MIND GAMES AS THE EDUCATIVE PROCESS HELPING STUDENTS TO OVERCOME COMMUNICATION OBSTACLES

ABSTRACT

This study provides a method of using mind games during EFL classes, which helps students form moral standards and fundamentals of moral behavior. The example of a certain mind game is given as a target one, by which it is possible to implement educative process widely through gamification a lesson.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В данной статье описан метод применения интеллектуальной игры во время занятий английского языка, путем которого у учащихся формируются моральные нормы и основы нравственного поведения. Приведена в качестве примера интеллектуальная игра, посредством которой есть возможность реализовать воспитательную работу на уроке в игровом формате.

Keywords: mind games, intellectual games, EFL classes, online event.

Ключевые слова: игры разума, интеллектуальные игры, онлайн мероприятия.

Currently one of the main problems in the field of methods of teaching foreign languages ​​is increasing and maintaining the motivation of students during the learning process. Traditional forms of teaching classes often do not contribute to the inclusion of students in the educational process and the emergence of cognitive interest. In this way the gamification of classes occupies a special place and has to be considered as one of the effective language teaching strategies. This type of teaching ensures active involvement of each student, stimulates verbal communication and contributes to the development of interest.

English, as an academic discipline, refers to the content of verbal skills in order to ensure communicative competence. The use of different games contributes to the language acquisition in an entertaining manner, develops memory, attention, intelligence and maintains interest of students. Also, it has an impact on the socially educational training. According to many teachers, games have a certain result and stimulate the student to achieve the goal.

Considerably as one of the main goals in teaching a foreign language can be regarded the development of a person, who is capable and willing to participate in an intercultural communication. Thereby 3 interrelated components can be taken as target examples: educative, developing and practical. The educative component can be observed in the following: in the formation of students' respect and interests for the culture and people of the country; in fostering a culture of communication; in maintaining interest for learning and the formation of cognitive activity [1].

In my EFL classes, I try to instill an interest for learning English through implementing some features of educative components such as developing tolerance and respectfulness towards foreign country representatives. I also try to instill the desire to learn something new about different countries. That’s why I find it useful to share that some fun activities and games during EFL classes might be effective in order to build up strong bonds among students as well as to develop long term educative skills. Mind games in this context are also no exception.

Mind games force students to use a foreign language without thinking about the correct form of expression. Games reduce fear and anxiety about making mistakes and help students overcome language barriers. It serves as a motivating function and force even the shyest students can express their opinions and feelings in a foreign language. Moreover, games relieve stress in the classroom and improve the learning process. They bring something new to the routine.

Mind games or intellectual games are a type of game that involves a combination of such components as entertainment, regulation by rules, competitiveness and intellectual search based on erudition, observation, the ability to logical and creative thinking. Smart games have the properties of a cognitive game, the purpose of which is the development of cognitive abilities in a fun way. Mind games are a serious tool for educating the student's personality and the ability to cooperate (teambuilding) and treating others with respect and dignity [2]. 

In fact, that smart games bearing a double burden, namely they contain an educational problem, the solution of which is associated with the solution of a communicative problem that arises for students imperceptibly. In other words, in order to solve the main game problem, it is necessary to solve the communicative problem, while the communication process itself becomes the main supportive aid in achieving the goal.

As it was mentioned, mind games in EFL classes can be aimed at achieving the following aims: educative, acquainting students with the culture of English-speaking countries, developing linguistic and cultural competencies, the ability to analyze and systematize information concerning various aspects of the culture of English-speaking countries; developing a tolerant attitude towards the traditions and customs of English-speaking countries [3]. Definitely with the help of such activities the interest in the traditions of any English-speaking countries and enthusiasm towards them rapidly emerging. 

In this case, it is necessary to provide an example that will be helpful for some teachers engage students easily and evolve the emotional intelligence in students. The well-known classic game show “Jeopardy” created by the popular TV host Merv Griffin is taken as an example [4]. Jeopardy has become a daily television show beloved by millions of Americans. The game centers on guessing the questions for the proposed answer and requires high knowledge from the participants. Jeopardy consists of two rounds, in each of which 30 questions are grouped into 6 categories and a final round with one common question for all participants. For a given right answer, dollars are being added on the count, for a wrong one, dollars are being deducted. Three players compete in the game and the winner is the one with the highest amount after the final round. Jeopardy from English means danger or a risk of losing. 

Based on my own experience of hosting and streaming the game online, it can be noted that during the play, students intensify their mind activity and despite the barrier in the language, strive to give answers using the lexical and grammatical aspects. Educational potential is a specific feature of this game. Educational opportunities based on the content. Learning through communication during playing the game and developing such qualities as hard working, persistence, leadership, thinking, attention, memory, etc. are considered to be the educative component of the game. 

There is an evidence of conducting the game on my own. In the past academic year, within the month of English & GPPW Department an intellectual online show “Jeopardy” for 7/8^th graders was managed and took place via the Microsoft Teams. 

The following goals were established as main ones: increase the intellectual development and level students and build up the intellectual capability among secondary school students.

The following points were considered as the main task: developing intellectual creativity; developing environmental interest; calculating students' initiative and leadership qualities.

About 50 students were attended and considered as the audience of the show. However, only about 8 participants took an active participation.  The game was held in a chaotic manner and differed from the traditional rules of the game only in forming the teams, due to being conducted online and some troubles during the interaction among participants.

In general, the results of the intellectual game showed that most of the participants have an interest in regional geography because significant questions about English speaking countries did not cause any particular difficulties for the participants.

I guess, there is a need to note the shortcomings of the online event. The most challenging task in arranging an online game show was joining of an insufficient number of students to the streaming due to unstable Internet service providers. Also, another significant drawback of the event was that some students had background noise when the microphones were enabled, due to which the answers of students were not accepted.

As a result of the virtual event, the ceremony of winners rewarding closed the session. It should be emphasized that the arrangement of such online intellectual games in the classroom is effective in identifying intellectually gifted school students in order to help to promote and popularize them.

It should be highlighted that in the process of playing students face not only challenges of structuring grammatically correct sentences or show certain lexical competences, but also, they try to learn adequately respond to specific lines that native speakers may ask or even more students learn to use the formulas of speech etiquette and discover the cultural and historical characteristics. It is impossible to imagine a person who has a dialogue with a native one with no background of cultural aspect. The communicative culture reaches a completely different, higher level, which requires to be tolerant towards the native representative; respect the culture of the partner; accept differences in lifestyle, outfit, way of thinking; overcome stereotypes in relation to other people and their culture; maintain interest; open-mindedness to something new and unknown.

To summarize the key points of the discussion, it can be concluded that mind games in the classroom are always aimed primarily at acquainting students with the educative material, mental and behavioral realities of the culture of the language that is being studied.

References:

1. E. A. Kutas Intellektual'nye igry kak odna iz form igrovoj deyatel'nosti molodezhi / Rol' lichnosti v istorii: real'nost' i problemy izucheniya: nauch. sb. (po materialam 1-j Mezhdunarodnoj̆ nauchno-prakticheskoj̆ Internet-konferencii) / – Minsk: BGU, 2011. –  Ss. 143–147.
2. S. Rixon How to use games in language teaching / Macmillan Publishers Ltd., London / – 1981.  – P. 245.
3. W.R. Lee Language Teaching Games and Contests / – Cambridge University Press, 1995. – Pp. 98-100.
4. S.K. Gural', A.G. Shil'nov Obuchenie inoyazychnomu diskursu posredstvom intellektual'noj igry Jeopardy. / – Ss. 137-147.