SUPPORTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

Prepared by: Imangalieva Zhanerke Zhanatkyzy

Group: Sht 220904

Specialty: 01140600 "Pegagogy and methodology of teaching language and literature in basic secondary education"

Qualification: 4S01140605 "English language teacher”

Research supervisor: Orazalinova Asel Kayrtaevna

Semey 2026

CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION…………………………….………………….………………….3

1 EDUCATION GAME FOR ENGLISH LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL..5

1.1. The Concept and Functions of Games………..…………………………………..5

1.2 Vocabulary Games………………………………………………………………..7

1.3 Grammar Games…………………………………………………………………..8

1.4 Phonetic Games…………………………………………………………………..9

1.5 Spelling Games………………………………………………………………….10

1.6 The Features and Importance of Games in Primary School Lessons……….…..14

2 PRACTICAL APPLICATION…………………………………………………16

2.1 Game Methodology…..…………………………………………………………16

2.2 Practical application of the game in English lessons……………………………17

CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………. 22

LIST OF REFERENCES ………………………………………………………… 24
APPENDIX …………………………………………………………………………25

INTRODUCTION

Relevance.The expansion of international relations and the internationalization of all spheres of social, political, and economic life have made foreign languages ​​truly in demand and, therefore, more widely used. Nowadays, teaching foreign languages ​​in elementary grades is commonplace. The question of choosing a teaching method arises.

The purpose of the study.Develop and test a set of presentations with educational games for English lessons in elementary school.

Research Tasks:

1)Conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature on established play theory and its practical application in language education settings;

2)Design and implement a carefully structured series of innovative play-based English learning activities;

3)Rigorously assess the overall impact of these activities on learners' language skills through a combination of robust quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies;

4)Conduct detailed analysis of the collected data to identify significant patterns and demonstrable correlations between play-based learning approaches and quantifiable language acquisition outcomes.

Objective: The educational process in English lessons in elementary school.

Practical Significance of the Research.The findings from this research will yield significant practical implications applicable to English language educators, curriculum developers, and educational policy makers. By providing evidence-based strategies for effectively incorporating play into language education frameworks, this study will greatly empower educators to create highly engaging and demonstrably effective learning environments. The research will also actively inform the ongoing development of groundbreaking teaching materials and resources that leverage the underlying power of play to substantially enhance overall English language proficiency levels.

The structure of the course work: the term paper consists of an introduction, the main part, the practice and final part and references.

1 EDUCATION GAME FOR ENGLISH LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

1.1. The Concept and Functions of Games

Play, as one of the most astonishing phenomena of human life, has attracted the attention of philosophers and researchers of all eras. Plato already considered play one of the most useful activities, and Aristotle saw it as a source of emotional balance and harmony between body and soul.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, interest in the study of play has resurfaced. A number of researchers (W. McDougall, G. Murphy, F.Ya. Bentendeych) have advanced the thesis that play is a kind of "social instinct" inherent in every person. Proponents of the cultural studies approach to play (for example, I. Huizinga) believe that play enriches life, complements it, and is therefore vital for every person.

According to M.F. Stronin, "play is a type of activity in situations aimed at recreating and assimilating social experience, in which self-control of behavior is developed and improved." [4, p. 14]. Calling play "the arithmetic of social relations," Elkonin interprets play as an activity that emerges at a certain stage, as one of the leading forms of development of mental functions and a child's means of understanding the adult world.

The outstanding innovative educator A.S. Makarenko believed that play ensures the high effectiveness of any activity and, at the same time, promotes the harmonious development of the individual, since "good play" necessarily involves effort (physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual), brings joy (the joy of creativity, the joy of victory, or aesthetic joy), and, furthermore, imposes responsibility on its participants.

Play is a form of social practice, an effective reproduction of life phenomena outside of a real practical setting. It always operates in two temporal dimensions: the present and the future, providing momentary joy and also serving to satisfy the individual's pressing, urgent needs. It models life situations, consolidates the properties, qualities, states, skills, and abilities necessary for an individual to perform social, professional, and creative functions.

Games help make lessons more interesting and engaging. Playful activities in a foreign language lesson not only organize the process of communication in the language but also bring it as close as possible to natural communication. Play develops mental and volitional activity. Being a complex yet engaging activity, it requires concentration, trains memory, and develops speech. A.S. Makarenko wrote: "A child has a passion for play, and it must be satisfied." Students imitate in games what they approach with full attention and what is accessible to them. According to scientists, play is a form of developmental, social activity, a form of social experience. Play, an indirect means of connecting a child with the surrounding world, is a unique school of emotions, a crucial tool for shaping children's emotional and cognitive worlds. [2, p. 45]

The educational potential of using playful methods has long been known. Many scientists studying foreign language teaching methods have rightly drawn attention to the effectiveness of playful methods. This is explained by the fact that play reveals the fullest and sometimes unexpected potential of any person, especially children. J. Huizinga noted that human culture arose and develops in play, as play.

Play activities in the learning process serve the following functions:

1) The educational function involves developing memory, attention, and information retrieval, developing general academic skills, and also contributes to the development of foreign language proficiency.

2) The educational function involves cultivating such qualities as an attentive and humane attitude toward one's play partner; a sense of mutual assistance and support is also developed. Students are introduced to clichéd phrases of speech etiquette to improvise verbal communication with one another in a foreign language, which helps develop such qualities as politeness.

3) The entertaining function involves creating a favorable atmosphere in the lesson, transforming it into an interesting and unusual event, a captivating adventure, and sometimes even a fairytale world.

4) The communicative function involves creating an atmosphere of foreign language communication, uniting the student body, and establishing new emotional and communicative relationships based on interaction in a foreign language.

5) The relaxation function involves relieving emotional tension caused by the stress on the nervous system during intensive foreign language learning.

6) The psychological function involves developing skills to prepare one's physiological state for more effective performance, as well as restructuring the psyche to absorb large volumes of information.

7) Motivational and incentive learning motivates and stimulates educational and developmental activities: it has a positive impact on the student's personality, broadens their horizons, develops thinking, creativity, etc. [4, p. 17].

The place and role of the game method in the educational process, and the combination of game and learning elements, largely depends on the teacher's understanding of the functions of games.

Games are an active way to achieve many educational goals.

For example:

- to reinforce the material just covered;

- a game is a very successful way to review what has been covered;

- a game is an excellent way to motivate students, getting them to work actively in the lesson when they have to do less enjoyable things;

- a game is a way to change activities after a difficult oral exercise or other tiring activity;

- a game is an ideal opportunity to relax;

- games help relieve tension, especially if the element of competition is excluded or minimized. A shy or weak student will feel more confident and participate more actively if the goal is simply to have fun, rather than to count points and win. While a competitive element often adds excitement and increases activity, it also creates significant psychological pressure on students, making them afraid of failing at a task, which can lead shy and underperforming students to withdraw from the game.

- Fast, spontaneous play increases attention, energizes, and improves comprehension.

- Games allow teachers to correct students' mistakes quickly, as they go along, preventing them from becoming deeply ingrained in their memory.

- Games promote deep and lasting memory. Students tend to remember things they enjoyed doing.

- Games make the learning process, sometimes difficult and tedious, fun, which increases motivation to learn.

- Students are very active during games because no one wants a fun time to end because of them, so games force them to compete.

1.2 Vocabulary Games

Learning vocabulary is a crucial aspect of foreign language learning at school. The volume of vocabulary introduced gradually increases, and learning new words often becomes boring, making it difficult for students to remember them. Methodologists inextricably link vocabulary teaching with the use of visual aids. This principle is crucial in game-based learning.

Goals of vocabulary games:

- introduce students to new words and their combinations;

- train students in using vocabulary in situations similar to natural ones;

- stimulate students' verbal and intellectual activity;

- develop verbal responses

When teaching vocabulary, it is advisable to use flashcard games, riddles, crosswords, chainwords, and games like "Find the Word" and "Find the Proverb." Games like "Auction" and "Duel" are very common.

1) Alphabetical Order (A word puzzle.)

If you arrange the letters of any word in alphabetical order, it will seem quite strange. You can organize a game this way, for example:

1. A B L E T (You eat at it.)

2. A C H I R (You sit on it.)

3. E F I R (You make it when you're at camp and you're cold.)

4. A L M P (You switch it on when it's dark.)

ANSWERS: 1. table; 2. chair; 3. fire; 4. lamp.

2) "Five Words."

Game Procedure: While a student from one team counts to five, a representative of the other team must name five words on the given topic. A participant who fails to complete the task is eliminated from the game.

3) "Colors"

Game Procedure: The task is to name objects of the same color. The team that can name the most objects, animals, etc. of the same color wins. 4) "More Words"

Game Procedure: Two teams are formed. Each team must name as many words as possible starting with a given letter. The team that names the most words wins.

5) "Guess the Name"

Game Procedure: Each student receives a themed drawing. They must examine it and describe what it depicts. The first student to guess the name of the drawing receives the next one and performs the same task. The one who guesses the most names wins.

1.3 Grammar Games

Games that simultaneously promote speech development are an effective way to develop grammar skills. Younger school-age children think concretely and rely on visual images and concepts. To understand boring grammar rules, they need a real object or its image—this helps make the learning process more engaging and emotionally charged.

Grammar games have the following goals:

- to teach students how to use speech patterns containing specific grammatical difficulties;

- to create a natural situation for using a given speech pattern;

- to develop students' speech activity and independence.

1) "Bingo."

Goal: To reinforce the acquisition of irregular verbs.

Game Procedure: Draw a square and divide it into nine parts. A list of the verbs they have learned is provided. Students select any nine and fill in the cells of the table with verbs of the second (third) form. The teacher names verbs in their first form. Students find the corresponding second form of the verb on their card and cross it out. The winner is the one who crosses out all the verbs first. The winner names all the verbs on their card in first and second forms.

2) Hide – and – Seek in the Picture.

Objective: Practice using prepositions of place.

A large picture of a room is required. The leader (one of the students) "hides" somewhere in the picture, writes down where they are hiding on a piece of paper, and gives it to the teacher. The children, asking the leader general questions, "look for" them in the picture.

Are you under the bed?

Are you behind the door?

Are you on the chair?

Are you in the box?

3) HAVE YOU …

Objective: Practice using general questions with the verb "to have." Toys are laid out on the teacher's desk. Students are asked to look at them and remember them. You can review all the names in English with the students first. Then the students turn away, and the leader takes a toy from the table and hides it behind their back. The remaining toys are covered with newspaper. The students ask the leader questions: "Have you a cat?" "Have you a dog?" and so on, until one student guesses the hidden toy. That student then takes the role of leader.

4) Room Fight.

This is a grammar game for practicing structure. Two people play.

Each participant draws a plan of their own room (they shouldn't see each other's drawings) and a blank square representing their partner's room, which will be filled with "furniture" during the game. The names and quantities of objects in the rooms are agreed upon in advance. They then take turns asking each other questions, trying to figure out the layout of the furniture in their partner's room.

For example: Is there a table in the middle of the room? Is there a TV set in the left corner?

If the answer is yes, the person asking the question draws the corresponding drawings in the blank square and asks the next question.

If the answer is no, they lose the right to ask questions and answer their partner's questions. The winner is the first person to guess the layout of the furniture in their partner's room and fill in the blank square.

1.4 Phonetic Games

Phonetic games have the following goals:

- developing phonemic awareness skills;

- pronunciation of coherent statements or texts;

- establishing adequate sound-letter correspondences.

However, developing these skills is impossible without knowledge of the alphabet. To develop phonetic skills and improve phonemic awareness, the game "Name the Word" is used. During the game, the teacher throws a ball to the students one by one, naming a sound. Participants return the ball, naming a word with that sound. [6, pp. 71-73]

Phonetic games include riddle games, imitation games, competitive games, games with objects, and games for attentiveness. The following games are useful for developing pronunciation:

1) Name the Word (object game)

The leader throws a ball to the participants one by one, naming a sound. Participants return the ball, naming a word in which that sound is heard. For example: fat, map, cap.

2) Tongue Twister (imitation game)

Students try to recite a tongue twister, phrase, or rhyme with a specific sound after the teacher. For example:

A black cat sat on a mat and ate a fat rat.

3) A Nice Telephone (competition game)

A large telephone is drawn on the board. The disk has letters instead of numbers. The players' goal is to type as many words as possible and pronounce them within a certain time.

4) Alphabet Dash (Letter - Words)

The class is divided into two teams. Each player is given a card with a number. The teacher calls out a number and a letter, and the student with the card with that number must name as many words as possible beginning with that letter in 20 seconds. Their team receives a point for each correct word (the game can be played with restrictions: verbs and proper names are not allowed, etc.)

5) "Choose a Word" (development of phonemic awareness).

Students must choose from pictures of various objects those whose names contain a given sound.

Example: The teacher pronounces the sound [æ] and the students choose a picture of an apple. This game can be used as a competition. You can narrow the task by asking them to name or find words in which the desired sound is at the beginning, end, or middle.

6) "Rhyme Game" (development of phonemic awareness).

Students must name rhymes for words suggested by the teacher.

Example: bear - hear; hat - cat; box - fox.

1.5 Spelling Games

The purpose of these games is to practice spelling foreign words. Some games are designed to train students' memory, while others are based on certain spelling patterns. Most games can be used when checking homework.

Games such as "Silent Dictation" and "Memory Dictation" are effective in foreign language lessons.

"Silent Dictation" can be conducted in two ways:

- The teacher shows pictures, and the children know the words that represent them. The children look at each picture for 10-15 seconds. Then, the students write the words in their notebooks.

- Children are shown words written in large letters on flashcards. They must memorize the words within 5-10 seconds. Then the cards are removed, and the children write the words from memory. Both types of dictations are good because they relieve stress, turning the dictation into an engaging game, thereby creating a "situation of success." Even weak students can have a good visual memory and therefore perform well in dictation. [4, p. 112].

1) "Duty Letter."

Objective: Developing the skill of recognizing the place of a letter in a word.

Game Procedure: Students are given cards and asked to write as many words as possible in which the indicated letter appears in a specific position. The task time is limited (3-5 minutes).

2) "Insert the Letter."

Objective: Testing spelling knowledge within the vocabulary covered.

Game Procedure: Two teams are formed. The board is divided into two parts. Words are written for each team, each with a missing letter. Team representatives take turns coming to the board, inserting the missing letter, and reading the word.

3) "Picture."

Objective: To test spelling comprehension of the vocabulary covered.

Game Procedure: Each participant receives a picture depicting objects, animals, etc. Team representatives come to the board, which is divided into two parts, and write words corresponding to the objects depicted in the picture. After the student has written the word, they must read it and show their picture.

4) "Who Has More?"

Objective: To test spelling mastery of the vocabulary covered.

Game Procedure: Two teams are formed. Each team must write down as many words as possible on the following topics: name of a sport; animals; colors, etc.

5) "Word Division."

Objective: To develop spelling skills.

Game Procedure: To create all possible words from the letters of a given word. Players are given a certain amount of time (3-5 minutes). The results are then compared. The winner is the one with the most words not found in the other players' vocabulary.

Example: ELEPHANT

pen hen plan plate pet pan hat plane.

6) Tables, crosswords, puzzles.

The simplest type of task is a table of letters in which you must circle (highlight) words. Example:

M D H E N hen goose

O O O S E goat

W G O A T cat

C A T E J dog

It is well known that speech is one of the most important means of communication. The mechanisms of speaking and listening are closely linked, sometimes even overlapping. Therefore, it is impossible to teach listening without speaking, and speaking without listening. Listening instruction should include:

- developing the mechanisms of speech hearing, memory, and probabilistic forecasting;

- students listening to authentic foreign speech at a certain pace;

- learning conversational clichés and common phrases;

- extensive use of visual and other supports during listening.

Teaching listening through games is most effective, as it stimulates mental activity, makes the learning process more engaging and interesting, and helps overcome difficulties that arise during learning with greater success and ease. The simplest games for beginners in listening are "Repeat" or "Echo." For example:

- I have caught a cold.

- May I give you some fruit pie?

- Please pass me the bread, Auntie.

- When were you born?

The winner is the one who doesn't make a single mistake. An additional task in this game could be to determine which phrase is a question and which is a statement.

1) Happy Artists

A student, with their eyes closed, draws an animal. The leader names the main parts of the animal's body:

Draw a head, please.

Draw a body, please.

Draw a tail, please.

If the drawing is successful, the team receives five points.

2) Clap Your Hands

Members of both teams stand in a circle. The leader stands in the center of the circle. They alternate between naming domestic and wild animals. When the children hear the name of a wild animal, they clap once; when they hear the name of a domestic animal, they clap twice. Anyone who makes a mistake is eliminated. The team with the most players remaining is the winner.

3) Make a Photofit

The class is divided into three teams, each representing a police department. Three leaders are selected. They go to the police station with a request to find a missing friend or relative. The presenter describes their appearance, and the children make corresponding drawings. If the drawing matches the description, the missing person is considered to have been found.

Presenter: I can't find my sister. She is ten. She is a schoolgirl. She is not tall. Her hair is dark. Her eyes are blue. She has a red coat and a white hat on.

4) Riddle Games

Teacher: I have good friends. These are special friends. They come to us from fairy tales. You know them too, but can you guess who I'm talking about?

- I have a friend. Ne is a small boy. He can't read, write, and count, but not well. He can run, jump, and play. He can't draw, and he can't swim. /Dunno/.

- I have a friend. Ne is a big fat boy. He can't read and write, but he can run, sing, dance, and play. He can fly! /Carlson/

- I have a friend. He is not a boy. He is not a girl. He is green. He can swim. He cannot jump and he cannot fly. /Crocodile Gena/.

Communication Games

These games help achieve the following objectives:

- teach students to express thoughts in a logical sequence;

- teach students verbal responses during communication;

- develop compensatory skills (the ability to overcome a difficult situation with a lack of linguistic resources by using synonyms, paraphrases, etc.).

1) The Main Character

The leader announces the hero or heroine of the story. Students try to guess who they are by asking general questions. For example, the leader announces:

"I am the main character in the story."

The players ask questions:

"Are you a boy?"

"Do you live in England?" etc.

It is recommended to determine the number of questions in advance (e.g., 20). If, after asking 20 questions, the students have not guessed the name of the character the leader has in mind, the leader is considered the winner. If one of the students guesses the character's name, they take the leader's place. 2) Searching for Mr. X. Topic: Address, Numbers, Occupation, Nationality. Rules: Each player is given a card with the following words:

Name:

Address:

Telephone Number:

Occupation:

Marital Status:

Nationality:

Each card has only one field filled in, such as address, last name, or first name.

The goal is to fill in all the information on the card. To do this, each participant asks one question to each of the other students, receives their answers, and fills in the missing information. Thus, each participant knows only one field about Mr. X. Accordingly, each student can only give one answer to their interlocutor's question. As a result, each student's card will look like this:

Name: John Fisher

Address: 15 Park Road, Exeter

Telephone Number: 6453210

Occupation: Bus Driver

Marital Status: Married

Nationality: Australian

3) Pair Work Game.

Rules: Work in pairs. Each of the two students is given pictures of a kitchen (picture A and picture B). The goal is to determine whose picture shows the most different items. To find out, participants A and B should ask each other:

How many teapots, pans, knives, spoons, cups, sausers, etc., are there in the kitchen?

Each participant counts, and then both participants A and B determine how many items each has and which ones are in the kitchen.

Examples of communication games include "Navigation in the City," "At the Store," "Hobbies and Interests," "Invitation to the Theater, Cinema, or for a Walk," etc.

1.6 The Features and Importance of Games in Primary School Lessons

"Without play, there is not, and cannot be, full-fledged mental development. Play is a huge, bright window through which a life-giving stream of ideas and concepts flows into a child's spiritual world. Play is the spark that ignites the flame of inquisitiveness and curiosity" (V.A. Sukhomlinsky, p. 154).

A.S. Makarenko's statement is also fundamental to the work of a teacher: "Play is essential in a child's life, having the same significance as activity, work, and service have for an adult. As a child is at play, so, in many ways, will he be at work when he grows up." [9]

Play is a traditional, recognized method of teaching and upbringing. It is a unique means of non-violent learning for children. Play corresponds to a child's natural needs and desires, and therefore, with its help, he will learn with pleasure.

Many teachers note the great potential of play as a means of teaching English. Play is a powerful tool for teachers, activating all of students' cognitive processes: attention, memory, thinking, and creativity are developed, making the learning process engaging and interesting. It is a powerful stimulus for language acquisition.

It's no secret that play can solve many problems in foreign language teaching, as it is the leading activity at any stage of learning. The specific nature of this stage is that it is precisely in primary school students that the necessary skills and abilities are developed, thinking patterns are developed, and the prerequisites for independent orientation in learning and in everyday life in general are established. How else can all of this be developed and nurtured if not through play? [7, p. 25]

Psychologist V.S. Mukhina, in her study on the impact of play on a child's overall mental development, notes that play contributes to the mental development of primary school students.

Play techniques significantly facilitate the learning process and help students more easily grasp the lesson topic, developing skills in all types of speech activity. By following the rules of the game, students master basic learning activities.

In the game, children learn to coordinate their actions in a group setting and act according to predetermined rules. Students develop social competence: younger students establish and maintain communication with their peers during the game, collaborate, and the games become richer and more complex. The irga facilitates several lesson objectives:

- the opportunity to repeatedly review language material;

- training students in selecting the appropriate speech component. [6, p. 71]

The unique feature of play, as M.N. Skatkin aptly noted, is that "learning objectives are not explicitly presented to the child, but are disguised. While playing, the child does not pose a learning objective, but as a result of the game, they learn something."[9]

Many outstanding educators have rightly noted the great potential of games as a learning tool in the educational process. Game-based learning fosters a favorable psychological climate in the classroom and activates student activity [2, p. 16].

A distinctive feature of the game-based method is that everyone is equal in the game. It is within the capabilities of virtually every student, even those with insufficient language skills. Moreover, a student with weak language skills can become the leader in the game, as resourcefulness and ingenuity are sometimes more important than subject knowledge. A sense of equality, an atmosphere of excitement and joy, and a sense of mastery over the tasks—all this enables students to overcome shyness, which prevents them from freely using words in a foreign language, reduces the fear of making mistakes, and has a positive impact on learning outcomes. Language material is absorbed imperceptibly, and with it a sense of satisfaction arises; the student can now speak on par with everyone else. [4, p. 26-27]

The mental effort, the process of overcoming difficulties, and achieving the goal of the game bring students great satisfaction. Anticipating the joy of the game, the children eagerly anticipate the foreign language lesson. Having developed an interest in learning this subject, the student, as if by inertia, continues to engage with it enthusiastically in subsequent lessons, even without the game. However, if this attraction is not periodically nurtured, experience shows that interest in the language gradually begins to wane again.

If excessive interest in the game itself is demonstrated, the game risks becoming an end in itself, a mere game. Teachers should avoid overly enthusiastic use of gaming technologies. They must be combined with a wide variety of work forms and techniques.

Play serves as a means of enhancing the effectiveness of a lesson only when it is pedagogically and methodologically focused. It's necessary to gradually introduce new types and kinds of games, modifying and complicating their content. [3, pp. 6-8]

It's also important to note that play brings people together. It facilitates mutual communication among all participants, which, in turn, promotes team building and the development of interpersonal relationships within it. [7, p. 78].

The energetic pace of play teaches students to think quickly, exercises their linguistic memory, and promotes the development of speech tempo. By playing games in foreign language lessons, students practice speech activity, which, thanks to this, becomes automated within certain and constantly expanding limits. [3, p. 6-8]

2 PRACTICAL APPLICATION

2.1 Game Methodology

The placement of the game in the lesson and the time allocated to it depend on a number of factors: the students' preparation, the material being covered, and the specific goals and conditions of the lesson. It is important that the activity brings positive emotions and benefits, and also serves as an effective stimulus when children's interest and motivation for learning a foreign language begins to wane. [3, p. 4]

Each game necessarily consists of several stages:

- preparatory (selecting a topic, clarifying the game's objectives);

- game execution (the teacher acts as an active observer);

- game monitoring (assessing students, taking into account any mistakes made).

All games are divided into two types: group (cooperative games) and competitive games.

When teaching a foreign language, games should be introduced from the very first lessons. For example, when teaching counting, various "counting rhymes" can be used, i.e., Children don't simply memorize them, but use them to assign roles in a subsequent active game, used, for example, as a physical education break.

Games are best used in the middle or end of a lesson to relieve tension. It's important that games bring positive emotions and benefits, and also serve as an effective stimulus when children's interest or motivation for learning a foreign language begins to wane.

When working with preschool- or primary school-aged children, toys can be used both to introduce new vocabulary and reinforce it, as well as to practice certain grammatical structures. [6, p. 72]

The use of games makes the educational process more educational and effective. G.A. Kitaygorodskaya notes the need to "create those situational twists and turns in which the student is forced to activate their creative abilities, mobilize their attention, and spur their memory under the influence of the emotional experience of events." To create such situations in the classroom, the teacher must adhere to three principles: creating a linguistic environment, constant monitoring, and a situation of success. A situation of success is a very important factor in stimulating communication in the classroom. [2, p. 45]

All game functions are realized only with the proper selection and organization of games by the teacher. All games must be conducted methodically correctly. To achieve this, it is necessary:

1. Repeat the same game several times (by substituting new vocabulary units).

2. Initiate a new game with the teacher (as the leader), and then transfer this role to a well-prepared student.

3. Make the game competitive in nature to maximize the game's effectiveness.

4. Provide players with various colorful accessories, objects, and aids.

5. Use special vocabulary that will help the teacher conduct the game in a foreign language.

6. Error correction is extremely important in educational games. It is desirable that this also be done in the form of a game, such as "playing forfeits," "recording points," etc.

7. Do not rush the child in completing tasks.

8. Praise successes, and encourage the child in case of failure. [3, p. 8]

2.2 Practical application of the game in English lessons

As a subject teacher, I consider the use of gaming technologies in the classroom an integral part of my work. I believe that game elements, skillfully integrated into the educational process, can help achieve the primary goal of foreign language teaching in all its components—the development of students' communicative competence. At the same time, to successfully achieve this primary goal, I focus on achieving more specific, but no less important, objectives: 1) creating a "situation of success" for each participant in the game;

2) increasing motivation for learning the subject;

3) ensuring the personal growth of each participant;

4) improving skills and active and friendly interaction with each other;

5) activating the mental, cognitive, and creative spheres of the individual through the use of a foreign language;

6) developing and refining key aspects of foreign language speech activity: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

When incorporating game elements into educational activities, I believe it is advisable to be guided by the following methodological principles:

1) alignment with lesson objectives;

2) learning "in the zone of proximal development";

3) appropriateness to the age characteristics of students;

4) compatibility with other activities in the lesson; 5) appropriateness of the time spent; 6) variability.

In my work, I try to use game techniques in a variety of ways:

1. In different types of lessons:

• lessons developing vocabulary and grammar skills,

• lessons activating vocabulary and grammar material,

• listening lessons,

• home reading lessons,

• combined lessons,

• review and generalization lessons

2. As an independent unit of the educational process, i.e., a game lesson.

3. At different stages of the lesson:

• introductory and motivational,

• review,

• checking homework, • introducing new material,

• reinforcement.

4. During extracurricular activities:

• role-playing – dramatization

The games I incorporate into my lessons can be viewed from various classifications: by the nature of the pedagogical process, by the type of activity, by the nature of the game methodology, by the type of game environment, and by the component aspect (lexical, grammatical, phonetic, spelling, regional studies).

From my own experience, I'll share the games that engage students, both in class and during extracurricular activities.

At the very beginning of learning English in the second grade, while learning the alphabet, you can play a variety of spelling games, for example:

The ABC Games

1. The teacher should have two sets of cards with the letters of the alphabet.

The class is divided into two teams. Each team receives one set of cards. Students line up as far away from the board as possible. When the teacher says a word, say, "pencil," students with the corresponding letters run to the board and spell the word. The team that spells the word first receives points equal to the number of letters in the word. • Another "multifunctional" game is "The Chain of Letters." It can replace physical education or be used at the end of a lesson as a reflection element. Its primary use is in second grade, when learning the alphabet, but it can be used in third and fourth grades to reinforce knowledge. All participants stand in a circle. Students take turns naming one letter of the alphabet. Anyone who makes a mistake or takes too long to recall the correct letter is eliminated from the game, meaning they take their place. The winner is the one who makes no mistakes. In this game, letters can be replaced with numbers and digits, names of seasons, months, days of the week, etc.

• You can also make the task more challenging by naming the letters of the alphabet from A to Z, adding a phrase with a word starting with your letter: "A is for Apple," "B is for Ball," "C is for Cat," etc.

• Another game I use for learning the alphabet: a student starting the game names any letter of the alphabet. The student who receives the ball names the letters that follow until the end of the alphabet. If they complete the task, they are allowed to continue the game.

• Duty Letter. The person on duty names the letter with which all words must begin. Players write as many words as possible. They have 2-3 minutes to complete the task: wall, wish, window... If a word is misspelled, it is not counted and one point is lost.

Using spelling games produces good results, allowing students to master the alphabet, which is essential for further reading instruction.

At the beginning of the lesson, it's a good idea to use phonetic games to develop students' correct articulation of individual English sounds.

For example, a mischievous monkey comes to our English lessons, grimacing and asking the children to repeat after her, which they eagerly do.

"...The monkey smiled broadly, and then she pouted again..." "...The monkey went for a walk in the forest, but it was cold outside, her paws were cold, so she began to breathe on them to warm them up (practicing the [h] sound)..." "...After a walk in the forest, the monkey developed a sore throat. She went to the doctor, but she can't say her name; she can only say m (practicing the [m] sound)..."

Everyone has one of these, or more. The heroes of these tales include Tongue, Miss Chatter, Monkey, and simply magical animals. What these tales have in common is that they are all excellent tools for practicing the pronunciation of difficult sounds. Their undeniable advantages include the ability to tailor the tale to the needs of the class as a whole, taking into account the individual characteristics of the students, and the ability to address current learning needs. Gradually, the role of storyteller can be transferred to those students who are better at pronouncing difficult sounds, incorporating an element of competition.

These tales integrate well with games aimed at improving listening skills, such as the game "Catch the Sound." Students clap when they hear a given sound in the words pronounced by the teacher. If a student makes a mistake, they stand up. The most attentive students remain seated. A variation of this game is used when studying the topic of plural nouns: students must hear and clap their hands when they hear a plural word. At the beginning of English lessons in elementary grades, you can learn tongue twisters or rhymes, accompanying them with movements:

The plane is traveling up in the sky vvv – vvv – vvv.

Moving so fast and ever so high vvv – vvv – vvv.

Over the land and over the sea vvv – vvv – vvv.

But we always come back in time for tea.

Go, my little pony, go! Go! Go! Go!

Go, my little pony, go!

Go! Go! Go!

Gallop, pony, gallop, go!

vvv – vvv – vvv.

Word games have the following goals:

- To practice students' vocabulary use in situations similar to natural ones;

- To stimulate students' verbal and mental activity; - To develop students' verbal responses.

Some games are designed to practice students' use of specific parts of speech, such as numerals and adjectives. Other games correspond to specific themes, such as "Shopping," "Appearance," and "Clothing."

1. The leader draws squares on the board corresponding to the number of letters in the word they are thinking of. Participants take turns asking questions:

Is the letter … in it? Does it have a letter?

If the named letter is in the word they are thinking of, the leader writes it in the corresponding square, and the student who named it gets the right to ask the next question. If the named letter is not in the word, the student who asked the question is eliminated. The game continues with the other students, and the one who names the word they are thinking of wins. 2. The game "Look Sharp" helps review vocabulary. It is played quickly, without pauses. All students participate. The teacher hands one student a ruler and names any word representing a particular part of speech (or related to the same topic). The teacher then quickly passes the ruler to a neighboring student. A student who breaks the rules is eliminated and pays a penalty: usually reciting a poem in English. Examples:

One - two - three - four - five, etc. (Part of speech: numeral).

Red - green - blue - brown - white, etc. (Part of speech: adjective). In another version of "Look Sharp," students answer the teacher's question "What can you see in the ...?" by naming something they can see in the room (on the street, in the park, in a picture). The last student to name an object wins.

Vocabulary skills are practiced through definitions (riddles). Children are given the task of describing an animal (house, body part, toy, fruit, fairytale character) without naming it, either in class or at home. If the assignment is homework, the homework is checked in the following lesson in the form of a riddle contest. The reverse technique is also used, where children guess a word (animal, fairytale character, etc.), and the leader or the opposing team guesses it by asking general questions. Such techniques not only reinforce the vocabulary learned on a given topic but also practice the grammatical structures of affirmative sentences, general questions, and short and long answers.

Thus, when working on the vocabulary "Grocery" and "Clothing," a "store" appears in the classroom.

They go into the store and buy what they need.

P1: Good morning! P1: Good morning!

P2: Good morning! P2: Good morning! What would you like?

P1: ​​Do you have a red blouse? P1: I would like some cheese.

P2: Yes, I have. Here it is. P2: Take it, please.

P1: Thank you very much. P1: Thank you.

P2: Not at all. P2: You are welcome.

P1: Have you a warm scarf?

P2: Sorry, but I haven't.

P1: Goodbye.

P2: Goodbye.

The whole class participates in the game Pack Your Backpack. Students come to the board voluntarily.

Teacher: Let's help Buratino get ready for school.

A student takes the objects from the table and places them in a school bag, naming each object in English:

This is a book. This is a pen (pencil, pencil box).

Then the student briefly describes the object they are taking: This is a book. This is an English book. This is a very nice book.

Seven-Flower Flower

Equipment: daisies with removable, multi-colored petals. The class is divided into three teams. Students take turns naming the color of a petal. If a student is wrong, all the petals are returned and the game starts over.

P1: This is a blue leaf.

P2: This is a red leaf, etc.

Guess the Color

Equipment: Colored flags. First, the teacher acts as the leader, then the student who guessed the color of the flag becomes the leader. The leader chooses a flag and hides it behind their back. The class must guess the color of the hidden flag by asking, "Is it red?" We use the same method to learn letters, numbers, and school supplies.

Make a Bouquet

Equipment: Real or artificial flowers or autumn leaves. Teacher: Each of you has a favorite teacher. Let's make a bouquet for them. We must, however, adhere to one condition: name the color of each flower or leaf correctly, otherwise the bouquet will quickly wilt.

Student: This is a red flower. This is a yellow flower.

Do you know any animals?

Representatives from each team take turns saying the names of animals: a fox, a dog, a monkey, etc.

The last person to name an animal wins. Variations of the game "True/False" (Yes/No) are often used in lessons. For example, in the "Getting to Know Each Other" lesson, the game is "Are You...?" The teacher asks a student, "Are you Yura?" If they are Yura, they answer "Yes," otherwise, "No." We memorize letters, numbers, and sounds in the same way. The teacher names sounds, showing the corresponding transcription symbols, and sometimes makes mistakes. Students must spot the error. This game also helps us memorize new vocabulary and practice grammar structures like "This house is old" and "She is a nice girl." Pantomime

To reinforce vocabulary related to the topic "A Schoolchild's Morning," you can play the game "Pantomime." The leader leaves the classroom, and a group of students stands at the board. Each student uses gestures and facial expressions to mimic one of the actions related to the given topic. Then the teacher says to the leader: "Guess what every student is doing." Examples of the leader's answers: "This boy is doing morning exercises." "That girl is washing her face." "That boy is sleeping." Spelling Games

The purpose of these games is to practice spelling English words. Some games are designed to train students' memory, while others are based on certain patterns in English spelling. Most games can be used for checking homework.

CONCLUSION

Play has a wide variety of functions, which were discussed above. These include educational, communicative, training, developmental, entertaining, relaxing, psychological, and motivational. The teacher's task is to engage the child in educational play, taking into account their age-appropriate characteristics. Using games in English lessons helps overcome the monotony of lessons, which require repeated repetition of speech patterns in conditions as close as possible to real-life classroom communication, with its inherent characteristics: emotion, spontaneity, and purposefulness of verbal influence.A distinctive feature of games in English lessons is that they can vary in duration, span the entire lesson, or combine several activities. Games are an active way to achieve many educational goals and objectives. Games are a driving force for increasing student motivation in learning English. Games are an excellent way to motivate students, get them actively engaged in the lesson, and they are also an ideal way to relax, as they say, while doing their job. Games help relieve tension, especially when there is no element of competition, evaluation, or debriefing. Games promote long-term retention of essential information and correct students' mistakes, preventing them from becoming ingrained in their speech, increasing motivation.

Thus, summing up our practical research, we can state that games, as a means of guaranteeing a positive emotional state, increase the productivity and engagement of teachers and students, as opposed to the monotony of performing specific tasks, which leads to a sleepy classroom atmosphere.

In our opinion, it is desirable to introduce the following principles into school foreign language teaching practices:

- the process of teaching a foreign language in school, and grammar in particular, should include, in addition to traditional, non-traditional teaching methods, which include educational games;

- educational games should take into account the individual psychological characteristics of each student;

- for greater effectiveness, educational games should be introduced gradually (from simple to complex) throughout all periods of foreign language learning;

- the foreign language teacher should experience a communicative need to communicate with a less prepared partner-student and enjoy the results of this communication;

- Self-education in general should be primarily problem-based, active, and game-based, in which each student solves interesting educational communicative and cognitive tasks, i.e., everything is focused on the student as the subject of learning activity.

It should be noted that many aspects of this problem require additional, in-depth, and detailed study. In particular:

- studying the psychological and pedagogical conditions for the optimal use of games;

- the impact of games on various categories of learners;

- developing the student's need for self-education and self-improvement;

- developing methodological recommendations for the use of various types of games;

- creating educational game banks on various topics.

Research has revealed that games possess a characteristic feature called versatility: the use of game techniques can be adapted to various goals and objectives. Game techniques serve multiple functions in a child's development, facilitating the learning process, helping to assimilate material that grows year after year, and unobtrusively developing essential competencies.

LIST OF REFERENCES

1. Anufrieva, R.A. Games as a Means of Developing Interest in the Studied Language // Foreign Languages ​​at School. 2021. - No. 9. - 15-16 p.

2. Grigorieva, M.B., Using Game Techniques in Foreign Language Lessons // Foreign Languages ​​at School. 2019. - No. 10 - 44-49 p.

3. Danilova, G.V. English Language. Grades 5-9: Educational Games in Lessons / compiled by G.V. Danilova. - Volgograd: Teacher, 2019. - 93 p.: ill.

4. Konysheva, A.V. The Game Method in Teaching Foreign Languages ​​/ A. V. Konysheva / - St. Petersburg: KARO, Minsk. Izdatelstvo "Four Quarters", 2019. - 192 pages.

5. Leontiev, L. S. Pedagogical Communication / L. S. Leontiev / - Moscow: Education, 2022 223 pages.

6. Mirzakhanova, M. M., Game-Based Teaching of English to Primary School Children // Foreign Languages ​​at School. 2021. - No. 10. - 70-74 pages.

7. Miftakova, L. N. Games and Game-Based Tasks in Foreign Language Lessons // L. N. Miftakova / Primary School. 2019. - No. 9. - 23-25 ​​pages.

8. Puchkova, Yu. Ya. Games in English Lessons: A Methodological Handbook [Text]/ Yu. Ya. Puchkova. – Moscow: OOO "AST Publishing House", 2019. – 78 pages.

9. Sukhomlinsky, V. A. Sukhomlinsky on Education./ V. A. Sukhomlinsky. - Moscow, 2019. – 334 pages.

APPENDIX

Lexical and Grammar Test

Vocabulary Test

1. Fill in the missing letters in the words. Write the words:

Swe_t, a_ple, c_p, f_ _d, fr_it, so_p, t_sty, p_t_to.

2. Write the odd word out from each word group:

1) drink, eat, vegetable;

2) cookie, egg, sweet, porridge, cup;

3) water, juice, coffee, cheese, tea, milk;

4) banana, potato, apple, orange.

3. Translate into Russian:

1) a glass of juice;

2) make breakfast;

3) He drinks coffee with milk.

4) to eat meat and potato;

5) I like to drink tea without milk.

6) vegetable soup.

4. Finish Billy Bear's story about himself. Use words:

friends, nine, school, honey, write, together

I am Billy. I am _____. I go to the Green _______. I can read and ______. I like to have _____ for breakfast. I have got many ________. We go to school ______.

5. Guess the riddle:

Jim has got a pet. It isn`t big. It is yellow and green. It flies. It can speak. The pet is very smart. It doesn`t like meat, but it likes corn.

1. a rabbit;

2. a monkey;

3. a parrot.

Grammar Check

1. Insert am, is, and are.

1. He and his sister are ______ friends.

2. We are ______ pupils. 3. Ann is nine. 4. I am ______ Thomas. 5. My cat is _________ big and fat.

2. Make sentences from the words:

1) I am seven and was last week.

2) My granny is vegetable soup and likes.

3) I am meat and like potatoes.

3. Ask questions about the answers.

____________________________ Yes, I do. I run in the park. ____________________________ Yes, I do. I go to school. ____________________________ No, I don't. I swim in the morning.

Lexical and Grammar Test2

1. Fill in the missing letters in the words. Write the words:

Fr_it, b_ _thday, m_ _her, st_mp, _nvelope, comp_ter, p_ _zle

2. Underline the words in which the letter combination ea is pronounced as the [e] sound:

meat, bread, speak, head, breakfast, eat

3. Fill in the blanks with am, is, and are.

1) Anna and Nadia ............ friends.

2) Mrs. Brown ............... a teacher.

3) The school ............... big.

4) I ............ Russian.

5) You ............ eight today.

4. Write in English using ordinal numbers:

February 23 ______________________________

March 8 ___________________________________

5. Make sentences from the words

postcard, I, not, do, this, like

like, we, get, to, letters

6. Translate into Russian

I like to listen to music

She must get up at 7 o'clock

I get ten postcards on my birthday

7. Give the correct translation of the word

1. Color 2. Time

a) paper b) color c) a town a) time b) night c) rain

3. Send 4. Question

a) to get b) to read c) to send a) time b) a question c) a joke

5. Answer 6. Street

a) to forget b) to answer c) to wash a) a star b) a town c) a street

8. Make up questions and answer them.

a) What / name / your / is?

b) old / How / you / are?

c) is / birthday / When / your?

9. Read the text. Find sentences that correspond to the content of the text (true) and false ones (false).

Little Mary lives in town. The town is big and nice. Mary is seven. She goes to school. She is a good pupil. She can read well. Mary has many friends. They like to go to the park. The park is nice and green.

a) Mary lives in a little town.

b) Mary is a pupil.

c) She can’t read.

d) Mary likes to go to the park.

e) Mary and her friends don’t like the park.