MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VINH UNIVERSITY

TRẦN THỊ NGHĨA

USING GRAMMAR GAMES TO IMPROVE THE 12th
GRADERS’ GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE: AN
ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT A HIGH
SCHOOL IN NGHE AN

MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION

Nghe An – 2018


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VINH UNIVERSITY

TRẦN THỊ NGHĨA

USING GRAMMAR GAMES TO IMPROVE THE 12th
GRADERS’ GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE: AN
ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT A HIGH
SCHOOL IN NGHE AN

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Code: 8140111

MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION

SUPERVISOR: HUỲNH ANH TUẤN, Ph.D.

Nghe An – 2018


STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
I hereby acknowledge that this study is mine. The data and findings discussed
in the thesis are true, used with permission from associates, and have not been
published elsewhere.
Author

Tran Thi Nghia

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ii

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


vii

ABSTRACT

viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1

1.1. Rationale

1

1.2. Aims and objectives of the study

2

1.3. Research questions.

3

1.4. The significance of the study

3

1.5. Scope of the study

3


1.6. Organization of the study

4

CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND
LITERATURE REVIEW

5

2.1. Grammar teaching

5

2.1.1. History of grammar teaching

5

2.1.2. Grammar and methodology

6

2.1.3. Development of grammar methods

6

2.2. Approaches to grammar teaching

8

2.2.1. Deductive approach


8

2.2.2. Inductive approach

9

2.3. Grammatical competence

10

2.3.1. Definition

10

ii


2.3.2. The importance of grammatical competence

11

2.4. Grammar games

12

2.4.1. What is the definition of game?

12


2.4.2. What is the definition of grammar game?

14

2.4.3. Factors affecting the choice of grammar games in improving
high school students’ grammatical competence

14

2.4.4. Advantages and disadvantages of using games

17

2.4.5. The role of using grammar games in improving high school
students’ grammatical competence

18

2.5. Using grammar games in language teaching

19

2.5.1. Classroom organization

19

2.5.2. The role of the teacher

19


2.5.3. The role of the learners

21

2.5.4. How to use grammar games in class successfully

21

2.6. Review of related studies

23

Chapter 3. METHODOLOGY

25

3.1 Research setting

26

3.1.1 An overview of the high school where the research was done

26

3.1.2. The teachers

26

3.1.3. The students


27

3.1.4. The English Language syllabus

27

3.2. The participants of the research

27

3.3. Research design

28

3.4. Research procedures

29

iii


3.4.1. Cycle 1

29

3.4.2. Cycle 2

33

3.4.3. Observation


39

3.4.4 Reflection

39

3.5. Data collection instruments

39

3.5.1. Observation

39

3.5.2 Interview

39

3.5.3 Questionnaire

40

3.5.4 Test

40

3.6. Data collection procedure

42


3.7. Data analysis

43

3.7.1. Research question 1

43

3.7.2. Research question 2

44

3.7.3. Research question 3

45

Chapter 4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

46

4.1. The first research question

46

4.2. The second research question

59

4.3. The third research question


52

Chapter 5. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

55

5.1 Conclusions

55

5.2. Implications

55

5.2.1 Preparing a good lesson plan

56

5.2.2. Organizing the class activities

56

5.2.3. Giving instructions

58

5.2.4. Creating useful grammar games in grammar lessons

59


iv


5.2.5. Providing support

59

5.3. Limitation

59

5.4. Suggestions for further study

60

REFERENCES

61

APPENDICES

I

Appendix 1: Questionnaires for students

I

Appendix 2: Questions for the interview


II

Appendix 3:
textbook

III

Example of grammar games in Tieng Anh 12

Appendix 4: Pre – test

XII

Appendix 5: Post - test

XII

Appendix 6: Scoring Rubric of the students’ writing

XIII

v


LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Figure1. Action research cycles by Kemmis and Mc Taggart ................................ 28
Table1. Scoring Rubric of Grammatical Competence ............................................ 40
Table2. The table of data showing the students’ progressing score in grammatical
competence after being taught through grammar games ................................... 47

Table3. Table of data showing the students’ responses in learning grammar through
grammar games .................................................................................................. 50

vi


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I especially would like to express my endless gratitude to
my supervisor, Dr. Huynh Anh Tuan, for his helpful encouragement, constructive
comments and precious advice at all stages of the development of this graduation
paper. There is no doubt that the study would be impossible to be accomplished
without his constant assistance. I would also like to express my appreciation to all
lecturers at department of post graduate studies of Vinh university for the
knowledge, guidance and encouragement they give during my study.
I also address my gratitude to the principal of the high school for giving me
permission to conduct the research in the school and the English teachers for help,
assistance and cooperation. Many thanks are also given to the students of grade
12A10 for being cooperative during the research.
My sincere thanks also go to my beloved family who always become my
motivation especially to finish this thesis.
Finally, I realized that this thesis is still far from being perfect. Therefore, any
criticisms, ideas and suggestions for the improvement of this thesis are highly
appreciated.

vii


ABSTRACT
The objective of this research was to improve grammatical competence of the
12th graders of a high school by using grammar games.

To carry out the research, the Classroom Action Research is used. The
researcher conducted two cycles and there are each cycle four elements (planning,
action, observation and reflection) in each cycle. In order to have the data, the
researcher used instruments of observation, interviews, questionnaires and the
students’ achievement in the pre-test and post-test to support the data collected.
Qualitatively and quantitatively are two ways of presenting the data obtained.
The research findings showed that the grammar games were effective in
improving the grammatical competence of the students in the class. This can be
seen in the improvements among the students after each cycle, specifically the rise
in the students’ mean scores in the test results: 48, 97 in the pre-test and 68,3 in the
post-test. The effectiveness of using grammar games in improving the students’
grammatical competence was also recognized based on the students’ responses that
showed their positive attitudes to the teaching method.

viii


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale
Nowadays, learning a language is not only a great interest, but also an
increasing demand for most people. That’s the reason why English now becomes a
compulsory school subject in many schools and universities. To master English,
students need to be good at four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
However, to have a good ability of all the four skills above, needless to say, it is
obliged for learners to have a good grammatical competence, which means that
learners have to understand English grammar clearly and use it effectively.
When students are in 12th grade, they have been learning English for some
years. Of course, they have learnt many aspects of grammar such as tenses, passive
voice, conditional sentences…(English 10); or infinitive, gerund, reported speech,
relative pronouns…(English 11). However, there is a fact that most of 12th graders

make a lot grammatical mistakes when using English. This urges the researcher to
have a look back at the way of teaching English grammar at school. In many
English classes, the teacher often teaches grammar in traditional way. First, the
teacher gives out the form and use of the grammatical point. Then, the teacher gives
some examples or asks students to give some examples using the grammar point.
After that, the students are asked to do some exercises relating to the grammar
point. Finally, the teacher gives the feedback to the students’ answers. This way of
teaching may help save time but it may not help the students in retaining the
grammar points. The students only pay attention to doing exercises correctly at the
time they are asked to do but they may not remember the grammar points some
weeks later. Moreover, doing exercises in textbooks or given by the teachers gives
students very few chances to communicate with each other in class, which means
that they do not have opportunities to use grammar points they have learnt in other
skills such as speaking and listening that are very important in learning languages.
This is also one of reasons that make students find it difficult to retain the grammar
lessons.

1


In contrast, by using grammar games, the teacher will motivate students to use
language in a natural way. This is necessary for students to retain the grammar
points easily. Moreover, grammar games help students to use English appropriately
not only inside but also outside the classroom.
Mario Rinvolucri (1984:3) stated:
―Grammar is perhaps so serious and central in learning another language that all
ways should be searched for which will focus students energy on the task of
mastering and internalizing it. One way of focusing this energy is through the
release offered by games‖.
Games in general and grammar games in particular are very useful in teaching

and learning English grammar because it not only encourages, but improves and
teaches students’ ability in using English fluently as well. This has given the
researcher the desire to give out the research study: ―Using grammar games to
improve the 12th graders’ grammatical competence‖. I think this study is necessary
and the result of using games in teaching grammar will bring many practical
benefits to the students.
In consideration of these problems, as an English teacher, I really want to
clarify the topic here with my knowledge and my supervisor’s guidance to analyze,
understand the situation of teaching and learning English grammar at a high school
in Nghe an; the application of games in teaching grammar for the 12th graders at the
school. Thanks to it, I will find out lessons, experiences for myself and make a
small contribution to enhancing the effectiveness in teaching this subject.
1.2. Aims and objectives of the study
This study is aimed at investigating the potential effectiveness of using
grammar games in improving students’ grammatical competence at a High School
in Nghean. To be specific, the objectives of the study are:
- To see how effective it is to use grammar games to improve students’ grammatical
competence.

2


- To investigate the attitude of the students when using grammar games in grammar
lessons.
- To find out the problems the students and the teachers encounter when using
grammar games in grammar lessons.
1.3. Research questions.
The study will attempt to find out the answers to the following research
questions:
1.3.1. To what extent does the use of grammar games improve the

12thgraders’ grammatical competence?
1.3.2. What are the students’ attitudes to the implementation of grammar
games to improve their grammatical competence?
1.3.3. What problems do the teacher and students encounter when using
grammar games to improve the students’ grammatical competence?
1.4. The significance of the study
Carrying out this study, the researcher finds out some consequences.
Firstly, the study helps the researcher have a chance to improve the teaching
skills. Through the study, the researcher can adapt the lesson more easily, which
helps create more and more interesting lessons.
Secondly, the study also helps the students to improve their grammatical
competence. The students have opportunities to take part in interesting and useful
activities that helps them increase their ability of using English in a natural way.
Thirdly, the study can play a small role in improving the result of the
learning and studying of the teachers and the learners at the school where the
studied is implemented.
1.5. Scope of the study
Due to limited time and experience, this study focuses on how the students’
grammatical competence can be improved by using grammar games.
The study was limited to teach English language textbook TiengAnh 12
which is in use in the high schools.

3


The study was applied in the school year 2017-2018 by implementing
grammar games.
1.6. Organization of the study
This study has five main parts as follows:
Chapter 1 – Introduction which provides readers with overall information

about the research including the rationale for the study, aims and research questions,
significance, scope, methodology as well as the organization of the study.
Chapter 2 – Theoretical background which deals with two major concepts,
namely, in the hope of providing theoretical background for the following chapters.
Chapter 3 – Methodology which discusses the methods used to find out the
answers to the research questions.
Chapter 4 – Research findings which present some crucial findings based on
the analysis and synthesis of the data collected.
Chapter 5 – Conclusion and implications which summarize the main contents
of the study, indicate summary of findings, and give out suggestions for further
research.

4


CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Grammar teaching
2.1.1. History of grammar teaching
It is known that there have been different approaches of teaching grammar.
Looking at grammar from different points of view, we can see that the choice of
grammatical method is really wide.
Initial stage of teaching grammar proceeded from the same time when Latin
was taught at school. That means learning a language through grammatical rules
and mainly translation. Speaking played a second role. In the 19th century, grammar
- translation method appeared. Richard and Rodgers (2001, p7) describe that later
or, in the 19th century, reform movement against grammar – translation method was
established. This movement was initiated because of the need for new methods and
approaches. There were a lot of innovations in language teaching and oral
proficiency was supported. Some writers supported the way children use to learn a

native language (first language acquisition) and many of them also considered
teaching language in a context as very important. A big progress came with
establishing phonetics because it helped to understand how speech process works.
In 1886, IPA (The International Phonetic Association) was established and among
other things, one of its arms was to upgrade the way of language teaching. An
inductive approach to teaching grammar started to be more and more significant.
In the early 20th century, new researches relating to language teaching were
carried out. Linguists in the USA pointed out that there is not just one method that
could give a lot of benefits. In the 1920s and 1930s, a basis of audio-lingualism and
oral approach theory was set. From 1960s on, many new methods and approaches
arose and each of them were specific by its goal, the way language is taught,
different teaching techniques, etc.
The creative stage of developing methods and approaches was from the
1950s – 1980s. Many new methods as well as approaches come out during that

5


period of time and teachers were aware of the fact that the choice of appropriate
method is necessary for high-quality language teaching (Richards and Rodgers,
2001).
2.1.2.Grammar and methodology
According to Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. IX) ―A knowledge of methods is part
of the knowledge base of teaching‖. That is the reason why it is very important for
teachers to know methods that can be used suitably in the classroom when teaching
grammar. Larsen-Freeman and Anderson’s book (1986) also gives a description of
techniques and principles in language teaching. They mainly wanted to set a list of
different language teaching methods for the teachers. They emphasized that the
methods of practices change in time. They gave out the case when teachers were for
many years told that they should not use a native language of the pupils in the

lessons and also translation was criticized. ―The motivation for this advice was to
maximize students’ opportunities to use the language they were studying‖. (1986,
p4)
On the other hand, Richards and Rodgers (1986, p10) claim that in some
situations it would be more efficient to use learners’ native language and it is also
suggested that such a big adherence to the target language makes language teaching
isolationist and the teachers and students are not able to create a connection between
languages.
2.1.3. Development of grammar methods
There have been many changes in grammar methodology in the history. Here is an
overview of the most significant methods.
1. Grammar translation method
For centuries, grammar was taught in a very traditional way and the main
focus was on written form of language and grammar was seen as a set of rules. By
knowing these rules, one would also know the language. This method is sometimes
called ―the classical method‖ because it was first used in Latin and Greek lessons,
both of them as regarded as classical languages (Larsen-Freeman 2000:11).

6


Hall (2011:81) explains that GTM requires language learners to pay attention
to grammar items in isolation. This way of teaching has been criticized for the lack
of developing learners’ communicative abilities and focusing too much on the
written form of language. That is the reason for a change the ways of teaching
grammar.
2. Direct method
This method was invented at the end of the 19th century and the core of this
method was active and spontaneous use of language in the classroom and spoken
language (only target language was permitted). There is a big difference between

Grammar Translation Method and Direct Method. That is the use of learners’ L1
because in the direct method, no translation is allowed at all. ―In fact, the Direct
Method receives its name from the fact that meaning is to be conveyed directly in
the target language through the use of demonstration and visual aids, with no
recourse to the students’ native language‖ (Larsen – Freeman 2000:23).
Some writers even claimed that using only the direct method in the lesson was
counterproductive. A significant prejudice against using mother tongue in language
teaching was created with expansion of the direct method. And this prejudice
remained in existence for many years after (Harmer, 2007, p.64).
3. Audio-lingual method
In the 20th century, the focus started to shift even more from writing to
speaking because the need for being able to speak languages grew during the World
War II. Audio-lingualism was invented largely in North American. This method
was influenced by a belief that in order to use a language fluently, one must spent
much time repeating oral drills. (Yule 2010:190). The behaviorists believed that
learning a language is a matter of habit information. The goal was automaticity,
hence patterns were memorized and initiated so many times that students knew
them by heart. Mimicking the teacher and repeating the tape recordings was vital
for acquiring proper pronunciation and creating structural patterns (Johnson 2013:

7


166 – 167); Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991:55) but it can be rather demotivating
for language learners.
4.

Communicative language teaching

Communicative language teaching (CLT) emerged approximately in the

1970’s, at a time when language learners were viewed as individuals with their own
communicational needs. The most important component of this approach was the
use of language; grammar was moved away from the centre of a language-learning
course (even though it still remained as a part of the language syllabus. Thus, the
goal of communicative language teaching was to get the learners to use the
language appropriately in real-life situations outside the classroom. In class, they
practiced performing certain functions that were all done with a communicative
intention in mind and because of that, students used the target language a lot during
the lesson and usually worked in small groups.
Another progress of this method was the fact that language was not used out of
context. So the learning was more effective (woods, 1995, p.64)
Thornbury (1999, p.22) mentions there were some extreme followers of CLT
who totally rejected grammar rules and instruction and stayed against grammar
based syllabuses because they believed in natural acquisition of language.
2.2. Approaches to grammar teaching
There are many approaches teachers can choose from but it is always
important to select the one which is in accordance with learners’ abilities, age and
experience. And there are other factors influencing the choice of suitable approach,
for example the relationship between the teacher and learners, (which is essential in
communicative approach). It is also known that adherence to just one approach
leads to the fact that learners are not motivated to study so it is best to use the
combination of more approaches in the lessons. Approach is in comparison with
method more the theoretical and it is directly connected with aim. Method then
gives a teacher possibility to apply particular approach in practice.
2.2.1. Deductive approach

8


In comparison with inductive approach, deductive (or rule-driven learning)

approach is more traditional. This method of teaching grammar pays much attention
or instruction before practice. The teacher gives the learners an in-depth explanation
of a grammatical concept and then provides its examples. Students will encounter
the same grammatical concept in their own writing. After the lesson, students are
asked to practice what they have just been shown in a mechanical way through
exercises given by the teacher. This approach is more ―comfortable‖ for the teacher.
The learners get a clear explanation without time wasting. However, it is true that
learners are not active and motivated. Especially, young learners could be depressed
if the lesson started with grammar presentation. Demonstration is more memorable
for them than just an explanation. Another problem may be insufficient metalanguage which is needed for grammar explanation (Thornbury, 1999 p.30)
2.2.2. Inductive approach
Inductive approach (or rule-discovery learning) involves presenting several
examples that illustrate a specific concept and expecting students to notice how the
concept works from these examples. This method of teaching results from learners’
need to look for patterns in the language that should be a sign of every good learner.
Woods (1995, p.77) adds that learner ―attends to the form in a particular way,
constantly analyzing, categorizing and synthesizing‖. There is no explanation of the
concept beforehand and learners try to find how the language works in a more
natural way during their own reading and writing. Thornbury (1999, p.49) explains
that ―induction, or learning through experience, is seen as the ―natural‖ route to
learning‖. The main goal of the inductive method is the retention of grammar
concepts, with teachers using techniques that are known to work cognitively and
make an impression on students’ contextual memory.
As deductive approach, also this approach has its pros and cons. Inductive
approach is more natural so the rules of grammar are more memorable for the
pupils. It increases learner’s motivation and autonomy. However, it is necessary for

9



teachers to prepare his lesson more carefully. Moreover, there may be some pupils
for whom this may not be a convenient approach.
According to Jim Scrivener (1994, p.114), deductive approach is described as
―PPP‖ which is an abbreviation for presentation, practice and production. Language
is divided into ―manageable bite-sized chunks‖ and then one by one taught by a
teacher. It is logically arranged so the learners begin with easier grammatical
patterns and then the difficulty rises gradually. In the inductive approach, learners
are taught in the way that they are exposed to a large amount of language. It is
based on students’ intelligence, experience and ability to analyze. Scrivener
concludes that there are many teachers who use both methods in their language
teaching.
2.3. Grammatical competence
2.3.1. Definition
There are different cognitive model of grammatical competence. For
instance, cognitive model of grammatical competence of students is an abstract
mapping of the verbal and grammatical means of the psycholinguistic mechanism of
thought production in communicative and cognitive activity. This means that
together with the cognitive model, the transformation of thought is done through
verbal realization and the same thought can go through multiple transformations and
interpretations through various grammatical structuring. Any thought can be
expressed verbally in several ways.
In the most general form, grammatical (linguistic) competence was defined by
N. Chomsky, as theoretical and practical knowledge of a limited number of correct
sentences. It can be assumed that the grammatical competence in the context of
learning a foreign language is a set of theoretical knowledge (rules) and language
skills that are necessary and sufficient for students to construct sentences, to
understand them, to monitor grammatical errors, to pass judgments about right and
wrong linguistic forms, and to perform language testing tasks.
Another point of view about grammatical competence is that the native


10


speaker’s grammatical competence, i.e., his knowledge of his language, subsumes
three primary kinds of linguistic ability: syntactic, semantic and phonological. The
first refers to the ability to combine words together so as to form grammatical
sentences, the second to the speaker’s intuition about the semantic well-formedness
or ill-formedness of sentences, and the third to his intuition about the phonological
well-formedness of sentences or ill-formedness and phonological structure of
sentences in a language (Radford, 1988:3-7).
Moreover, grammatical competence remains concerned with mastery of the
language code (verbal or non-verbal) itself. Thus included here are features and
rules of the language such as vocabulary, word formation (morphology), sentence
formation (syntax), pronunciation, spelling and linguistic semantics (Yoshida,
2003:3)
According to Bachman (1990), grammatical competence is the ability to
organize language on the sentence level. There are four levels of the sentence. The
first is the vocabulary that is all the words and ―lexical items‖ of a language and
their meanings. A lexical item could be one word, or it could be several words that
combine to have one collective meaning. For example, ―put up with‖ is ―lexical
item‖ composed of three words, but it has one meaning: ―endure‖. The second is the
morphology that is the study of the structure of words of a language via the study
the morphemes of a language and how the morphemes come together to form
words. The third is the syntax that is the proper order of words in a sentence. The
fourth is the phonology that is the study of the sounds of a language.
2.3.2. The importance of grammatical competence
Communication is an integral part of our daily life, we cannot live in an
isolated society without any interactions. Communication is a process used to
express ideas and feelings or used by people for giving information, it involves
sharing of ideas and information between one person to another. Communication is

a learned skill, to express themselves well and successfully, people must learn how
to communicative effectively.

11


In ―Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language
Teaching and Testing‖ (Applied Linguistics, 1980), Michael Canale and Merrill
Swain identified that grammatical competence which includes knowledge of
phonology, orthography, vocabulary, word formation and sentence formation is one
of four components of communicative competence. That is the reason why to obtain
effective communication people should pay attention to grammar. Grammar is very
important because it helps enhance accuracy. This means grammar rules can help
learners develop a habit of thinking logically and clearly and will become more
accurate when using language. Proper use of grammar is a sign of respect, both for
speakers and listeners. For speakers, speaking clearly means they take time to polish
themselves with a good impression from the listeners. A person with a good
grammar skill can form negative impression on the first meeting and this may last
for a long time. For listeners, a proper use of grammar shows that their thought is
concerned. Speakers do not want them to waste time trying to figure out what they
are saying.
2.4. Grammar games
2.4.1. What is the definition of game?
Game can be described as a play which is governed by a set of rules. Games
bring certain kind of experience and for that reason information is easier to
remember. Some author describe that games bring a meaningful communication to
the lessons. Moreover, they can focus on all the four basic skills (speaking, reading,
writing and listening) and they can be used for learners of any age.
The games are often used at the beginning of the lesson as a ―warm-up‖
activity or at the end of the lesson when there’s time to left. However, Uberman

(1998, online) claims that it is right to use the game at any stage of the lesson.
Betteridge, Buckby and Wright (1983, p. I) indicate that the stage of the teaching
sequence is not deciding factor for the choice of the game.

12


When using games in the classroom, it is helpful for teachers to have a
fulfilled understanding of the definitions of games, which usually are defined as a
form of play concerning rules, competition, and an element of fun. Teachers should
also take into account the advantages of games: the ability to capture students'
attention; lower students' stress; and give students the chance for real
communication. Lastly teachers need to consider how to use games appropriately in
the classroom. It is important to choose a suitable time and integrate them into the
regular syllabus and curriculum. However, because of the limitations of the
syllabus, games often cannot be used, as much as they should be. Therefore, it may
be difficult for teachers to try to add some games in class in order to improve
students' English proficiency of the target language. Some teachers think that
language games are a waste of time and prefer not to use them in classroom since
games sometimes have been considered only for its one element that is fun. In fact,
games can provide English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second
language (ESL) students more than that. Among several strategies used to improve
students' proficiency such as visual aids, CALL (Computer Assisted Language
Learning), drama, role-play, and so on, games are another useful strategy to
promote students' language proficiency (Richard - Amato, 1996). This paper aims to
give a clear understanding of what games are and why and how games are used in
the classroom. Language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating.
Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target
Language. WellChosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at
the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly

motivating since they are 5 amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore,
they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage
and increase cooperation. "Games are highly motivating because they are amusing
and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used
to practice many types of communication." (Ersoz, 2000) Language games are not
activities mainly aimed to break the ice between students or to kill time. Byrne

13


(1995) gave the definition to games as a form of play governed by rules. They
should be enjoyed and fun. They are not just a diversion, a break from routine
activities, but a way of getting the learner to use the language in the course of the
game. Similarly, Jill Hadfield (1990) defined games as "an activity with rules, a
goal and an element of fun." There are a great number of language games. So
teachers have a variety of choices. However, in deciding which game to use in a
particular class and which games will be most appropriate and most successful with
their students, teachers must take many factors into account.
2.4.2. What is the definition of grammar game?
A ―grammar game‖, is essentially any technique for memorizing or practicing
a particular aspect of grammar – be it verb conjugations, sentence structure, spelling
and punctuation, or any other intimidating feature of your target language – that is
at least slightly more fun than rote memorization or ―look, cover, write, check‖. The
category could include group games that you play in a classroom or with a language
partner, grammar review games played on-line or on your phone, or even grammar
practice games that you play in your head in spare moments.
2.4.3. Factors affecting the choice of grammar games in improving high school
students’ grammatical competence
There are many factors affecting the choice of grammar games. However, the
researcher paid most attention to four following criteria: topic and objectives of

each lesson, students’ language level, time allowance and teaching aids.
Firstly, the most important factor having an influence on the choice of a game
is students’ language level. The reason is that if the activity is under or above the
students’ language level, the students may lose their interest when they find out that
the activity is too easy or too difficult to be accomplished. The game then is just a
waste of time and effort.
Secondly, the game which is chosen must suit the particular objectives of the
lesson. The game should be related to the topic taught in the lesson as well and it
should be well-integrated in the schedule. Another point is that the learners have to

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be convinced that games are useful for them. If they consider the game unnecessary,
the result will be unsatisfactory.
Thirdly, the factor must be considered carefully is time allowance for the
activity. Every game has its principles and the language skills are improved mainly
by repetition. Consideration of time is very important – we need time for
preparation and for the game itself. Teacher should have some spare time because
something unexpected can happen during the activity and we are not always able to
say how much time the learners will need to complete the task. This is not usually
problem of experienced teachers who know their students.
Last but not least, teaching aids (cards, pictures, flashcards, etc.) for the game
should also take a great deal of attention. A game that is interesting but hard to find
the materials to be carried out also should be eliminated.
It can’t be denied that the particular games are fun and entertaining for
learning. However, that’s not the point of using games in the classroom. The point
is to learn and to take something away from the session. That’s the reason why we
should be careful about choosing games if we want to make them effective.
―Teachers need to consider which games to use, when to use them, how to link them

up with the syllabus, textbook, or program and how more specially, different games
will benefit students in different ways‖ (Khan,J.1996). A grammar-focus ESL game
must be both fun and educationally sound. If we are not sure about which kind of
grammar-based games are suitable for the ESL classroom, we can consider the
following questions:
1. Does the grammar game aim at practicing any skill? Which skill is it?
2. What is the aim of using the game?
3. What kind of games does the game belong to? Is it a strategy game or a
communicative grammar game?
4. Does the grammar game suit the learners’ ages?
5. Does the game suitable for the learners’ levels?
6. Are all learners connected with the grammar game?

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