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Do, 2017

The study investigates the incorporation of language games into EFL grammar instruction for Vietnamese high school students, focusing on English conditional sentences. Results indicate that students who engaged in game-based learning outperformed those who followed traditional methods, showing improved grammar knowledge and more positive attitudes towards learning. The findings suggest that EFL teachers should continue to explore innovative instructional strategies like language games to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
81 views14 pages

Do, 2017

The study investigates the incorporation of language games into EFL grammar instruction for Vietnamese high school students, focusing on English conditional sentences. Results indicate that students who engaged in game-based learning outperformed those who followed traditional methods, showing improved grammar knowledge and more positive attitudes towards learning. The findings suggest that EFL teachers should continue to explore innovative instructional strategies like language games to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

Uploaded by

ptnloan13
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

225

MJAL9:3Spring 2017 ISSN 0974-8741


Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
INCORPORATING LANGUAGE GAMES INTO EFL GRAMMAR
CLASSROOM
AT VIETNAMESE HIGH SCHOOL
DO MINH HUNG
Dong Thap University, Vietnam

ABSTRACT

Grammar instruction in formal classroom has a long history with its both ups and downs.
Anyway when it comes to L2 education, grammar instruction plays an important role because
L2 grammar knowledge is always embedded in L2 learners’ linguistic competence protocol. As
a consequence, new approaches have been tried to make grammar instruction enjoyable and
fruitful. One of these is the incorporation of language games into grammar lessons. The present
study examined games incorporated to teach English conditional sentences to high school EFL
students in Vietnamese setting. After the treatment program it recorded that the experimental
student group outperformed the control group in the achievement test, and additionally revealed
their improved attitudes towards the target approach from the pre-questionnaire to the post-
questionnaire. Accordingly, it calls for EFL teachers going on with their efforts and investments
in language games and other instructional resources for new looks, sustainable refreshments and
expected fruits eventually produced in classroom, even though the traditional approach still
holds its position one way or another.

Key words: grammar, instruction, incorporate, EFL, classroom


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Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
INTRODUCTION
Grammar instruction is of certain importance to the process of L2 language learning and
acquisition. It is at this time that there are various researchers very concerned with effective ways
to teach grammar (Ellis, 2006). Indeed, the effects of language games incorporated into L2
learning/teaching have gained much interest of many researchers and educators (e.g. Rinvoluci &
Davis, 1995; Yu, 2005; Harb, 2007). Most importantly, literature indicates a positive correlation
between the use of language games on grammar instruction and learning outcomes (Kablan,
2010; Sultanova, 2011). Sultanova (2011) emphasizes the advantages of incorporating language
games into grammar classroom: (1) games can lower anxiety, (2) are highly motivating and
entertaining, (3) enable learners to acquire new experiences with L2 language that are not always
possible during a typical lesson, (4) add diversion to regular classroom activities, (5) create
relaxed atmosphere in which learners remember things faster and better, (6) a good way of
practicing language, and (7) encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency.
In the Vietnamese context of high school education, “teachers are generally incapable of
teaching English communicatively in their real-world classrooms. Instead, they spend most of
their lesson time explaining abstract grammar rules and guiding their students in choral readings”
(Canh, 2002, p.33). As a result, neither their grammatical accuracy nor classroom level of
participation seems to have improved. Also, in terms of language acquisition, grammar input that
stays in learners’ short-term memory is not transferred to their long-term memory. Thus, the
present study assumes that it would be beneficial to investigate the effects of language game use
on learners’ grammar acquisition, which still lacks comprehensive and salient evidences in
Vietnamese setting in particular.
Research Aims and Questions
The aims of the study were to investigate: (i) the impacts of game-based grammar instruction on
EFL learners’ grammar knowledge acquisition, (ii) the learners' attitudes towards the target
approach. Accordingly, the research questions oriented were: (1) To what extent does the use of
language games in grammar lessons affect EFL learners’ grammar knowledge acquisition? (2)
Do the target learners have positive attitudes towards the instructional approach?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Debate on Grammar Instruction
Grammar instruction occupies a significant position in English language teaching. It is viewed as
the presentation and the practice of discrete grammatical items (Hedge, 2000) or the presentation
and explanation followed by practice activities (Ur, 1996). According to Ellis (2006), the role of
grammar teaching has been the subject of ongoing controversy in the field of English language
teaching.
One of the arguments should first be noticed is that of acquisition. Under the influence of the
Grammar-Translation Method from the 1840s to the 1940s, grammar is an integral part of
language program. When two other dominant approaches called Audio-Lingual and Situational
Language Teaching successively replaced the Grammar Translation Method in the 1950s and
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At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
1960s, grammar teaching was still highly appreciated (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). However,
with the rise of communicative methodology in the late 1970s, grammar gradually lost its
popularity and its values. The argument against grammar teaching was featured by Krashen
(1981). It is claimed that grammar teaching can contribute to learning but this is of limited value
because communicative ability is dependent on acquisition. It is therefore believed that formal
grammar teaching develops only declarative knowledge of grammar structures, not the
procedural ability to use forms correctly. Therefore, Krashen recommended that teachers should
abandon grammar teaching, and concentrate instead on providing lots of comprehensible input so
that learners can acquire L2 language naturally, in much the same way they have acquired their
mother tongue/L1 language.
However, other scholars like Nassaji and Fotos (2004) suggested that grammar teaching should
be taken into account with some reasons. One of the reasons concerning the 1980s hypothesis
has been found problematic because its belief is that language can be learned without some
degree of consciousness. However, it is claimed that language learners cannot process target
language input for both meaning and form at the same time. Thus, “noticing” is a necessary
condition for language learning. A number of L2 studies revealed that learners did not achieve
accuracy in certain grammatical forms despite long-term exposure to meaningful input (Harley &
Swain, 1984; Swain, 1985; Lapkin, Hart & Swain, 1991; Swain & Lapkin, 1989). Recent
research like Pica’s (2005) confirmed that learners could use language fluently but inaccurately
without explicit grammar instruction. Meanwhile, Lund and Light (2003) concluded grammar
teaching might influence students’ proficiency as a whole. As a consequence, explicit grammar
instruction should retain its role in classroom for learners’ awareness of accuracy/standard in
language use serving as a powerful, unique tool of communication across human beings and
cultures.
Language Games
Hadfield (2002, p.4) defined a game as "an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun".
Language games deal with an element of competition between individual learners or teams in
language activities (Greenall, 1990). It plays a crucial role as for the nature of games requires.
Learners are excited by competition because the question of who will win or lose remains
unanswered until the game is over. Thus, language games basically involve rules, cooperation,
enjoyment and learning included.
Language games are of various forms and can be classified into different categories/aspects
(Shie, 2003) such as functions, language skills (reading, speaking, listening, writing) and
linguistic levels (McCallum, 1980) of grammatical structure, vocabulary and
spelling/pronunciation. Definitely, language games make use of a large number of linguistic
techniques/activities, e.g. information gap, problem solving, guessing, searching, matching,
exchanging and collecting, combining card games, puzzle and simulation. As a result, to ensure
appropriateness and effectiveness, prior questions should be strictly and concretely raised by
teachers before their final decisions on those games delivered in classroom: (1) Which language
does the game target? (2) Which skills does it practice? (3) What type of game is it? (4) How
long should it take? (5) What's the ultimate purpose for using it? (6) Does it fit the learners? (7)
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At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
When should it be incorporated? (8) How much interaction and participation by learners is
there? (9) Does it lead to learning in the end? (10) Is it one way or another oriented towards
instructional language items in point? and so on, including reflective periods following games
trials.
Previous Studies Related
Yu (2005) examined the effectiveness of game-based grammar instruction on students’
motivation and classroom atmosphere. The findings noted the experimental group recorded more
improvement in accuracy level over the control group. Besides, the experimental reported more
enjoyment, higher motivational effort, and confidence in language use. Yolageldili and Arikan
(2011) explored the effectiveness of games in teaching grammar to young learners from the
viewpoints of Turkish EFL teachers working in primary schools. The findings showed games
were an important and necessary part of English learning and teaching in the context in point.
They came to the conclusion games was one of the best ways to direct young learners’ energy
into language learning. Similarly, Ishtawi (2011) investigated the effectiveness of game strategy
on the learning of English grammar for the twelfth grade students at Gaza governmental schools.
The educational games strategy was used in teaching the experimental group, while the
traditional method was used with the control. The findings indicated that there were statistical
significant differences between the groups, favoring the experimental one.
Other studies/investigations around the world like Pierfy (1977), Miller (1992), Hajdus (2000),
Allery (2004) and Masrom et al. (2013) confirmed instructional contributions of game activities
in language classroom in one way or another.
The present study was an attempt to hopefully add more empirical evidences of salience of
grammar instruction and language games incorporated in classroom, both linguistically and
psychologically, to the concerned literature. It focused on English conditional sentences, which
has yet to be tangibly addressed, particularly in EFL teaching/learning of the current Vietnamese
environment.
METHODOLOGY
Participants
They were 80 students from 2 Grade-10 classes (K-12 system), aged 16 on average, at a high
school located in a rural area in the Mekong Delta, South of Vietnam. It should be noted that the
school authorities arranged their students into these two formal classes at the beginning of the
academic-school year with no particular criteria. Thus, one class, 9 males and 31 females was
randomly chosen as an experimental group taught with game-based grammatical practice, while
the other as a control group, 25 males and 15 females, who were required to practice grammar
with traditional method, shaped basically by the nationally-required textbook “Tieng Anh 10”
(English 10) (Hoang et al. 2013). Both classes were taught by the same fulltime teacher of the
school. They all learned English for more than 4 years at secondary and high school. Thus, their
EFL proficiency level was advanced to the pre-intermediate. At the time of research they were
taught English 4 periods (45 minutes/period) per week in classroom as scheduled.
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At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
Instruments
One achievement test was included in the study (obtaining the answer to research question 1).
The test was a paper-and-pencil test consisting of 30 items distributed in 4 common task types of
error recognition (Part I), multiple choice option (Part II), sentence building (Part III) and
sentence transformation (Part IV). All task types were related to English conditional sentences
types 2 and 3, which was the focus of the present study. Part I asked learners to detect deliberate
errors in given sentences. Part II focused on learners’ ability to choose correct options to fill in
gaps. Part III required learners to rearrange given words in correct sentence order. Meanwhile,
Part IV aimed to test their ability to write a sentence equivalent in meaning to one that was given
(see Appendix 1). The time allotted to the entire test was 30 minutes each. The total test score
was 10 with 2.5 points each for Part I and II; 1.25 points for Part III, and 3.75 for Part IV.
Additionally, a questionnaire was used to gain insights into the learners’ attitudes towards the
use of language games in grammar lessons (answer to research question 2). The questionnaire
was designed in the form of Likert-scale by the present researchers themselves, basing on the
literature review. It was of 15 items with 2 clusters. The first cluster centered on the participants’
attitudes towards the effectiveness of using language games in grammar lessons (item 2, 3, 5, 7,
8, 10, 11, 13). The second cluster elicited their interest in the games (item 1, 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15).
All of the items in clusters were presented with statements (see Appendix 2). To examine the
change in students’ attitudes the questionnaire was delivered to the experimental group twice:
before the treatment program (pre-questionnaire) and after the treatment (post-questionnaire).
Both the test and questionnaire were peer-reviewed independently by 2 EFL teachers of the
same school before they were used. To ensure the reliability of the test and the questionnaire,
both the test and questionnaire were piloted by 40 students of another Grade-10 class (different
from those of the experimental and control) at the same high school. The results showed the
instruments’ reliability as seen in Table 2 below.
Table 1: Reliability Statistics of Test and Questionnaire
Instruments Number of items Cronbach's Alpha
Test 30 .826
Questionnaire 15 .785

Materials
The grammar points of conditional sentences type 2 and type 3 were delivered to both groups
(experimental and control) in the second semester (Spring Term) as scheduled by the nationally-
required textbook “Tieng Anh 10”. But, several language games were purposely incorporated
into the experimental group only (see Appendix 3).
Table 2: Language Games in the Treatment Program
Games Grammar focus
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At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
Week 1 - Game 1: Consequence Chains Conditional sentence type 2
- Game 2: Bingo
Week 2 - Game 1: Information Gap Conditional sentence type 3
- Game 2: Board Game
Week 3 - Game 1: The panel Conditional sentences type 2 and type 3
- Game 2: Noughts and Crosses

Procedure
Under the school principal’s permission, the study was successively conducted as follows:
-Step 1: The pre-questionnaire was delivered to the experimental group only. The researcher was
there with sufficient explanations about the questionnaire purpose and item details as well as
Vietnamese translations if needed. It took approximately 20 minutes for the students to complete
the questionnaire. Also, the researchers informed the group of the treatment program.
-Step 2: One week later, the treatment program was conducted as scheduled in Table 1 to the
experimental group, while the control followed the textbook design, i.e. without game activities
incorporated.
-Step 3: One week from the treatment program completed, the post-questionnaire was delivered
to the experimental group only.
-Step 4: One week after the questionnaire, an achievement test was administered to both groups
in class. The student did the test individually (30 minutes duration).
-Step 5: The following week the corrective feedback on the test results was kindly provided to
both groups.
Data Analysis
The software SPSS Version 20 was used. First, to ascertain the reliability of the test and the
questionnaire, the Scale Test was utilized. Next, the Descriptive Statistic Tests were conducted
to identify the minimum, maximum, means and standard deviation of the scores. Then, the
Independent Samples T-Test was run to determine the mean differences between the two groups.
Finally, the Paired Samples T-Test to compare mean scores within the experimental group and
the control group.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS


Achievement Test Results
Table 3: Descriptive Statistics of Achievement Test
Group N Min Max Mean SD t df Sig.
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Control(CG) 40 4.375 10.000 8.100 1.127
Experimental(EG) 40 5.250 10.000 8.687 1.101
CG vs. EG 2.357 78 0.021<0.05
Table 3 shows both groups got good results at the achievement test with the mean scores above
8 out of 10 each (8.100 and 8.687, respectively). The control group members’ scores ranged
from 4.375 to 10.000 with Standard Deviation of 1.127, whereas their partner members’ scaled
from 5.250 to 10.000 with SD of 1.101. Although both groups almost equated in SD and Max,
their Mins and Means were not equal. The Independent Samples T-Test was performed to
measure the Mean difference between the two groups. And with p=0.021<0.05 it confirmed that
there was a statistically significant difference between the two Means.
As a result, it indicates that the target approach, i.e. with the incorporation of language games in
grammar lessons generated better gains on the learners’ grammar knowledge acquisition than the
traditional approach. However, it should not altogether negate the contribution of the latter
approach because its members did the test quite well (Mean=8.100). This probably accounts for
the fact that a number of EFL teachers did not voluntarily invest much in the game-based
instruction and almost happily stayed with the traditional approach as recently reported by
Yolageldili and Arikan (2011). It is definite that traditional teachers do not bother to spend their
time and take pains raising prior questions related (as mentioned above).
But, for the learners’ linguistic and psychological benefits it is worth for responsible teachers
doing so, even though the gains are not strongly significant (compared to those of the pure
traditional approach).
Questionnaire Results
Table 4: Descriptive Statistics of Pre-Post Questionnaire
Exp. Group N Min Max Mean SD t df Sig.
Pre-questionnaire 40 2.133 4.533 3.746 .419
Post-questionnaire 40 3.000 4.600 4.056 .416
Pre- vs. Post- -3.645 39 .001<0.05
The Paired Samples T-Test was performed to compare the mean scores of pre-
questionnaire=3.746 and post-questionnaire=4.056. With p=.001<0.05, the means difference
was statistically significant. Therefore, it implies that the group’ attitudes towards the target
approach improved from the pre- to the post-questionnaire. This is encouraging for innovative
teachers and probably adds more weight to the instructional values of language games
incorporated in grammar lessons.
Next are the details of the questionnaire item clusters in Table 5: Cluster 1 – Effectiveness (Item
2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13); Cluster 2 - Interest (Item 1, 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15). The overall results were
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Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
positive. Both clusters saw a significant increase in their mean scores from the pre- to the post
questionnaire. Thus, psychologically, language games in grammar instruction were beneficial to
the learners concerned.
Table 5: Questionnaire Item Clusters
Cluster N Mean SD t df Sig.
1 Pre-questionnaire 40 3.646 0.071
Post-questionnaire 40 4.009 0.073
Pre- vs. Post- -3.612 39 0.001<0.05
2 Pre-questionnaire 40 3.860 0.091
Post-questionnaire 40 4.110 0.070
Pre- vs. Post- -2.687 39 0.011<0.05
CONCLUSIONS
The present study explored the instructional values of language games in EFL grammar
classroom of high school students in a rural area in the Mekong Delta, South of Vietnam. The
grammar focus was English conditional type 2 and type 3. After the treatment program, the
experimental group outperformed the control group in the achievement test. Even though the test
results did not strongly separate the two groups apart, the pre-post questionnaire demonstrated
the experimental group’s positive attitudes towards the target approach. As a result, while
traditional teachers might hold on their position of routine practices in grammar classroom
(probably because of much time lost and pains taken for changes if any) disregarding the
learners’ increasing needs, innovative teachers should go on with voluntary commitments and
more investments in language games and other instructional resources for their learners’
sustainable refreshments and better gains, both linguistically and psychologically.
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Appendix 1: ACHIEVEMENT TEST (Time allotted: 30 minutes)


NAME: ................................. CLASS: .............................
Part I: Circle A, B, C or D to show the underlined option that needs correction.
1. If this road was widened, cars and lorries can get to our village.
A B C D
2. We'd had given you a lift if you hadn't had a bike with you.
A B C D
3. If Mr. Black weren't late every day, he wouldn't have lost his job.
A B C D
4. If modern technology didn't exist, we will never have these precious pictures.
A B C D
5. What would you do if you have change to travel in the submarine?
A B C D
6. If you sold your house, you didn’t get much money for it.
A B C D
7. I had gone to see you if I’d known that you were ill.
A B C D
8. I wouldn’t have read your diary if you didn’t hide it in such an obvious place.
A B C D
9. Unless he hadn’t helped, I wouldn’t have been able to move the wardrobe.
A B C D
10. If I had had wings now, I wouldn’t have to take an airplane to my home.
A B C D
Part II: Circle A, B, C or D as the correct answer to each of the following sentences.
11. If Lien ............. a raincoat, she wouldn't have got a cold.
A. wears B. wore C. has worn D. had worn
12. If Tom were late again, he ............. his job.
A. loses B. lost C. will lose D. would lose
13. They ............. the farm if they ............. enough money.
A. had enlarged/would have had B. would enlarge/had had
C. enlarged/would have D. would have enlarged/had had
14. If I didn't want to go to the party, I ............. go.
A. don't B. didn't C. won't D. wouldn't
15. The roads would have been flooded ............. we had resurfaced and raised them.
A. if B. unless C. when D. so
16. We ............. to the beach yesterday if the sun had been shining.
A. will go B. would go C. would have gone D. had gone
17. Tam ............. more if he ............. more time now.
A. will read/had B. would read/has C. read/had D. would read/had
18. We would go skiing if it ............. this winter.
A. snows B. snowed C. will snow D. is snowing
19. I am sure that Nam would go to the cinema with you..............
A. if you ask him B. if you asked him C. if you will ask him D. if you would ask him
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20. If the weather ............. nice yesterday, we ............. swimming.
A. were/go B. is/will go C. were/would go D. had been/would have gone
Part III: Rearrange the given words to make complete sentences.
Example: If / address / I / knew / her / would / a/ letter / send / her / I
→ If I knew her address, I would send her a letter.
21. if / harder / would / exam / they / the / pass / studied / they
→…………………………………………………………………………………..
22. we / gone / have / time / had / if / we / by / car/ would / saved
→…………………………………………………………………………………..
23. were / die / would / we / if / there / soon / sunshine / no
→…………………………………………………………………………………..
24. sick / ice-cream / if / be / much / you / ate / you / would / too
→…………………………………………………………………………………..
25. if / a / got / she / cold / worn / raincoat / had / Lan / wouldn’t / a / have
→…………………………………………………………………………………..
Part IV: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence
printed before it.
Example: I didn’t do my homework, so I got bad marks yesterday.
If …………………………………………………………………..
→If I had done my homework, I wouldn’t have got bad marks yesterday.
26. Peter could not go out for lunch because his car was broken.
→Unless ……………………………………………………………..
27. You didn't do as I told you, that is why you didn't succeed.
→If ………………………………………………………………….
28. I don’t give her a ring because I don’t know her telephone number.
→If ………………………………………………………………….
29. I was tired because I stayed up late last night.
→Unless …………………………………………………………….
30. I didn't go to bed early, so I'm tired now.
→If ………………………………………………………………….
-------THE END-------

Appendix 2: QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Students,
I am conducting a research on the use of language games in grammar teaching. I would be grateful if you could
spare some of your time to answer the following questions by putting a cross (X) on the option applied to your case
for each of the items below. Thanks for your collaborations.
A. PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME: ………… GENDER: Male: Female:
CLASS: ………….. AGE: …………….
B. YOUR VIEWS ON THE USE OF LANGUAGE GAMES
(1)=Strongly disagree, (2)=Disagree, (3)=Not sure, (4)=Agree, (5)=Strongly agree.

Items (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)


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Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
1. I am most interested in using language games in grammar learning.

2. I find that language games are highly motivating, which gives me more
opportunity to express my opinions and feelings.
3. When the teacher uses language games teaching grammar, I find that I can
communicate well because he/she concentrates on communication rather than
on correctness of language use.
4. I consider that I become more diligent when learning grammar through
language game use.
5. Language games can improve my achievement in learning, including my
test scores, knowledge of language use or language skills.
6. I find that the use of language games in learning grammar intrigues my
curiosity and interest in learning.
7. Learning grammar with language game use offers me the chance to use
language in real situations.
8. I find that I take an active role in my learning process through language
game use.
9. With the use of language games, I find that I learn grammar without
realizing that I am learning.
10. Language games develop my social skills in co-operating with others as
well as build up team spirit.
11. Using language games in learning grammar helps create my class an
exciting atmosphere.
12. I prefer learning English grammar with language games to learning it in a
traditional way.
13. I find that I comprehend and remember the grammar points longer when
they are illustrated with language games.
14. When participating in language games, I feel that time passes enjoyably.

15. I would like to spend more time learning grammar with the use of
language games.

Appendix 3: One Sample Lesson Plan


Week 1: CONDITIONAL SENTENCE TYPE 2
Textbook: TIENG ANH 10 (English 10)
Time allotted: 90 minutes
Aim: By the end of the lesson, Ss will be able to recall and use conditional sentence type 2 appropriately.
Teaching aids: Video clips, worksheets, blackboard
Stages Activities
1.Warm-up - Show the video- clip about “the dog’s moving” story in an earthquake in Japan.
10 minutes - Ask students some questions:
1. How do you feel after watching this video-clip?
2. If you were the little girl in the video-clip, what would you do?
Expected answers:
1. If I were the girl in the video-clip, I would write an announcement to find the dog.
2. If I wrote an announcement, I would find it.
- Lead in the lesson of revision.
- Write the model:
Modelling
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Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
1. If I were the little girl in the video-clip, I would write an announcement to find the dog.
2.Review 2. If I wrote an announcement, I would find it.
10 minutes - Review the form:
1. How many clauses are there in each sentence?
2. In If clause, is the verb in present tense or past tense?
3. In Main clause, what form is the verb in?
- Write on board:
Form:
If clause Main clause
past tense would / could / might… + V1
-Review the meaning and the use:
1. What do the sentences mean in Vietnamese?
2. “If I were the little girl in the video-clip” and “If I wrote an announcement” are possible
situations?
3. When do we use the structure?
-Write on board:
Use: to talk about an impossible situation (or an unreal situation) in the present or in the future.
3.Practice GAME 1: CONSEQUENCE CHAINS
Game 1: - Get students to work in groups of 4 or 5.
35 minutes - Check their numbers in the groups.
- Explain the rule and give a model.
+ Say a conditional clause, for example, “What would happen if you went to University now?”
+ Get number 1 in a particular group to complete the rest of the sentence
(e.g. If I went to University, I would become a teacher.)
+ Ask number 2 in that group to say the consequence of that action
(e.g. If I became a teacher, I would teach children in remote areas.)
+ Ask the rest of the numbers to continue with the same way.
+ Ask students to go around the circle twice if possible.
- Write conditional clauses on board and get students to play the game.
- Observe the class and give help if necessary.
GAME 2: BINGO
Game 2: - Before class, make one copy of the worksheet for each student.
35 minutes - Ask students to imagine that they are going on a one-year trip around the world and ask them
about how they spend their last day at home.
- Explain the rule of the game.
+ Ask students to complete the second conditional sentences in the column marked “you”.
+ When they have done this, ask them to focus on the column marked ‘questions’.
+ Explain that they are going to use these questions to interview a partner about how they would
spend their last day at home.
+ Ask students to interview their classmates about their last day at home. When their friends have
the same answer, ask them to put their name in the last column.
If the first student who finishes the last column with 10 names, he/she will shout “bingo”. This
person will be the winner.
Worksheet: You're going away on a one-year trip around the world.
How would you spend your last Questions Partner’s
day at home? You If you had one last Name:
If I had one last day at home, … day at home, …

I’d eat ____________________ ___________? ____________________


I’d drink __________________ __________ ? _____________________
I’d go ___________________ ___________? _____________________
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Incorporating Language Games into EFL Grammar Classroom
At Vietnamese High School by Do Minh Hung
I’d play ___________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d visit __________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d watch__________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d have___________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d meet___________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d phone__________________ ___________? _____________________
I’d invite__________________ ___________? ____________________
- Observe the class and offer help if necessary.- Declare the winner.
* Homework: - Prepare for the next lesson.

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