PLAY THE GAME! by Luminița Mocanu, ‘NICOLAE BALCESCU’ NATIONAL COLLEGE

Why should teachers use games?

Because Games great educational value Games can be used in the classroom to make learners develop their speaking abilities Games use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct forms Games make lessons very entertaining

What are games actually? Games are about dialogue, about language, and interacting with others in specific “scenes” with appropriate language.

Dramatic activity is already a natural part of most children’s lives before they start school in the form of make-believe play, enabling them to make sense of their own identity by exploring meaningful fictional situations that have parallels in the real world. Most importantly, drama activities are fun – making learning both enjoyable and memorable.

DRAMA GAMES ENCOURAGE STUDENTS : - to move and to interact with others. -to speak and respond to one another. Students who are challenged by reading and writing often respond more positively to the imaginative and multisensory learning offered by drama. -to help them develop such skills as creativity, enquiry, communication, empathy, self-confidence, cooperation, leadership and negotiation.

What’s the point of drama games? Energy Playfulness Your presence in the room Concentration Bonding

These games allow groups to bond through energy, fun, concentration and a wish to work as an effective team.

Use drama games effectively to enhance your drama session! Try a structure like this: Get the energy going. Walk around the room. Notice the room. Think about why you are here. Notice how you walk. Where is your eyeline? What is your tempo? Do your swing your arms? Do you kick your feet? Breathe.

Name Game: In a circle, start by saying your name and a noun which shares the same first letter. “I’m Jennifer and I like Jam”. Don’t over-explain, it will become obvious! Medium energy/passing focus Jack Jack Jack: All participants in a circle. Everyone gives their name in turn. One person in the middle; their objective is to get out of the circle by saying someone’s name 3 times. In order to stop that person taking your place you have to say your name once to block them. Continue until the names are well known.

Fruit Bowl: Form a circle sitting on chairs. One person is in the middle. Each person is given the name of a fruit - either apple, orange or banana. The person in the middle calls out one of these fruits, e.g. “apple”. All those who are apples must jump up and change seats. The person in the middle is trying to get into one of the seats. If they succeed the apple left standing now goes into the middle. The person in the middle can shout “fruit bowl” if they want and everyone will run to change places leaving a new person in the middle. (Option: make it “anyone who had coffee this morning; who has red hair; who likes Ed Sheeran… etc. )

1-2-3 This is a fun introductory warm-up and concentration game. You can begin sitting down or standing up. In pairs, face each other. Start counting from one to three between yourselves, over and over. Once you get the hang of that part you are ready for the next stage. Instead of saying the number “one”, you should clap your hands – but you would still say “two” and “three” aloud. Once everyone has mastered that, the next step is that instead of saying “three”, that person should bend their knees. You should still clap your hands for the number “one”. This is a bit like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time – in fact, you could try that afterwards! A: “One” (Claps hands) B: “Two” A: “Three” (Bends knees) B: “One” (Claps hands) A: “Two” B: “Three” (Bends knees) Tip: Make sure you allow time to encourage pairs to show everybody else how they are doing after each step. It’s fun watching people trying to concentrate, especially if it goes a bit wrong! If you have extra time, pairs can make up their own movement and/or sound for the number “two”.

Bomb Walk around the room. Pick one person and copy their walk but don’t let them realise you are doing it. Follow and study them for a while. This person becomes your bomb. After a few minutes, on a signal from the facilitator, you try to keep as far away from your bomb as is possible. Find another person to become a shield between you and your bomb. Try to keep them between you and your bomb for as long as possible. The facilitator will countdown from 10 and when they get to zero your bomb will explode. Did you survive?

I say “up” you say “down” Up up up, down down down. Call and response: 1.I say “yes” you say “no” Yes yes yes, no no no. I say “up” you say “down” Up up up, down down down. I say “in” you say “out” In in in, out out out. I say black, you say “white” Black black black, white white white. I say “big” you say “small” Big big big, small small small. I say “old” you say “young” Old old old, young young young. I say “over” you say “under” Over over over, under under under. Etc.