Games in an L2 Classroom

Since I have been talking about strategy games in my last post, I decided to play this online game called  Stop Disasters which its main objective is  to save lives  where a player would choose a scenario and try build and upgrade a community and house them all before a disaster occurs. A player is given a budget and a time limit on finishing their mission and housing the population and statistics are then shown after the game of what occurred in the disaster and survivors etc. I played it for quite sometime I failed on my first try. I think this type of game is a great way for students to build their strategic thinking skills and find ways to solve the problem of housing a certain amount of people in the game. As the game ends I like that it shows the newspaper and the mission report that the player can read to determine whether they've succeeded in housing the population. Although it's not one of those games that automatically works in terms of language context, I think it's a great game to use in a class or even outside of the classroom for students. I like that I can use it as a reading activity with the newspaper at the end of the game and have student discuss what their mission was for the game and what their end result was. It can even be turned into a writing activity where I can have students write a narrative of their experience of the game. I would ask them what they did to build the homes, hotels, hospitals and how they tried to achieve their goals in making the community safer from a type of disaster. I would also ask them the type of disaster that hit the community and how affected it. I think its important for students to have that kind simulating game where they feel engaged and interested in finishing a task. It gets them to learn about the different disasters and affects they can have in a community and provide a important discussion for any classroom.

Another game that isn't strategy but is I think is basic and simple start for students that aren't all too familiar with gaming is Rice. I've been playing  Free Rice  which as a game that donates 20 grains of rice to the world food program whenever a word is defined correctly. I've been playing this game for some time and has been a little bit addicting.What I like about this game is that it has different levels for students to work with and it is a simple and easy game to follow for students. It gives a chance for ESL students to stay engaged in the game by earning points every time they get a word correctly and contribute to donating rice to fight hunger. This can be a game that can be played in class or outside of the classroom. This is a great game for anyone to work on their vocabulary. This definitely a game I would use in my own classroom, especially working with students one on one with their vocabulary or even break them up into groups and who ever gains the most points in donating rice earns a badge or extra points towards their grade. It's a great way for students to work together and build their confidence in learning a new language. This game gives anyone a great sense of accomplishment in what they've learned and the fact that they've helped fighting hunger makes it important. As someone learning to be a teacher, I think incorporating games in a classroom can prove to be helpful as long as they aren't so complex that students have a hard time following the subject. 

Learning What is Gamification

Gamification is used to engage and motivate students of all ages in particular subject areas. I've always known and used certain games outside of classes as a younger student; since I wasn't so great in math or science computer games were pretty popular in my learning process. I see where today it can be so important to students who may either be struggling in a subject or just don't have any interest in what they're learning in a class. Using gamification is a great way to get student interested in learning and gives students a sense of competition to always challenge themselves. 7 Things You Should Know About Gamification gives several good points about how gamification works in academic environments. Stating that "Gamification offers instructors numerous creative opportunities to enliven their instruction with contests, leader boards, or badges that give students opportunities for recognition and a positive attitude toward their work." The article  presents some interesting  reasons why they work so well for some students and other students may struggle even more with the addition of gamification into a classroom. Their concern is that gamification would makes learning a subject more complex than it already is, and if a student is already struggling in a classroom it may completely turn them off. I think that teachers should be alert in the types of games they would be using for a classroom. I like the idea of breaking students into teams and having them work and collaborate in gaining points or earn badges. This creates an environment where students are driven to work and get a sense of accomplishment when end up in a new level of gaming. It also works for shy students since it would bring them out of their shell and give them a chance to participate in a group environment.

One example of  a style of gaming is a strategy game where players  have the ability for decision making in order to determine the outcome of what they want to achieve with a particular game. What strategy games work on is getting the player to think internally of their decisions as well as creating this awareness of what and how they should play the game as they go along. For example a simulation game is a great way to get players to think about their decisions and process it in a similar manner as if it were a real world situation. Most of the simulation strategic games are meant to reflect real-world consequences. One those games would be 3rd World Farmer which relates to world hunger and poverty where a player works in the decision making of sanitation, education, infrastructure and where the player makes choices of the crops, livestock, and tools needed or used for a farm. This game is fairly easy to follow even with or without instructions although I would start students out by giving them an example of how I played my game and also show them how it can be used. This game is a great example of creating a sense of awareness in the player bases on the type of situations they encounter throughout the game and the measures they have to take to achieve their goals. I think simulation games are great to bring into a classroom since it provides a way for students and teachers to discuss on important subject matter. I think this type of game will get students to be engaged in their learning experience. I would create an assignment where they would play the game several times and get them to discuss the type of crops they used, animals, and housing in the farm. It gets them to build their thinking and decision making skills as well as practice their writing skills when given an assignment such as this. I can see them building their vocabulary as well by learning what's on the Farm such as "Pig", "Chickens", and Crops such as "corn" etc. I think this a great way to get them interested in learning the language and to discuss their experiences playing the game.