Name: Yingrui Yang (Fifi)

Date: Aug 10th, 2015

Title: Writing Games
Context: 3 writing games in ESL Games Class
Description of Artifact:
This artifact is from ESL Games Class, a workshop. There are 8 methods of writing game. For
each game there are 3 categories below, which are materials, resource and notes. Materials were
the teacher using in the class. The teacher provided students with a link as a resource. The students
have to write down the notes while listening teachers explanation. The notes should be the
important points that the teacher mentioned about the games rules. For example, Chain Story
there are 2 categories below it, which are materials and notes. In the class, the teacher told
students that the materials are paper and pen. Then the teacher described the process of this game.
First, students needed to write a sentence that was provided by the teacher. Then the teacher
divided students in 3 groups, in each group there were 5 students, and one student wrote another
sentence that related to the first sentence. Next, the student passed this paper to the next student.
After the last student finished the sentence, and then they completed the story. This Chain Story
can improve students creativity and cooperation skills.

New Ideas, information, or awareness from this artifact:

This artifact focused on writing through games, which could make writing became fun and
interesting. Due to the fact that writing is a tough problem for Chinese students. I can adopt those
writing games in my future classes. It will activate my students interests in writing. They will love
writing by teacher representing in this way.

On the other hand, I want to use this note as an systematically organization classes outline. I
will adjust few things and use the same structure. Then I will guide my students to learn the
knowledge. According to Greenfield (1999), the scaffold, as it is known in building construction,
has five characteristics: it provides a support; it functions as a tool; it extends the range of the
worker; it allows a worker to accomplish a task not otherwise possible; and it is used to selectively
aid the worker where needed. (p. 118) Through scaffolding my students can gradually solve
difficult question in learning process.

Reflection on how this will impact your approach to teaching and learning:
I will use this form in my future classes with few changes. Before every class start
I will distribute this handout to my students, and then ask my students to fill out this
form while they are listening. Basically, this handout guides students learning, and
shows the important points that teacher is going to mention in the class. So I will put
my main ideas on it, guide my students learning and show the process of the class.
After the class I will gather all the handouts and check whether my students take notes
or not, which is a effective way to help students concentrating in the class.
On the other hand, writing through fun way is a effective method for teaching
Chinese students. Basically, every Chinese students learned writing by the grammar
translation method. Translation itself is an academic exercise rather than one which
would actually help learners to use language, and an overt focus on grammar is to
learn about the target language rather than to learn it.(2012) Thus, through those
writing games my students will enjoy writing instead of frustrating.

References:
Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, Guided Instruction: How To Develop Confident And
Successful Learners, Copyright 2010 by ASCD.

Tim Bowen, Teaching approaches: the grammar-translation method, Macmillan

Publishers Ltd. 2000-2015
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