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The Olympic Games
The Olympic Games "As in the daytime there is no star in the sky warmer and brighter than the sun, likewise there is no competition greater than the Olympic Games." Pindar, Greek lyric poet, 5th century BC Origins The ancient Greeks first had the idea of getting men together every four years to hold and witness sporting events (in those days women did not participate, though they had their own, independent, events). The idea was to have the best athletes from all over Greece gather in one field and compete every four years. All wars and fighting had to stop while the athletes and their supporters came together in the town of Olympia for a few days to compete in a few events, mostly related to warfare (throwing the javelin, running, wrestling, boxing and chariot racing). The first written reference to the Games is 776 BC. They lasted until 389 AD. The idea of having the modern Games was suggested in the mid 19th century but they weren't a world event until ...
New Games are all
Prepositions & Conjunctions Games Adjectives and Nouns followed by prepositions - Fling the teacher game Verbs followed by prepositions - Basketball Game Prepositions game - Football Game Prepositions of place - in, under, on at - Audio memory game Prepositions of time- since, during, in - walk the plank game Conjunctions, if, when, although, in case, unless - Duel Game Prepositions Game - For Elementary to Pre-intermediate Levels - Spin off Game Prepositions of place - in, on, under, behind, in front of, next to Conditionals Games Conditionals Practice - First, Second, and third conditionals- Fling the Teacher Game Conditionals Billionaire Game - First, second, third and zero conditionals practice Games Gerunds (-ing) and Infinitives (to) Games Gerunds and infinitives - ing or to - Duel Game Adjectives and Adverbs Games Adjectives and Opposites - Duel Game Adjectives Hangman Game Adverbs...
Bad reasons for using games in an adult class
Killing time - A good language learning game has a clear purpose and finishes whenever students could more usefully move onto something else. If you think your teacher is making you play games when these two things are not true, for example by making you play a game again when you got a perfect score the first time, then you could ask the school manager/ head teacher if the teachers could clearly explain the reason for each game before you are asked to play it. Learning just like kids - Although adults can learn a lot from how kids naturally pick up a language, the adult brain is very different from a child's one and a class that made children learn the language quickly is not usually one that would work perfectly for adults without some changes. If your teache r seems to be making the assumption that you should learn just like children, then it might be worth asking him or her to explain their language teaching philosophy to you. The teacher just want to try something ne...
Good reasons for using games in an adult class
More drilling/ controlled practice - There is a limit to how many times you can repeat the same grammar or sentence before your brain switches off. With some games, however, it is possible to repeat the same language many more times in interesting ways and so improve your ability to produce next time you have a real conversation in English. Fun and memory - When you are having fun the language that you hear and use is more likely to make an impression on your memory and so be easy to recall in the future. Class spirit - Many classroom games help students to get to know each other and learn to work together. The team spirit this produces improves your motivation to come to class and do your best, and so helps increase your English skills. Knowing when you are doing well - When you are speaking a foreign language it is very difficult to know when you are speaking well and when you are speaking badly. In a game with points it is much clearer when you have done ...