PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION OF PRE–SERVICE TEACHERS IN DEVELOPING VOCABULARY THROUGH GAMES IN ENGLISH: A REFLECTION
Jashobanta Nayak
Assistant Professor in English, Sevayatan Shikshan Mahavidyalaya, Jhargram, West Bengal Abstract- English language, to its credit has got the repute to be bagged as the link language or global language because of its wide use in every walk of life. One of the broad aims of learning English is to develop communicative competency which has drawn the bird‟s eye view. Because it has been noticed that students can produce some written sentences very well but they fail to communicate genuinely outside the classroom. The reason is obvious. Lack of vocabulary and their usage in proper context affect their communicative competency badly. Therefore, meeting the needs of the students i.e. to minimise their weaknesses and enhancing their vocabulary, the professional preparation of English language teachers is highly felt.
The present study was an attempt to develop the skill of teaching vocabulary of the Pre-Service Teachers (Enrolled for Two Years B.Ed. course in B.J.B Autonomous College, Odisha through Self-financing mode). The study was carried out under the guidance of the practitioner or the teacher educator with 10 second year student teachers who have taken Pedagogy of English as a method. And the study was based on a Work Based Activity in the classroom that was carried out over a period of two weeks‟ time. Around 15 games were collected and 3 games during the activity were prepared by the help of the teacher educator.
It was found that the student teachers were enjoying playing the game and prepared their own games which indicate that it will be enjoyable in carrying out with the school students and the teachers of English. Thus, it is believed that games enhance the stock of vocabulary.
Keywords: Professional Preparation, Vocabulary Games, Pre-Service Teachers 1. INTRODUCTION
It is not a disagreement that the quality in education demands a quality teacher and a quality teacher demands effective teacher training carried out by a quality teacher educator.
Even after the formulation of policies the present teacher education fails to produce quality teachers for an ever evolving world. It suffers from the mind set of „training‟ rather than building knowledge of teachers to become professionals.
In bridging the theory into practice a need for developing professionalism and competency among teachers is seriously felt. NCTE at national level and SCERT at state level have shouldered the responsibilities to impart pre-service and in-service training programme through B.Ed. programmes in different training colleges of the states. But in a state like Odisha, the training colleges are failing to produce the number of teachers for teaching profession. That is why Govt. decided to run B.Ed. programme through self- financing mode in around 19 colleges of Odisha. BJB autonomous college is one of them.
But it cuts a sorry figure when the researcher collected the information that 30 DIETS in 30 districts of Odisha along with the training colleges have no language teacher educator. This is the biggest threat in failing to produce quality language teacher.
From a recent study that the researcher carried out entitled “School Level Determinants of Speaking Skills at Secondary Stage” has found that students fail to communicate due to lack of vocabulary which is one of the determinants that hinder the students‟ proficiency in English. Vocabulary teaching is completely neglected rather limited to the exercises in teaching English at primary and secondary stages respectively. Keeping the view in mind the researcher carried out a Work Based Activity over a period of two weeks‟ time for developing vocabulary through games and competency of the Pre-Service teachers at B.Ed.
level.
1.1. Statement of the Problem
The present study is entitled as “Professional Preparation of Pre–Service Teachers in Developing Vocabulary through Games in English: A Reflection”
1.2. Objectives of the Study
The major objectives of the study were:
1. To identify the previous ideas of the PSTs regarding vocabulary games.
2. To develop competency among PSTs to prepare need based vocabulary games to enrich the stock of vocabulary among children at Secondary Stage.
1.3. Research Questions
The present paper is based on the findings of the workshop. Besides, an attempt was also made to answer the following research questions.
1. Do the Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) have any idea regarding vocabulary games to enrich the stock of vocabulary of the learners?.
2. Can the PSTs prepare vocabulary games for the students of elementary schools to enhance their word power?.
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON SIGNIFICANCE OF VOCABULARY GAMES
Often vocabulary is often overlooked in language classrooms. Teaching vocabulary in a traditional manner through exercises restrict the learners‟ stock of vocabulary and very boring. Riahipour and Saba (2012) mentioned that traditional activities such as memorization of long vocabulary list, derivation, repetition, translation, fill-in the blank exercises are boring for students.
Bunch (2009, p.1) points out that English language learners will benefit from a variety of activities aimed at increasing exposure to key vocabulary. Teaching vocabulary through games create interest among the learners in a non-threatening atmosphere. Games can maintain students‟ motivation in vocabulary learning because they are amusing and interesting. (Uberman, 1990, p.18)
According to Nguyen ThiThanhHuyen and KhuatThi ThuNga (2003), students seem to acquire new vocabulary more quickly and retain it better when it is applied in a relaxed and comfortable environment for instance playing English Second Language games.
According to Carter and McCarthy (1988, p.67), new words are forgotten if they are not recycled and make it into long term memory. In order to learn vocabulary, words have to be recycled numerous times. In fact providing incidental encounters with words is one method to facilitate vocabulary acquisition.
3. DESIGN OF THE STUDY
As the current study aims at the Professional Preparation of Pre-Service Teachers in Developing Vocabulary through Games, the researcher (who was a practitioner in the College i.e. BJB Autonomous College, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during 2017-18 where he was teaching) conducted the “Work Based Activity” to provide hands on experience in developing vocabulary through games during classroom transactions. The present study is based on the outcomes of the WBA/Workshop.
3.1. Work Based Activity
The Work Based Activity in the present study means to provide hands on experience to the Pre-Service Teachers in learning the „What‟ and „How‟ of teaching vocabulary through games and design new games. The researcher and the student-teachers were involved in teaching- learning process where the researcher engaged the student-teachers in various vocabulary games so that they will get to know “what is to be taught and how”.
3.2. The Key Participants
The key participants (sample) of the study were the 2nd year Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) of B.Ed. programme of BJB Autonomous College who had opted English pedagogy.Depending upon the nature of the study the informants were selected purposively.
3.3. Duration of the WBA
The duration of the WBA was for two weeks. As the researcher himself was a language faculty of the college, he carried out the WBA every day for two weeks i.e. from 12:45 pm to 1:30 pm every day.
3.4. Vocabulary Games Collected and Designed
During the two weeks of the WBA around 15 games were collected from different sources out of which 10 selected games were carried out and the rest were discussed for meeting the objectives of the current study and answering the research questions. During the teaching learning process 3 games were designed with help of the researcher.
3.5. A Brief Discussion and Reflection
At the outset, an excellent discussion was made regarding the poor performance of the pupils at elementary and secondary stage especially in English. During the discussion, the trainees said the students of class VIII and IX (in most of their practicing schools) were incapable of reading the textbooks of their own and the lower standards as well. They even fail to speak in English and comprehend in teaching-learning process. The teachers at the outset informed them not to teach in English rather in Odisha. It shows the concerns of the teachers towards the students and the status of the students‟ capabilities. The researcher has also found from his recent study on the “Determinants of Speaking Skills at Secondary Stage” that the students face difficulties in expressing themselves due to lack of vocabulary.
Their stock of vocabulary (word power) was also very low.
3.6. Presentation
To begin with, the researcher asked the 10 PSTs (student-teachers) to be involved in a game and the name of the game was “True Name and False Profession” where one was expected to tell for example, I am Jash, the Jailor; and the next student-teacher was instructed to tell
“He is Jash, the Jailor; I am Gulu, the Gatekeeper”. Here the researcher instructed them at the outset to follow the structure “I am xyz, the xyz means to tell your real name but to produce a false profession related word beginning with the first letter of your name.” They were also informed that in each round they have to produce new words and the same word if repeated the student-teacher will be out of the game. They took part and enjoyed it though they failed just after few rounds. It was noticed they were enjoying but they found it challenging because they couldn‟t produce many words beginning with the first letter of their name. Then an open discussion was made to find outthe processes to enrich their stock of vocabulary. A detailed discussion was made on the importance of vocabulary games in enriching the stock of vocabulary of the students at elementary and secondary stage. Most of trainees had no ideas regarding such games.
To encourage them many games were played under the guidance of the researcher for a week. It was noticed all student teachers were actively participated and enjoyed a lot. For encouraging the students while carrying out such game it was announced that the winner can be rewarded. They confidently said vocabulary games can enhance the word power of the learners. Keeping in view their enthusiasm and spirit, the investigator advised to prepare more and more vocabulary games which will be suitable for the students at elementary stage and secondary stage. Respecting the request of some PSTs, besides their own efforts to prepare new game, they were also allowed to collect more and more games from any sources like consulting their teachers, seniors, peers or from study materials, websites, etc. The present study is the output of the endeavours of the PSTs (student- teachers).
4. DISCUSSIONS AND FINDINGS
To answer the first research question i.e. “Do the Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) have any idea regarding vocabulary games to enrich the stock of vocabulary of the learners?” it can be said thatinitially, all most all student-teachers felt certain difficulties about the vocabulary games as they didn‟t have the required knowledge on playing vocabulary games. As a matter of fact, the investigator clearly discussed regarding the nature and relevance of vocabulary games. To develop the better understanding, the investigator presented several games focusing basic rules and principles to be followed by the participants during the games. Around 15games were collected and 10 games were carried out and the rest were discussed in the WBA. When one game (True Name and False Profession) was conducted in the class, they got the clear idea and participated with much enthusiasm. During the Work Based Activity the researcher asked the student-teachers to recollect few of their favourite childhood games that they have played with much interest. To name few are like “Stealing
Hanky”, “Hide and Seek” etc. The student-teachers were asked to develop the game and they were given one day time. But they couldn‟t come with an idea. Thus, the researcher carried out “Stealing Hanky” aiming the development of vocabulary where the student- teachers will sit in a circle with one outside holding the hanky who was instructed to drop the hanky at somebody‟s back by producing a flowers name or any name so that the student-teacher will pick up the hanky and run behind to touch him so that he will be out of the game. If he does, the opponent will be out otherwise he/she has to produce another flower‟s name by dropping it at somebody‟s back. If one repeats a word already said will be out of the game. It was found working and enjoyable.
To answer the second research question, Can the PSTs prepare vocabulary games for the students of elementary schools to enhance their word power? The student-teachers were asked to frame their own games and one of them came with a game named “False Name and True Profession” with a slight variation what the researcher (teacher educator himself) did at the outset of the class. In this game it was found that „n‟ number of profession related words can be developed. At first the student-teachers didn‟t have any idea about such games but by degrees they developed competency in vocabulary building and games. The most important thing was that they developed interest for it which is an outcome of the WBA.
The student-teachers presented in front of the teacher and it was noticed it is developing their competency. Then the groups were instructed to prepare new games and collect from different sources which will be usable for elementary and secondary school students. Here some selected vocabulary games prepared and collected by the Pre-Service Teachers are stated below.
Some selected vocabulary games that were carried out for developing the competency in developing vocabulary of the student-teachers in the WBA are cited below. They were collected from different sources. Game no 1, 2 and 3 were prepared by the researcher and experimented in the classroom situation and found it effective because students were enjoying. And those activities were carried out among the PSTs or student-teachers and class-IX students of one of the SVM (Saraswati Vidyamandir) schools in Cuttack i.e.
Gatiroutpatna for getting its effectiveness. The students were enjoying and participating with much interest.
Game 1: Stealing Hanky Level: Elementary to Advanced Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Objective: to develop interest and produce words related to a given context through playing Process
1. Divide the class into groups looking at the strength of the class. 10 students can participate in one round to make it challenging.
2. Ask them to sit in a circle.
3. One of them will hold the hanky wrapped and walk around the circle. While dropping at somebody‟s back has to produce a word related to the context provided by the teacher earlier.
4. The time he/she names a word means he‟s dropped it at somebody‟s back. And the student has to collect it where the word gets produced and has to run to touch him/her so that he/she will be out of the game. And the boy who dropped has to run to get the vacant seat to secure his place in the game. The students are to be instructed to listen carefully so that they will not repeat the word already said by someone.
5. One student or the teacher himself will record the responses of the students who participate in the game.
6. His/her chief work is to note down the words produced by the students and intimate if one word is repeated so that he/she will be out of the game.
Example: Name of the things in and around; name of the famous personalities etc.
N.B.: The teacher can start from simple to complex for making it challenging and interesting. Time limit can be set according to the teacher‟s availability of time and interest of the students.
Game 2: Finding Words from Your Name
Level: Elementary to Advanced Time: 10 to 20 minutes
Objective: To frame meaningful words by using each letter of one‟s name which shows one of the qualities of him or her and classify the part of speech of the word like adjectives or nouns.
Material: English Dictionary and a sheet of paper Process:
1. Give information about the game at the outset that each one of them has to write words that shows a quality of his or her personality.
2. If one fails, one can look up the words in the dictionary.
3. Ask them to classify the part of speech by their own or using dictionary.
4. May ask the class to work in a group if situation demands.
Example: Jashpal: J- Jolly, A- Attitude, S-Sweet, H-Honest, P- Patient, A- Adorable, L- Lovable
Game 3: Who is a good teacher for you?
Level: Elementary to advanced Time: 10 minutes
Material: A sheet of paper
Objective: To know the expected quality words or phrases from the students Process:
1. Divide the class into several groups.
2. Pass the information to the groups that they have to write their expectations from the teacher.
3. Check the copies of each group and find the similar words and different words and discuss in the end.
4. Let the students know how many words in total they have written about the teacher in the class and try to meet their expectations as far as possible.
5. Let the students know who has written different words.
6. The group that will produce more words will be the winner.
Game 4: True Names and False Profession Game 5: Word Tree
Game 6: Word Invention
Game 7: Machines, Scenes and Animals Game 8: Recall, Recognise and Reward Game 9: Dictionary Game
Game 10: Spelling Bee
Game 11: False Name and True Profession
Game 12: Words Formation through Sun Diagram Game 13: Cross Word
Game 14: Choosing the Correct Spelt Word Game 15: Scrambled Words
5. CONCLUSION
This paper is an outcome of a Classroom based research and a reflection for the teachers that teaching vocabulary through games in a relaxed environment is more enjoying when they are played not simply taught through exercises because “Games can maintain students‟ motivation in vocabulary learning because they are amusing and interesting”.
(Uberman, 1990, p.18). It is suggested that the teachers of English should continuously update their knowledge and seek new methods and strategies for engaging their learners creatively so that they will show much interest to learn and use the language to communicate much easily. Games can help teachers to create context in which the language is useful and meaningful. If Pre-Service teachers at B.Ed. level get hands on experience and get engaged in such games instead of lecturing, they can teach vocabulary through games much easily. Their motivation is much needed because they are the future teachers. Thus, it is imperative to impart quality language teaching in Teacher Education
institutes by the Language Pedagogues so that the learners in schools can get quality education.
REFERENCES
1. Bunch, S. (2009). Tips to reinforce English Content Words. Retrieved on March 11, 2011, from http://www.suite.101.com/content/esl-vocabulary-strategies-a121947.
2. Carter, R., & McCarthy, C. (1988).Vocabulary and Language Teaching. London: Longman IGNOU (2009).
Teaching of English.ES-344, Block 3, Unit 15. New Delhi.
3. Rihaipour, P., & Saba, Z. (2012). ESP Vocabulary Instruction: Investigation the effect of using a game oriented teaching method for learners of English for nursing. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(6), 1258-1266.
4. Nguyen, T.T.H. & Khuat, T.T.N. (2003). The effectiveness of learning vocabulary through Games, Asian EFL Journal.
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