of videos, a process called machinima. Originally a tool for alternative filmmakers and hobbyists, machinima has entered the mainstream.[11] Instead of creating a game, students use the game to create video. This can be as simple as pressing a record button, importing into IMovie, and adding a sound track. Many games come with the ability to record already; others can be recorded using software such as Fraps on Windows or Snapzpro on OSX. Depending on the length and complexity of the story, machinima techniques can be learned through one in-class training and completed as homework. Foreign language classes can create short skits using simple scenes made in Sims 2, for example. History students could add narration to famous battles or scenarios taken from a history-based game. Documentaries can include effects that would not otherwise be possible, or films can be created entirely in these environments. There are also several large machinima communities where students can publish their work.While the other games discussed in this category require some technical competence, alternate reality games (ARGs) can be created with only the most rudimentary knowledge of common applications like cell phones, web pages or email. Most ARGs are mysteries or puzzles. Players are given clues or tasks in order to progress through the story. A World Without Oil was the first “serious” ARG. It can still be played, though even more importantly, it can function as a template for the creation of other ARGs. The premise of the game is quite simple. Players imagine what their own lives would be like in an oil crisis, share stories, and then change their own real lives. Similar ARGs can be built on this model, using any historic, scientific or literary scenario. To create the ARG, students must identify all of the problems and obstacles in a given situation along with their potential solutions. As with Inform 7, this game can be played by others as well, giving students feedback on their project from a wider audience.Game ImplementationOnce you’ve used a game in your course, it is useful to take step back and evaluate the game itself as well as its integration. Based on my conversations with professors at Dickinson and elsewhere, the vast majority of faculty who have used games report positive experiences and plan on increasing the amount of time dedicated to the game in subsequent offerings of the course. Faculty note increased student motivation and interest as major benefits, as well as the opportunity for students to utilize knowledge and research in some kind of practical application. Still, games are a radical departure from the tradition classroom tools and it's rare that the first implementation is perfect. For pointers on evaluating your success, start with Clark Aldrich’s re cent post on evaluating the educational impact of games and simulations.Games do require some rethinking of traditional homework in the sense that they are all learner driven, offering each student a unique experience. However, by having students connect their experiences with knowledge gained from classroom discussion or readings, instructors can successfully integrate the games into their courses. The examples discussed here are only a small subset of games suitable for college level instruction. Additional resources for finding other games are listed below; however, any list is bound to be incomplete. New games are created every day, and many games can appear radically different after modifications are applied or created.游戏在教学中的使用随着近几年游戏业的引人瞩目的发展，教育工作者开始接受游戏作为帮助学生进入新数字化世界的一种途径。