Using ZUMA in L2 Class!

    In L2 teaching class, teachers need to spur the students’ concentration by using different kinds of method, sometimes include using games. Gamification has become a popular concept in teaching process. It is the concept of applying game-design thinking to non-game applications to make them more fun and engaging. Everyone loves game, because the design of game always satisfied human’s need for reward. Sometimes with playing games, second language students could learn with higher efficient.

    Today, I will introduce a famous casual game called “ZUMA” and the method of using it into a L2 teaching class. It is a famous game produced by Popcap Company, many people love it. I have played it for many times before. In my opinion, with using this game in the L2 class, students would be able to learn how to use the words of color and the word of locality correctly.

    In this class activities, the students could work in pairs and during one students handle the mouse to control, the other one could help him by giving instructions in English. Like: “Click the red one on the right side!” “The blue one on the bottom!” We all know that sometimes the audiences feel the same level of nervous as the player. Students can change in turn after one game. Before the game, the teacher could act as a model by using the images from the game to show how to help each other to finish the task in game. During the playing process, teacher could walk around and give advices for students. In the next class or after the gaming class, teacher could ask students to write down the sentence they used in the activities assess whether the students have learnt how to use the right word to describe the color and direction.