Imagine if you are teaching junior high math
and realize that some of your students do not know how to add and subtract. If
you have to take valuable class time to teach these basic elementary math
skills, the rest of your students will suffer. However, if this student group
is not able to do simple addition or subtraction, they are going to struggle
all year. One way to encourage them to practice in a fun, competitive way
without detracting from the overall class is to allow them to play math games.
Maybe time can be set aside regularly and designated as free time. Students who
need to reinforce skills can get extra math practice and students already at
grade level can start homework or be challenged at a higher level. Teachers can
set up the math games so that they focus on areas that need reinforcement. You
can make random groups and rotate them so all of your students get a chance to play
during the week. This way, certain students are not identified and all students
receive important practice
One benefit of math games that is often
overlooked is the fact that the students are working independently. Sometimes
those students who struggle in subjects, especially math, are embarrassed about
their difficulties. If you were to play a group practice game or ask them to
answer questions orally, they might be too embarrassed to try their best. On
the computer, however, these students are not faced with their peers. They can
progress through the math games at their own level, gaining valuable practice
each day.
As you are shopping for math games, you need
to realize that there is a wide range of products available. You will still be
able to find traditional math games. These are the games where students
practice their basic facts with arcade-like programming. But, math games are no
longer only the arcade-style games you may remember. You can find software that
contains your students' favorite cartoon or movie characters. As they move
through the levels they must answer math questions to proceed. Tracking
student's progress and the cability to personalize lessons to the student's
ability are features of some math game software. Students advance levels once
they've reached competency on skills being worked on. Some math games have
features that encourage and build analytical skills, problem approach, logic
and systematic thinking. While your students may not realize this is math, you
know that these thinking skills are essential to finding success in the
subject. You can even purchase mystery programs where the students act as
detectives solving "math mysteries
Whatever program you decide to use in your
math classroom, be sure to set aside time when the students can play math
games. Interactive math games are one way to introduce and reinforce math
concepts with an entertaining medium. With math games, math can become a little
bit more fun for everyone.
0 comments:
Post a Comment