[Welcome to the EL game series. These posts are all short introductions to games you can play in the EL. Because learning to play games in English can take a long time, some posts will explain how to play simple versions of games. Other posts tell you why you should use games to practice English. You can also use the tags to find other posts you might be interested in.]
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In previous posts, I have mentioned the use of “self-narration” several times. Self-narration is a technique that native speakers also use when playing games in their own language, so it is a good habit to have when playing games. On the other hand, it is also a very helpful way to practice English speaking.
Self-narration simply means “saying what you are doing.” In a game, if you decide to take two cards, say “I will take two cards.” If you roll a five on a die, say “I rolled a five.” If you want to move your piece, say “I will go here.”
There are two reasons why I like self-narration so much. (1) It helps you practice natural repetition. Drilling sentences in class, repeating after the teacher, or reading from a textbook can be boring and “unnatural.” Because you will repeat the same actions in most games, you will naturally repeat the same (or similar) phrases with self-narration. (2) Joining free conversation can be difficult because there are no “turns” and you might not know what to say. In games, everyone gets a turn to act and speak. If you are self-narrating, you don’t have to worry about thinking of something interesting to say.
Final thought: In an RPG or storytelling game, the entire game happens through self-narration (“I open the door” “I look for clues” “I run away from the dragon”). If you are interested in those games but they seem difficult, try doing self-narration with a different type of game.
