EFL learners live in a non English speaking country while ESL learners live in a country where English is the primary language. Both types of learners will benefit from the use of games and activities in the classroom, but there are certain objectives for each group which should be taken into consideration.
EFL Learners
The average EFL learner is intelligent, literate in his or her native tongue, stable both financially and as regards their schedule and residence, and eager to learn. They often come from similar backgrounds and will have goals and interests in common. Their motives may vary from learning English for business reasons to enjoying languages as a hobby.
Verbal communication is of primary interest to the students for whom the study is a personal choice rather than a necessity. Being able to carry on a casual conversation is of more importance than academic perfection, and the games should be selected accordingly.
If the final test in the EFL curriculum is a speaking test, games can be an invaluable preparatory tool. Good pronunciation and inflection can be gained from many language games. If the final exam will not include a speaking component, you can focus on activities that support listening, reading, skimming and writing skills. Quizzes and trivia games can break up the monotony of drill and exam prep, and bring some fun to the classroom while remaining relevant to the work at hand.
It is a good idea to explain why you are injecting games into the curriculum as some of the more intense students may question their purpose. Generally, once they realize how helpful they games can be, these students will become the most enthusiastic.
A German student was extremely skeptical of the notion of games in the classroom until; she was shown that the questions included in the games were identical to the ones she could expect to see in her textbook practice tests. Thus reassured, she went on to pass her Cambridge exams with flying colors.
As mentioned, for those who are learning EFL primarily as a hobby, good conversational English is the goal. Speaking and listening games will help build vocabulary and improve fluidity and pronunciation, therefore songs, chants and rhyming games may be popular.
Business students will need reassurance that the games you introduce will assist them in their goals. If you primarily use role playing and skits, and relate each activity to a specific type of situation, you will help expand their understanding of the differences between how a meetings are run in different countries and cultures.Role playing is often credited by the students themselves as being the key factor to their later success in the business world.
ESL Learners
These students will represent a diverse number of cultures. Their economic status may be low and their schedules hectic due to immigration, transportation and familial complications. They may arrive at night classes tired from working long hours, and humor may seem like a foreign concept to those whose families have been shattered by war or persecution.
Be sensitive to the experiences of these students; for example, avoid family style games if you are dealing with war refugees - the loss of a family member may still be too fresh. A teacher was once shocked to have a student run crying from the room during a game; it turned out that nearly the whole class were Bosnian refugees.
Even without such losses, hardships are common to those who have had to struggle to reach the haven of a new country. Staying away from emotionally charged issues is recommended. Board games that focus on vocabulary and grammar are less likely to arouse bad memories and can help the students experience fun at a time when they have many worries on their minds.
Starting with simple board games can help break the ice, and provide structure. Many cultures traditionally hold grudges against other nationalities; Pakistani and Indian students may feel hostile towards each other, as can Arab Christians and Muslims. Team games with clearly set boundaries such as Pictionary or charades can defuse the situation and maximize student interaction; wait until they are at ease with each other before introducing the more volatile activities such as role playing and debates.
Language games can help point out that certain behaviors, like the acceptance of mixing both genders in one class, are common in their new country whereas that practice would not have been acceptable in their old. Interaction between the two sexes may be taboo to some religions however, so be sure not to push the issue if it becomes apparent that there is a problem.
ESL and EFL students have one great goal in common; the desire to learn English. Utilizing games to this end can add fun and laughter to the process.
