GAMES FOR TEACHING WRITING

GAMES FOR TEACHING WRITING

A.  Theory

1.    Definition of Game

A game is structured form of play, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such as jigsaw puzzles or games involving an artistic layout such as Mahjong, solitaire, or some video games).

Key components of games are goals, rules, challenge, and interaction. Games generally involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational, or psychological role.

2.      Games for Teaching Writing

Writing as a productive skill has big relation to the mind activities. Through write can not only communicate our ideas but also improve our writing skill. Writing is different from speaking. Although both writing and speaking are productive skills, writing is more complex than speaking. Writing is complex activity since it requires student’s comprehensive abilities such as mastering grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. Besides, to write well, the students are expected to be able to present their ideas in the written forms as writing is a means of communication. However, some think that writing is not only delivering ideas to others but also using a sheer energy to complete the writing process itself: thinking the ideas, preparing the outline, transferring the outline into draft, revising the draft, and finally proofreading the draft to prepare for the final outcome.

   In fact that writing becomes problem for most students. The main problem facing by the student is ability to organize information systematically. Although their essays are long but is difficult to understand. They also have problems in choice of word or vocabulary. It is known from their result of writing assignment and writing test. It is estimated that the problem can be caused by method of teaching writing which is used by the teacher, the lack of vocabularies of the student, the problem is organizing information, and the student’s now low mastering sentence pattern.

  The solution is by using game to solve those kinds of problems. By applying game technique, the teacher could encourage the students to participate in the classroom. The teacher should be able to encourage the students to express their ideas into good writing. The teacher gave opportunities to the students to write their ideas without being afraid of making mistake. It could be done by introducing topics and good writing process.

Game is one of the solutions to overcome the problems. The works of Janienne (2007) and Morris (2009) have added more literature in the area of teaching creative writing and essay writing skills through games. In addition, game will be an appropriate instructional media. It also will be useful, to motivate students interest in teaching learning process of writing material.        

Game is suitable method to solve problem in class. As Janienne and Morris claimed that games can be used for problem solving, making creative in writing skills. Game helped and encouraged many learners to sustain their interest and work. Game also helped the teacher to create context in which the language is useful and meaningful. The learners wanted to take part, and in order to understand what others are saying or have written, and they should speak and write in order to understand what others are saying or have written, and they should speak and write in order to express their own point of view or give information. Game provided one way of helping the learners to experience language rather than merely study it.

games related to the teaching of writing skills will make students more interested in teaching writing. Many people argue that the teaching of writing is difficult and boring, but by using the game in the process of teaching writing would be more fun, so students more easily understand the material and the student’s writing skills will increase and can achieve the desired results.

B.     Example of Games for Teaching Writing

1.      Story Consequences

a.    Purpose                : The students will be motivated to use their imagination to make a story as directed by the teacher and the storyline has been arranged, and write it down on paper without fear and they can freely convey a story idea, which they have imagined, so unconsciously will improve student’s writing skill.

b.    Level                    : Junior High school

c.    Participants          : 8 players in each group

d.   Tools                    : Paper and pen.

e.    Time                     : 30 minutes

f.     Procedure             :

1)   Divide the class into groups of eight players. If you have smaller groups then some of the learners must write two sentences or more.

2)   Demonstrate how to fold of piece of A4 paper into eight strips: fold the paper in half, then in half again, and in half one last time; making all the folds parallel. Then, guided by the resulting creases, refold the paper into zigzags, like the squeezy parts of a concertina or accordion. Ask one learner from each group to fold a piece of paper in the same way.

3)   Explain that the game proceeds as follows. The first player writes their contribution on the first panel of the concertina, i.e. the top most panel. The player should do this quietly and secretly, folding the panel over when they are done, so that no one else can see what was written. Next, the second player follows suit, then the third, and so on, until all eight contributions have been added. The last player has the task of unfolding the concertina and reading out loud to the others the full text of the little story that result.

The story is guided by the following formula, which prescribes what each player should contribute:

Fold 1                  (time) ... Fold 2                  (place) ... Fold 3                  X (male character’s name) met ... Fold 4                  Y (female character’s name) Fold 5                  He said ... Fold 6                  She said ... Fold 7                  The consequence was ... Fold 8                  And ...

Example :

Last summer

in London

Barack Obama met

Hello Kitty

He said 'I love hamburgers'.

She said 'What day is it?'

The consequence was that they drove to Alaska.

And married there.

They may have, "Last summer in London Barack Obama met Hello Kitty. He said 'I love hamburgers'. She said 'What day is it?' The consequence was that they drove to Alaska. And married there. "A little crazy”, but this is generally part of the fun.

2.      Guess My Gesture

a.  Purpose     : Students be able to improve their writing skill, and students will be more understands or apply the element of writing skill easily.

b.    Level            : Senior High School

c.    Participants   : 5-30 students

d.   Tools             : Table, paper, board marker, and pictures.

e.    Time             : 20 minutes.

f.     Procedure :

1)   Divide students into 2 groups consisting of 5-7 students.

2)   Ask the two groups to march in front of the blackboard, then direct them to face the wall that is on their side so that members of the group backs to the members of the opposing group.

3)   Ask students who are at the end of the line (near the blackboard) come to the teacher.

4)   Teacher shows pictures of illustration sentence in 5 seconds to students who come.

5)   After viewing the pictures, the students return to their groups and demonstrate (with gesture) pictures they have seen in front of a row of group members.

6)   Students who are at the end of the line (near the blackboard) guessing the gesture and write in the paper that was on the table that has been provided in the form of a sentence and then serve as boaster.

7)   The boaster previously moved to the opposite end of the row.

8)   Repeat steps 3-7 until all students do it.

9)   Discuss the sentences.

g.    Rules            :

1)   Members of the group were given the opportunity as much as 2 times to ask a friend if players could not answer.

2)   The time given to demonstrate and answer is for one minute every single discussion / image.

3)   Not allowed to cheat other groups.

4)   The Figure banned to speak.

5)   Marker which provide only one. The players scramble for the marker to write the sentence on the paper that has been provided, the player who managed to take a marker the first time will get 10 points to the group (if the sentences that made are true), and for players who get a second turn using marker will earn 5 points for the group (if the sentences that made are true)

6)   The group that gets the highest score is the winner.