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USING GRAMMAR GAMES TO ENGAGE NON-ENGLISH-MAJOR
STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE AT HOCHIMINH
CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOOD INDUSTRY
Tong Thi Hue
Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry
Email: lilyhuekhcb@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This research aims at investigating the innovation of using grammar games and activities to
engage non-English-major (NEM) students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry
(HUFI) to use grammatical items in studying grammar. Doing this, the researcher hopes to
enhance the effectiveness of grammar games and helps motivate NEM students in studying, for
instance, listening, speaking, reading and writing and a number of other skills involved in the
same game such as vocabulary and pronunciation (Lee, 2000). The results of my previous
research (May 2017) on the effects of language games in teaching grammar showed that most
teachers and students had positive attitudes towards grammar games. Taking advantages of
would like to do something new in teaching grammar through game activities to stimulate
students in learning and applying grammar more effectively. The process of experiment had
of a case study and findings from analysing the questionnaire and interview, the research makes
recommendations for implementing the innovation of grammar games. Once identifying the
problem of un-
contexts, the researcher who implemented the bottom-up innovation in a small-scale to be based
on a combination of the problem solving model and social interaction model and considered as a
deliberate change in teaching and learning process at HUFI. The researcher has been the
innovator and change a
students of HUFI played the role of an implementer and adopter, 20 students in one experimental
class were clients.
Key words: Grammar games, to engage non-English-major (NEM) students, communicative language,
positive attitudes, bottom-up innovation
1 INTRODUCTION
Teaching grammar to NEM students at HUFI is the matter of concern of English teachers to the
same format of grammar sections in current textbooks from the Life series that make NEM
students get bored and uninterested in their learning. The innovation will discuss the shared skills
through grammar game activities using and how successfully introducing gaming methodology
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into grammar classes can enhance and accelerate the grammar learning process as well as
different aspects of English such as language skills, vocabulary and pronunciation.
however, were often taught by Grammar-Translation method. Very few activities were done.
might find hard achieving grammar rules and get bored easily. Teachers should switch to CLT
stressing on grammar, CLT does never refuse grammar teaching, communicative competence
involves knowing how to use the grammar and vocabulary of the language to achieve
communicative goals, and knowing how to do this in a socially appropriate way (Thornbury,
1999, p.18). Thus grammar needs to be taught communicatively in a more pleasant and
interesting way by using useful grammar game activities to encourage students to use
grammatical points they have learned in their communication more effectively and successfully.
That is the research
I carried out this research with hope to find the best way of using grammar games to make
grammar lessons more meaningful and enjoyable. This study aims at answering the following
research questions:
1. How should games be used effectively in English grammar classes at HUFI?
2. How much do NEM students make progress in their communicative language during using
grammar games in grammar lessons?
The research began with culture contexts, then the literature review of the innovation, followed
by the description of the innovation implementation and a brief introduction of using grammar
games and gaming methodology engaging students in studying English. The findings and
analysis were discussed toward the end of the paper with the aim to achieve maximum results in
the innovation.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
With the purpose of making the research comprehensive and convincing, we now spend time
considering a few relevant concepts and studies of previous researchers related to the subject.
2.1 Teaching culture context
Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry (HUFI) is located in Ho Chi Minh City - a
dynamic centre of Vietnam. Founded in 1981, it was named as a Vocational School until 2002 it
was called Food Industry College, during the stage of economic and social transition to global
integration and changed into HUFI in 2008. HUFI identified its objectives for progressive
education and training to directly meet the needs of society. Following an educational
methodology that is student-centere Unity-
Forwardness-
make a change of teaching approaches to focus on student-centered class. Teachers themselves
have realized this and made a deliberate change in their own classes to engage students in
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skills. Meanwhile, very few teachers have applied grammar games as communicative activities in
learning grammar
playing game activities and exploit effective grammar games and activities to motivate teaching
and learning process? The researcher would like to change from traditional and structural
applied in an experimental case study from bottom up in a small scale at HUFI.
2.2 Class culture context
NEM students come from other areas in the country. In multi-provincial classes, NEM students
who have their own locally cultural features express different thoughts and behaviours in
learning. Some of them are very active and confident; most of them are nervous, anxious and
embarrassed to use the language in front of class. The classroom cultures influenced by cultures
outside the classroom e.g. conflict between teacher and student schedules, curricula - impact
grammar language from the textbooks, materials, teaching methods that decide the nature of
classroom and lead to an appropriate methodology in teaching and learning process. Cultures take
an important role to educational innovation because they are cognitive behaviours, attitudes and
thinking of people (Murphy 1986 quoted in Holliday 1994, p. 260). The innovation will be
influenced by cultural and human factors. According to Nicholls (1983, p.4) and White (1988,
p.114) innovation can be understood as an attempt to achieve appropriate methodologies
improving teaching and learning process.
School and classroom cultures at HUFI are good conditions and motivation for the innovation to
take place. Teachers can make a deliberate change to the techniques or supplementary materials
effectively and communicatively.
2.3 Types of social change and models of innovation
The researcher carried out this innovation as a bottom-up experiment to satisfy the demands for
change in the classroom influenced by internal and external agents that are the need for social
change to people who recognize the need for deliberate educational change (Markee, 1997, p.42-
70). The change is considered immanent change or self-motivated change as the researcher has
raised solutions to a perceived problem of the same social system and she can act as an internal
change agent and promote ownership (Nicholls 1983). The research was developed basically on
both the social interaction model and the problem solving model suggested by Markee (1997,
p.61-67) without any support from outside change-agents. In addition, the socio-cultural contexts
that are significant factors interact to force classroom innovation positively or negatively. In the
innovation process, the researcher played the role of an adopter, implementer, and also change
agent while the students participated in as the clients.
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2.4 The roles of stakeholders
The innovation affects a number of people who take several different social roles in the practice,
not integrated, contribute their efforts to the success of research. The researcher initiated the
innovation and had responsibilities for monitoring the change, she was the innovator and change
the role of an implementer and adopter, 20 students in one experimental class were clients.
2.5 Factors to consider when having games played in class
Carrier (1980) identified a number of factors that teachers should consider when having a
grammar game in the language class: which appropriate g
enjoyment and needs; when to use the game in a class time to break the stressful mood; what to
prepare for the game (material, equipment, objects, flash cards); how to organize and manage
class; how long the game may last, how to solve the problems when using game. These important
factors contribute to the success and effectiveness of using grammar games.
2.6 Teaching grammar in the context
Nunan (2010) pointed out that grammar teaching is frequently presented out of the context in the
textbooks. Students use sentences separately not in the context. Teacher should present grammar
points in the context and help students explore grammatical structures in the context so that they
can know the form, meaning and use in their communication meaningfully and successfully.
Teaching grammar in the context is related to CLT that put stress on pair work or group work,
students will learn more effectively if participate in communicative activities actively about what
are learning.
3 INNOVATION METHODOLOGY
3.1 Participants
The action research was carried out with 20 sophomore students of one class at HUFI, aged from
18 to 24. The percentage of females and males in these classes was 65% and 35% respectively.
The classes focused on using grammatical structures in four skills (listening, speaking, reading
and writing) and the students took four - period sessions one week. The current textbooks are Life
series.
3.2 Project procedure for a case study
The research lasted for a period of 7 weeks from 15th August to 7th November 2017 with 20
students at HUFI. The researcher follows the scheme: recognizing problems, suggesting solutions
to improve the situations, conducting the process of adaptation and analysing data for the results
and reflections and then giving conclusion.
3.3 Problem recognition
The researcher recognized the problem of students who are not interested in and get bored with
tough grammar lessons by sitting at one place, listening to teacher's instructions, taking notes,
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doing exercises in textbook one by one, memorizing lessons that de-motivate their learning. On
the contrary, they have positive attitudes towards grammar game activities and they are interested
in joining in different activities, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere, interacting with other students
by using grammatical structures they have learned so that they can remember the lesson better.
Both teachers and students recognized the important roles of grammar in their communicative
language. Teachers, however, seldom used grammar game activities when teaching grammar to
could get a great deal of benefits from playing games, they felt more comfortable, relaxed and
enthusiastic about the lesson, games helped them remember the lesson better, more
confident and active to express their ideas when they joined in the game activities and have
opportunities to practice and obtain grammar structures in communicative games.
3.4 Suggesting solutions to improve the situations
To improve teaching and learning process, the researcher wanted to apply grammar game
activities to innovate the way of teaching grammar switching from traditional and structural
approaches into CLT ones. The innovation with efforts lasted 7 weeks to achieve satisfying
attitudes, feelings, reactions and reflections during the lessons when using grammar games by
having class observation diaries. The questionnaire and interview were then carried out to explore
feedbacks help
clarify the answers of the research.
3.5 Plan of innovation
This innovation research was carried out during 7 weeks. The schedule was below:
Selecting grammar game activities for students to work in cooperative and collaborative learning
such as in pairs, in groups and whole class appropriately and effectively.
Piloting questionnaire and revising structured interview questions.
Preparing the observation scheme: Discussing with colleagues about how to use observation
scheme to supervise stud
Pre-test (20 minutes) (see appendix 1)
The initial student questionnaire (see appendix 2)
Observation stage 1: Sessions 1, 2, 3, 4 (Work in pairs, in groups, asking and answering as
instructed). Grammar games applied (see appendix 5)
Observation stage 2: Sessions 5, 6 , 7, (Work in pairs, in groups, problem-solving task, whole
class activities as instructed)
The follow-up student structured interview (see appendix 3)
Post-test (30 minutes) (see appendix 4)
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Analysing the data, findings, reflections and conclusion.
3.6 Conducting the process
Having identified the problems and prepared a scheme for implementing the innovation, the
researcher carried out the plan as follows:
Step 1:
Pre-test: Having students take a pre-test (see appendix 1) within 20 minutes before the researcher
applied game activities in teaching grammar.
Step 2:
The initial student questionnaire: The questionnaire (see appendix 2) was delivered to students
before implementing the research to get stude
finding out more ways to motivate students to participate in game activities and engage them in
communicative language.
Step 3:
Live observation with observation scheme. Applying game activities (handouts delivery - see
appendix 5) in teaching grammar after teachers present the grammar points and explain the rules
of grammar. The two colleagues, the researcher and two 4th year students helped observe the class
during the game activities. Each person was in charge of one group of 4 students (work in groups)
or two groups of 2 (work in pairs). They had to follow the interaction of students in pairs or in
groups to remark and take notes the pairs or groups practice (turns talking and times talking).
The class observation diaries to apply grammar games in the class: The students at HUFI
seem to be hard-working and to like studying grammar because they acknowledged the
importance of grammar. Before doing innovation, the researcher found that students worked very
hard during the grammar lessons, they looked stressed, got bored and felt sleepy when they
studied grammar by doing exercise one by one without communication, even making separated
sentences not in a context or in real communication. Furthermore, the students often felt
exhausted by the end of each lesson and un-relaxed before going home or going on the next
lessons. However, from the preliminary observations the researcher applied grammar games in
the first session, the class atmosphere changed, the active one dominated the class where students
were eager to take part in game activities and to use the grammatical structures they have learned
in playing games. Most students joined in the activities enthusiastically; they had chances to use
the target language for authentic communication with their friends. Then the researcher kept on
using game activities in teaching grammar to engage students in teaching for next sessions. The
researcher followed the observations, took notes for findings; analysis and assessment of
Step 4:
Follow-up student structured interview questions: Individual interview questions (see
appendix 3) were carried out with 12 deliberately selected students who showed their feelings and
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reactions during participation. The interview was done by the researcher and tape recorded (video
clip) to assure the objectivity of the research.
Step 5:
After having applied game activities in teaching grammar to stimulate students in teaching
grammar during 7 weeks, the researcher gave students the post-test (see appendix 4) within 30
minutes so that the researcher can assess their progress after they studied grammar through game
activities in their communicative language skills.
4 DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
The researcher followed and observed during the improvement for collecting data, she realized
some positive and negative changes in the process.
The results of pre-test (see table 5): The result of the class was not satisfying. One student got 8
marks, two students got 7 marks, twelve students got 5-6 marks, five students got 3-4 marks.
Most of students use wrong English tenses in the context and do not remember the grammatical
rules.
The results of the initial student questionnaire (see appendix 2A). Twenty students agreed that
they like to study grammar by joining in different activities, interacting with other students that
help them become more active and confident. Twenty students did not like sitting at one place,
listening to teacher's instruction, taking note, doing exercises in textbook one by one, memorizing
lessons because they got bored, tired, stressed and felt sleepy. They could not engage in their
communicative language. Their responses showed that they are eager to join in game activities.
From t
and five groups of 4 they watched students carefully during their interactions and the data were
analysed and found the following results.
In the 2nd observation stage 1: Students had the handouts and worked in pairs within 10 minutes
to finish the game activity. Ten groups of 2 took park in the activity enthusiastically and
comfortably. They take turns to ask and answer the questions actively and express their ideas.
Pairs 9 and 10 did rather well, they talked 29 and 28 times within 10 minutes while pair 6 talked
only 17 times and did not finish the task with the same amount of time as their friends. (See table
1).
In the 3th observation stage 2: Students work in groups with the handouts within 15 minutes to
finish the game activity or solve the task. Five groups showed their interests in the activity, they
were not anxious in speaking. Groups 1 and 3 had 32 talking turns. They helped one another to
encourage shier students to take part in the activity. (See table 2).
In the 4th observation stage 3: Students had the handouts and worked in pairs within 10 minutes
to solve the task. The teacher changed the partners so that students can work with new partners.
Ten groups of 2 participated in the activity and tried to use target language in the context of the
game. They made a great progress in real communication, they increased their talking turns. They
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talked more than they did in last observation. The pair 8 had 37 talking times within 10 minutes
and pair 2 had 35 times in communicative practice. However, the pair 6 did nor abuse the time for
their speaking, they only did 23 turns and they wasted their time. (See table 3)
In the 5th observation stage 4: Students had the handouts and worked in groups in 15 minutes to
complete the game activity and achieve their target language to solve the task. Five groups of 4
were eager to join in the activity; they did their best to apply what they have studied in real
communication. The 1st group did very well and had 38 talking times, however, there are 2
groups did not finish the task and the talking time was under 10 minutes. (See table 4)
Whole class activity observation: Students joined in the whole class activity actively. Once
asked to stand up and made two circles (the big one outside and small one inside), or made two
lines for practice, they were keen on applying grammatical points to express their ideas in their
communication with friends to solve the task that teacher gave. Besides they could use their
language in real context or real life meaningfully.
Results from the interview (Appendix 3 A) (Tape recorded watch video clip): Twelve students
agreed to apply game activities in grammar class because they enjoy very much. Ten of them
want to play games every grammar lesson about 10 or 15 minutes. Twelve of them were
motivated in learning; felt relaxed and confident to practice language in their communication.
Moreover, they realized that game activities are not only useful for practicing grammatical points
but for improving vocabulary and other skills. Those are the reasons why they want to have
grammar games in the class. To evaluate the results of innovation, the researcher want to check
-test after a period of experimental time.
Results of post-test: The result of the post-test was quite better. Two students got 9 marks, three
students got 8, six students got 7 marks, four students got 6 marks, four students got 5 marks, one
student got 4 marks, no student got 3 anymore. Most of students have known how to use
structures and they improved their scores. It is proved that they make a good progress in their
learning. (See table 5)
In short, the researcher assumes that teachers might determine the effect of games on their
attitudes in language classroom (Tutor, 2001) that helps her apply new techniques in teaching suit
less of what games and how grammar games used were helpful
more or less in learning and teaching. Using grammar games is the best way of reviewing the
language point students have learned, of helping students remember grammar better, of
creating opportunities to practice English in active learning environment. In fact, students
made good progress and improved their communicative language in speaking, listening,
reading and writing. Grammar game using, however, brings about both positive and negative
features. Then there are some problems should be considered when using them.
Using grammar games can create problems for both students and teachers.
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First, students do not have enough vocabulary to express their ideas in communication. Thus,
teacher should provide vocabulary related to the game activities so that students can use language
in the interactions.
Second, game activities cannot be successful if the instructions of games are not clear enough and
make students get embarrassed because they did not know how the games went and what
procedures they had to follow. The teacher should give short and clear instructions and model the
games so that students can understand what to do and how to play well.
Third, there is not enough room to rearrange desks for students to sit or to move around in the
class for practice and teacher cannot move around to control students. This depends on the
conditions and situations that teacher should be flexible to organize the class properly and have
good class management. The teacher should ask students to work in pairs with partners next to
them to avoid noise and disruption. In groups, students have to move their desks to form groups.
Fourth, using games in the classroom sometimes fails due to the lack of cooperation among
members of the class. Grammar games require all students' involvement and they promote
sue is that
students usually speak in their mother tongue to discuss instead of the language they are learning.
Fifth, they made a great deal of mistakes in pronunciation; they have not obtained the accuracy
and fluency as expected. That helps teachers re
Last problem is noise making. Some game activities will bring about excitement, noises and
using mother tongue, teacher should have a good class management and arrange students in the
right positions in pair-work or group-work (Watcyn-Jones, 1995, p.1) to control the activity
and limit noises and make sure that students use the target language not the mother tongue to
complete the communicative task. The teacher does not forget to give the specific time and set a
rule for the players, players break the rules or use mother tongue (Vietnamese) are punished.
Otherwise, players do well or are winners will get awards, competition can help motivate
students. Besides the teachers should move around, remind them to try to use more English,
participation.)
5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This innovation carried out in the small scale by observations in one class at HUFI as an
experimental unit and results of observation showed students have made good progress in their
learning and engaged in communicative language so far. Some students, however, have not made
much good progress; they need to improve their communicative language skills more and are
more motivated in learning. That is the aim of the researcher.
Though there are limitations and difficulties in this innovation, the researcher did her best to
from the innovation -
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thing, for though you think you know it you have no certain
B.C.E, cited in Roger 1983:163).
In order for game activities to be carried out successfully, teachers should consider some factors
when using games that were not deeply researched in the study such as good preparation of
games and clear instructions, length of games, classroom management, correction that contribute
to the success of using grammar games (Carrier, 1980). The competition, challenge, scoring,
award and punishment can be made so that students try harder (Nixon and Tomlinson, 2003,
p.10). In addition, the teacher's role in most games is as monitor, moves around and gives help
when needed. Teacher should not interrupt or correct immediately and spoils the atmosphere.
Teachers can refer some books about Grammar
Peter Watcyn-
from elementary to advanced levels that help teachers have the best choice of game activities
for students in each class. . By the way, teachers can visit the useful websites to download
various kinds of useful grammar game activities.
The researcher had applied this innovation to the second class at HUFI and she realized that game
activities could be used for other classes in teaching grammar to engage students in
communicative language. Hopefully, other teachers can suggest more new techniques in teaching
grammar to help students improve their learning and communicative language.
REFERENCES
[1] Carrier, M. & The Center for British teachers.(1980). Games and Activities for the
Language Learners. Edinburgh: Nelson.
[2] Hadfield, J. (1984). Elementary Communication Game. England: Longman.
[3] Hadfield, J. (1987). Advanced Communication Games. England: Longman.
[4] Hadfield, J. (1996). Intermediate Communication Games.England: Longman.
[5] -Approach Methodology and Social
Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[6] John Hughes Helen Stephenson Paul Dummett. Lifeseries . -
A2. Vietnam Edition.
[7] Lee, W.R. (2000). Language Teaching Games and Contests (2nd ed). Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
[8] Makee, N. (1997). Issues and Definition. In Managing Curricular Innovation. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
[9] Nixon, C. & Tomlinson, M. (2003). Primary Grammar Box: Grammar Games and
Activities for Young Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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[10] Nunan, D. (2010). Teaching grammar in context. The internet ELT Journal, Volumn 52,
Issue 2, April 1998, p. 101-109. Retrieved August 9, 2010 from
http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content
[11] Rogers, E.M. (1983). The diffusion of innovation. London and New York: Free Press.
[12] Thornbury, S. (1999). How to Teach Grammar. England: Longman.
[13] Tutor, I. (2001). Exploiting Local Dynamics. In The Dynamics of the Language Classroom.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[14] Watcyn-Jones, P. (1995). Grammar Games and Activities for Teachers. Penguin Books.
[15] White, R. V. (1988). Language Curriculum Design: Process and Management. In The ELT
Curriculum: Design, Innovation and Management. Oxford: Blackwell.