Hunger and Hardship

     The Third World Farmer game would be an effective way to practice language autonomously outside the classroom because target vocabulary could be used in context to problem solve. In this game, one pretends to be a farmer who does not have sufficient money or resources to survive.    I chose "Third World Farmer" because it reminded me of effective discussion stimulating activities I used to implement in my classroom before technology was available. This game could be played by beginners to practice numbers, months and food vocabulary as well as  to practice math as native speakers might by adhering to a budget. Solving math problems to stay within a budget is (in my opinion) a preferable way to learn math vocabulary than by  studying from a textbook.   The subjunctive and conditional might also be practiced by discussing possible choices and consequences of decisions made playing the game. How would it feel to be the farmer?
     Although I played this game twice,  after the first time, I felt such empathy for third world farmers and all people who do not have quite enough to survive, despite immense effort.  One drawback of this game is that  it does not seem realistic or possible to ever have enough of anything for survival.  To me, that is very discouraging.
     Language learning objectives in a lesson which features this game would be  to reinforce vocabulary,  to practice answering "why" questions and reinforce the past tense as well as the subjunctive. Students would write (as they play the game) what they bought, why they bought it,what the consequences were and how they felt about problems a poor farmer might face.  After summarizing and sharing  with a peer what they wrote,  students would then write a journal reflection about what they learned from the game. Students' summaries and journal reflections would be my assessment that learning objectives were met.