Using Review Games in the Classroom

Using review games in the classroom can be an amazingly effective tool in your teaching arsenal. Games can have all the best elements of effective learning and present information to your students in a less threatening, fun oriented environment.

Games give the students a feeling that they are doing something different that they are (gasp!) having fun in class. The more you can incorporate a fun twist in your classroom the more your kids will learn, the less resistant they will be to learning, and the greater their retention will be. This is true of learners of any age from Kindergarten to college level. At every level I have taught, from middle school through college, I have found that one of the most effective review strategies is to play a game.

A well designed game can and should utilize visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning elements. Critical to whether a game is well designed or not is the ability of the players to stay focused on the reason for the game- the learning.

Games are very useful in reviewing information before a test. They can also be used to introduce new concepts. Games can make daunting vocabulary, processes, and concepts much more accessible and inviting to students.

Games come in an astonishing variety of formats. To make a game successful in your situation you need to be sure that you know what you hope to accomplish with the game before you play. More importantly you need to make sure your students understand what the point of playing the game is. I know that sounds silly, but it is truly amazing how much more the learners get out of the game if you make sure they understand where you are going with the game and what they should learn from it.

Conversely, it is easy to get distracted from the point of the game if you choose a game that is not appropriate for the subject you are teaching. That is why it is so important to choose the right game, and especially to stay focused on the outcome you want from the game- for the students to learn.

It is the job of the teacher not only to referee the game, but to maintain the momentum of the game without losing sight of the objecive. In other words do not let the students' enthusiasm, and competitiveness derail what you are trying to get them to accomplish. Keep them focused on the purpose of the game- reviewing or learning the information.

Many students lose a tremendous amount of opportunity because they do not know what their teachers want them to accomplish. If I can communicate to them what the end goal of the game is- what concepts, or vocabulary I want them to know when we are done- the likelihood that they will be ready when I give them an assessment, a test or something else I am going to grade, is much greater.

To summarize, use games. They are a fun and effective method of using all learning modes to get your information across. Games can reach kids who would not otherwise participate. Games allow a different type of setting where you the teacher can convey information in a way that the kids will retain much of the information. Make sure you keep the purpose of the game in mind, and convey to the learners/players what you want them to learn in the end.

Good gaming!