Edutainment in TEFL

“Edutainment” in the EFL Classroom

As you might guess – “Edutainment” is the marriage of education and entertainment.  Depending on how seriously you might want to take yourself as an educator, check into the scene in the country and school where you will seek work.

Some countries are very serious about education and are more concerned that lessons have good content and relevant language.  They expect you to deliver skills in exchange for their money.  Others, want more entertainment (in English) and hope students absorb their language skills that way.

If edutainment is the agenda for a school, go there prepared with many games and fun activities that use English as their medium.  Students can, in fact, pick up a fair amount of language this way – so all is not lost.  But, if you respect yourself and the profession, be wary of schools that are looking for a “dancing monkey” and not a teacher.  Such schools do exist and your level of job satisfaction will be quite low if you take that type of position.

The Internet is full of great places to pick up games and activities.  See the “Games and Activities” page on the menu for the best way to use them in the classroom.

The Games Pages at Dave’s ESL has more games and activities than you can ever imagine using.  Find six or eight that you enjoy and adapt them to the level and interests of your students.

You will soon find that a selection of good games can often be adapted to cover just about any teaching situation – from ten minutes left in class and you have finished the lesson ahead of schedule and need something to do until the bell rings – to teaching serious businesspeople to loosen up and introduce themselves to their fellow students.