Playing Board Games in the Classroom

(Source : www.hwbpluse.wales.gov.uk)

Games often give more opportunities for students to use their language skills in relatively less structured-environtment. Many studies have proven that games are a fantastic way to promote competition among students, reduce their anxiaes and energize classroom. Teachers can design the game to fit the lesson and students can practice various skills. One type of game that has proven infinitely adaptable is the board game.

Board games might be useful in developing real world skill of students. It is really fun and non-threatening environtments. Furthermore, teachers can use this game extensively for teaching sudents, especially for Business English Classroom. In this article I would like to describe about this game that name “Bussiness Desicions”.

1. Part 1: Gathering Materials and Creating Companies
Teachers need some items to run this game:

1. Open this link to download a blank board game
   
   http://www.americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/board_game_template_0.pdf

2. A die or dice

3. Game piece for students (or materials to make game piece)

4. Black cards to make game cards

5. Play money (optional)

For the first steps, the students have to play an active role in the game for preparing the materials needed. They must create their own company and give the name for the company they created. Then, they have to describe the company, the emplayees it has, and the other details. In this step the teachers may helps their students.

2. Part 2 : Making Game Card
In this step, students should take apart to preparation by creating game card.Teachers inform students that there two types of the game: Business Decision and Chance.
Teachers explain that students must imagine decision they will have to make in the business world for business decision cards. Teachers also tell students that decisions should be written in a way that they could relevant to any business. Then, teachers illustrate how to write the cards by giving examples. These are the following example of business decision prepared for students different levels:

1. Beginner : Name three things (equipment or supplies) your business needs.

2. Intermediate : what do you thing is most important for your company? Good costumer service, low price, or convinience? Why?

3. Advance : your company wants to expand but needs additional financial. Create a one-minute explanation of you would present tp prospective investors to convince them to finance your company.

For chance card, teachers ask students to imagine situation that effect their business. Then, they write on the bussiness card after teachers giving examples. These example of chance card:

1. Beginner : A new store opens next door. You lose several costumer. (lose 100 dollars/ go back 2 spaces)

2. Beginner : one of your exployees quits (lose 50 dollars/go back one space)

3. Intermediate : a product or service you offer is endorse by famous person in a megazine (gain 100 dollar/ move ahead 3 spaces)

4. Intermediate : local construction makes it difficult for you to do business. (lose 100 dollars/ go back 2 spaces)

5. Advance : your overseas subsidiary does much better than expected in the first year. (each player pay 50 dollar/move 4 spaces)

6. Advance : the consumption tax is raised by 2 pecent. Costumers decide to spend less money (each player loses 100 dolar/ each player moves back 1 space).

This need to be understood that every single card has a dollar and a space amount. Players can choose the options for penalties and benefits wheter they choose money or space. Students are asked to make four or five cards each. After that, they label the spaces on game board either business decision or chance.

Part 3 : Explaining the Rules
There are two options to play the game; with money or without money, the steps that include money should be omitted if they play without money option.
Teachers explaining the following rules:

1. Banker and Director of the Board; this person is responsible for judging the quality of the responses and rewarding money or spaces for good answer to business decision cards.

2. For business decision cards, the Director of the Board may make the following awards; lose 50 dollars or lose a turn for answer that need improvement, gain 50 dollars or move ahead one space for good answer, and gain 100 dollars or move ahead two spaces for excellent answer.

1. Each start off with 400 dollars.

2. Each player takes a turn rolling the dice or landing on spaces.

3. If a player gets to the end of the board, he/she gets 100 dollars and countinues from the beginning.

4. Any player who goes bankrupt, losing all of his/her many, joins the board the Directors and helps with judging answers and banking.

You can use other blank game templates, like this one:

Notes:
Teachers start the game by having students describe their company. Teachers should over feedback and revisions from time to time but should not overcorrect students. Teachers should take notes about students perfoming touring the game for the feedback after the game.

ALFYD