Quiz & Sports Games: an analysis of learning styles

In this blog post, I will discuss different views on learning styles and their relations to ELLs and quiz/sports games, using one online quiz game and one game idea that can be used in the classroom as examples for this analysis.

Learning Styles

Kolb’s learning styles:

As I have previously described my thoughts on ELLs learning styles in my discussion of the simulation game CellCraft, I will not revisit that in great detail here, but will summarize that discussion by saying that ELLs who are young or are in the beginning stages of their second language development tend to be Accommodating (CE – Concrete experience & AE - Active experimentation) or Diverging (CE & RO – Reflective Observation).  Of course, the student’s individual learning style can vary as widely as their native English-speaking peers, so each teacher must be looking for those preferences underlying the Accommodating or Diverging preferences exhibited due to developing language skills. 

Accommodating learners need to learn by doing.  For ELLs new to U.S. classrooms and the English language, this may mean lots of failure before they are successful.  Teachers can help these learners by giving them a buddy to work with them as a team – this will give ELLs a chance to practice language skills as they talk about their actions, choices, and decisions to accomplish a task.  Teachers can keep ELLs of this learning style from becoming discouraged and frustrated with their non-successful attempts by helping them to track their growth at the task and the language they are acquiring through the task.  This will help them to continue to make the effort and meet the challenges put before them in the classroom. 

Diverging learners want to watch before they try, and they will often be sensitive to cultural differences, especially if they feel these differences are negative toward their native culture and perceptions.  ELLs will sometimes lack confidence in their abilities in the classroom, confusing language proficiency with cognitive ability to be successful at a task.  Teachers can help these learners by modeling first, encouraging participation with scaffolding, accepting all efforts to communicate (content, not form), and by fostering an environment that validates all perspectives and sees diversity as something to enrich all students’ learning.

Prensky’s Cognitive Style Changes:

Because my students are younger, elementary-age learners, they fall under Prensky’s category for individuals part of the “‘Nintendo children’--those born after 1970 and raised on video and computer games, Walkmans, the Internet, etc.”, and who prefer more active, engaging, fast-past experiences in life and learning opportunities (Twitch Speed, online).  Prensky lists ten differences in cognitive style of the “video game generations” and their predecessors:

1.      Twitch speed          vs    conventional speed

2.      Parallel processing  vs    linear processing

3.      Random access       vs    linear thinking

4.      Graphics first          vs    text first

5.      Connected              vs    stand-alone

6.      Active                     vs     passive

7.      Play                         vs    work

8.      Payoff                     vs     patience

9.      Fantasy                    vs    reality

10.  Technology as friend vs   technology as foe

He argues that these new shifts in cognitive and learning styles are neither better nor worse than how previous generations viewed the world and learning.  In fact, he states that they offer many positive changes, but that is a discussion for another time.

Younger learners will tend to score consistently toward the newer cognitive preferences, with varying strengths and preferences depending on personality and access to technology such as computers, gaming consoles, mobile devices, and online connectivity.  As I looked through these ten cognitive styles and considered the ELLs I work with, I consistently rated them heavily toward these newer cognitive preferences, especially considering how fast-paced they are observing the world around them and the demands upon them to “keep up”.

VAK learning styles:

ELLs tend to rely more heavily on kinesthetic and visual learning styles within the classroom early on in their language development.  Learning a language strictly orally with no visual or modeling supports is a daunting task indeed. Teachers working with ELLs will attest to the immense value using visual and kinesthetic techniques for both instruction and learning activities brings when attempting to make information accessible to ELLs. 

Once more language skills have developed, ELLs will be able to demonstrate and communicate a preference for one learning style over the other; it is important for teachers to remember that giving ELLs the vocabulary and ability to discuss their learning style and learning preferences helps them to be advocates for their own learning.  

Analysis of games

General Information of games:

Vocabulary.co.il

This website offers many different games for vocabulary practice.  In my exploration of the website, I chose to focus on the games identified for English language acquisition.  

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/english-language-games/

Games included activities for beginning nouns (objects), homophones, synonyms, antonyms, syllables, sight words, possessive nouns, compound words, and more.  Listed in the side bar as part of the website included games for suffixes, prefixes, root words, phonics, idioms, and other areas of language that would benefit ELLs. 

Game play included matching games (such as memory cards and line matching), multiple choice, and other types of play.  All games have some form of feedback, whether visual (check marks and red “x”s) or auditory (chime for correct answers and a crying baby when the wrong answer is chosen). 

ESL beginning noun memory game

ESL synonym game: note the clear feedback given

English (non-ELL) synonym game:
note the more challenging vocabulary

ESL Idiom & Slang game: multiple choice

English (non-ELL) idiom game-play

Suffix matching game: again, colorful interactive qualities and feedback

Balloon Juggle

This game is played with students grouped into two (or possibly more) teams.  Each player on a team takes turns answering questions while the team works together to keep the balloon aloft.  Points are awarded for correct answers (3pts), keeping the balloon aloft (3pts), or both (7pts).  Questions can be about any topic students are learning about.  Difficulty of the game can be varied by adding other physical challenges (more balloons, or navigating obstacles while answering questions) or trivia (such as continuing to answer questions until a balloon is dropped or a question is answered incorrectly).  

Comparison 1: Game components

Below is an analysis evaluating the quality of each game by my definition of a game and comparing them to each other.  

Game Component:	Vocabulary.co.il	Balloon Juggle
organized rules for sense-making of environment	strong: rules very clear, with nice explanations and directions available	strong: clear rules set forth by teacher; variations continue to focus on goals of game-play
exists outside ordinary life	medium: fantastic elements and colorful designs are attractive, but not strongly distant from life	weak: game exists within classroom environments
interaction with others as conflict or cooperation	weak: game interaction is for personal best, but not with another entity (real or in game)	strong: lots of interaction with peers for cooperation
conflict	strong: games encourage players to beat personal best scores and times	strong: conflict with self to remember information
fun/entertainment	weak: while engaging enough for academic use, students may not voluntarily access games without teacher prompting	strong: game-play is enjoyable & simple enough students could create their own versions
challenging goal to attain	strong: vocabulary involved is challenging & leveled for different student grades	strong: combination of mental/academic challenge with physical challenge
uncertainty in outcome	strong: vocabulary is challenging enough that students will need frequent plays to develop certainty of “winning”	strong: many variables make game challenging and each game-play unique in its outcome

As indicated, both games have many strong areas in their definition and workings as games.  With ELLs in mind, Balloon Juggle has the most game components ranked “strong”, making it the better-fit for ELLs. 

Comparison 2:  Learners’ styles

I felt that both of these games had strengths as well as weaknesses for ELLs.  Though I feel both are very appropriate to use with ELLs, for the purposes of the course I am to designate one game as “best-fit” and “least-fit”.  However, because I feel both are useful tools for teachers if used with students’ specific needs in mind, I will designate the Balloon Juggle as “best-fit” for elementary and emerging/beginner ELLs and Vocablary.co.il as a “good-fit” for ELLs.  Below is a description of each game and its level of appropriateness for ELLs’ learning styles.

Vocabulary.co.il: “good-fit”
Online games that focus on vocabulary commonly lack context or strong motivators for students who are new to English to keep working.  It is difficult to truly acquire new vocabulary in a second language without sufficient practice within a supportive, engaging, authentic context.  Stand-alone vocabulary games have a wonderful built-in repetitive nature, giving students the opportunity to encounter new words in practice frequently, but they lack the authentic, rich context of using them in interactions with others.  This makes them slightly less concrete than accommodating or diverging learners might prefer.

Having said this, the games on this site will be engaging for students, but some will likely take some preparatory work in the classroom prior to play.  I feel it is unlikely that some games would be voluntarily played by students, especially those where the vocabulary might be inappropriate for younger learners or ELLs with beginning language proficiencies. The immediate feedback will be helpful in guiding students’ understanding of both the game-play and vocabulary, but teachers should be aware of complex or difficult language in the games’ explanations of target vocabulary.

Accommodating learners will appreciate how easy it is to navigate and click through the games to discover how they work.  Some accommodating learners will need to be shown to watch for changing directions (such as when to match a synonym instead of an antonym).  Diverging learners will appreciate the chance to practice a skill on their own, but might be frustrated if they do not understand the game or task at hand immediately.  Teachers might want to support their learning my modeling the game in front of the whole class or pairing them with another student for a few minutes before asking them to try it on their own.

Balloon game: “best-fit”

One huge advantage of this game is the participative. This game gives kinesthetic learners a chance to move and be active and interactive with peers while participating in a learning activity.  This is especially important for young learners, but ELLs also benefit from this aspect by feeling a sense of belonging to the group.  Even if they do not understand or know all of the answers, they can still earn the team points by keeping the balloon aloft.  While the game is very concrete in nature, the questions asked during the game will be less context-embedded.  Being aware of this more decontextualized aspect for ELLs, teachers should look for opportunities to announce what topic or area of study the questions are related to (if more than one is being used for game-play) and provide connections to background information for ELLs to help them with retrieval of information. 

Due to the adaptability of the game, teachers could modify game-play further to be more meaningful and inclusive of ELLs as participants in the game.  An example of how teachers and students can create their own variations in rules for this game is by having something of a “phone-a-friend” option for ELL students.  After attempting an answer, the student could call upon a teammate for assistance; the teammate could then choose to modify or restate the ELL student’s answer.  The ELL student would then have to acknowledge agreement with this modified or restated answer by submitting a “final answer” to the judge (teacher) for points. 

Accomodating learners will love being able to actively and more fully participate as a member of the class.  They will have no problem jumping right into game-play, though they will likely not understand all of the rules at first.  Both accommodating and diverging learners would benefit from having a “buddy” during the game to watch and be a model to imitate. 

Resources:

Businessballs (2013). Kolb’s learning styles: David Kolb’s learning styles model and experiential learning theory. Retrieved from: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm

Businessballs (2013). Free VAK learning styles test: vak - visual, auditory, kinesthetic - learning styles model and free self-test. Retrieved from: http://www.businessballs.com/vaklearningstylestest.htm

Prensky, M. (1998). Twitch Speed: Keeping up with young learners. Originally published in Across the Board.  Retrieved from : http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Twitch%20Speed.html

Vocabulary.co.il: Vocabulary can be fun! Retrieved July 7, 2013 from: http://www.vocabulary.co.il/english-language-games/