Dictation Game in Language Classroom

Ali Shahriari, Iran

Ali Shahriari holds M.A in TEFL from Shahid Chamran University, Iran. His field of interest is second language learning. E-mail: shahriari_eteacher@yahoo.com.

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Introduction
Games and meaningfulness
Information gap and opinion gap
Steps taken in dictation game
Concluding remarks

Introduction

All good teachers have some type of plan when they walk into their classroom. It can be formal, i.e. one which is prepared to be given to a supervisor or an informal one written for the teacher's own eyes. Regardless of the type of lesson plan, a good one has three main features. First, it must have a sense of coherence and flow. It means that the students could feel a sort of transition from one activity to another. Second, a good lesson is flexible and they should not bind the teacher to a preplanned plan. Sometimes a teacher may want to change the activity from one to another. Third, a good lesson plan exhibits variety. Probably an experienced teacher agree with the idea that running a class by following the same pattern day after day may lead to a boring and discouraging atmosphere in language classroom.

One of the agreed upon ways to lend variety to the process of language learning and teaching could be playing different games. Regardless of the learner's English proficiency, games can be motivating and incentive. According to Larsen Freeman (2000), games have three main features in common with communicative language teaching (CLT). Firstly, there is a purpose to the exchange in every game. Secondly, the participants receive immediate feedback on whether a successful communication has taken place or not. Thirdly, working in a group maximizes the amount of communicative practice on the part of language learners.

Games and meaningfulness

The need for meaningfulness of language learning has been accepted for years. The useful interpretation of meaningfulness is that the learners respond to the content in a definite way. If the learners are amused, angered, challenged and/or surprised it means that the content is meaningful to them, hence better remembered and better learned. If we accept that games can provide us with a meaningful practice of language, then they must be regarded as central to a teacher's repertoire. They are thus not for use solely on rainy days and at the end of the term.

Information gap and opinion gap

The term information gap and opinion gap are now widely used to describe features essential to communication in our daily lives. We speak or write because we want to convey something interesting to the reader or listener. Unfortunately, in much foreign language classes there is little information gap and students' opinion are rarely asked for. The teacher asks a question that the student knows the teacher can answer. Although the student try to answer such questions, they are not motivated enough to take part in such question-answer activities.

By the way, most of the students enjoy a funny activity specially one related to a difficult task like dictation and words' spelling which is always included in their midterm and final exam. As the teachers have experienced, the students mostly have problem with vowel sounds.

Steps taken in dictation game

Type of game: oral
Level: applicable with any level

This game does not need any special educational aids. There are 18 students in this class. They have a three-year experience in language learning behind. The class meets two days a week. They are 15 to 17 years old. All the students can take part in this game; however, they are not forced to do so. The reason is that learning will be then facilitated in a relaxed atmosphere. The following steps need to be taken in playing the dictation game.

1. The teacher tells the students that they are going to review the spelling of the words covered in lesson two and he tells them that the review is done through an interesting game.
2. The teacher divides the class into two groups of nine.
3. The teacher starts the game by giving an example. At this stage and before starting the game he (or she) says that the students should make the following motions in place of the vowels. They should:
   1. Raise right hand for "a".
   2. Raise left hand for "e".
   3. Point to one of their eyes in place of "i".
   4. Point to their open mouth instead of "o".
   5. Point to the teacher in place of "u".

A point to be mentioned is that the student who misspells a word and/or forgets to use motions in place of the vowels must leave the game.

After giving enough information about the game, the teacher calls out a word such as “MONKEY”. Then the teacher starts spelling according the aforementioned rules. He spells the letters in this way:

He says “M”, and then he points to his open mouth instead of saying “o”. After that he says “N”, then “K” and then he raises his left leg instead of “E” and finally he spells “Y”.

“Now it’s your turn”, the teacher says. He calls out a player and asks him to spell the word "COCONUT”. A student from group “A” comes to the blackboard and begins spelling. He says C, points to his open mouth, then C, raises his left hand by mistake. The students laugh and cry!!!! Because of misspelling the student must leave the game and take his seat. Another student from group “B” wants to have a try. He says C, points to his mouth. But he forgets to open his mouth. Again the students laugh and cry. After the third one spells the word correctly, You hear the students and the teacher clapping. The winner of the game is a group is one that does more correct spellings with fewer fired players.

In the following sessions, the teacher uses such a game with a different activity. One of the students spells the word according to the aforementioned rules and another student has to write it on the board. Language used while playing the game is of great importance. Here are some examples of what the teacher and the students utter.

Language used by the teacher and learners before and during the game Teacher's language:

• Listen to me please.
• Move the desks.
• Take the desks over there.
• Move your desks back where they came from.
• Put your chairs back to where they came from.
• Who wants to have a try?
• What's wrong? Can I help you?
• Wrong. Not right. Not very good. Well done. Right. Correct.

Learner's language:

• Let me have a turn.
• I haven't had a turn.
• Let me do it first.
• Excuse me Mr. Shahriari.
• Whose turn is it?
• Is it OK?
• Wait a moment.
• May I spell another easy word?

Concluding remarks

Language learning is complex work. One must make an effort to understand and then manipulate newly understood language and to use the whole range known language in conversation or written composition. Such an effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time. Games keep the learners motivated and interested in the process of language learning. On the other hand games help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. It is worth mentioning that the byproduct of the game is much more important the game itself. The byproduct of the game is the chunks and sentences transmitted before, during and after the game. The students willing to take part in the games have to understand what other players are saying and they have no choice but writing or speaking in order to express their own point of view and give information. One may say that much density of practice is available with learners in drills. What I want to say is, what matters, however, is the quality of the practice.

Please check the Methodology and Language for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Methodology and Language for Secondary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.