The Importance of Fun for Students

In his "EJ in Focus" essay in this issue, Tom Romano makes an effort to ensure that the "fun" that should occur in English class is a rigorous form of fun: fun that engages students in meaningful work for meaningful purposes. There are some who might misread an English Journal theme "For the Fun of It!" as a suggestion that "fun" should be the priority in English class. The concern is that teachers will create a curriculum that students enjoy but aren't getting much from in terms of intellectual development. I understand this concern, but it misses the point.

Making English fun is not really about giving students a good time. It is about improving their learning. When people are having fun, they are paying attention, willing to think more deeply, open to new ideas, less self-conscious, more apt to think back on and discuss what they have experienced, and thus more Tag Heuer Replica likely to incorporate what they have learned into their memory. Fun isn't an important goal for an English class; it's an essential means for achieving goals in English class. Fun encourages more effective learning.

English class must be rigorous, but it is the teacher who must be most rigorous, designing assignments and an atmosphere that will truly engage students. Making a meaningful English class fun is rigorous work. Some may say, "There are simply some aspects of English that are not fun, and students have to learn to deal with them." I've even heard some argue that students can learn more from a boring class because it will force them to learn how to learn despite negating classroom conditions. The idea is that such instruction will prepare students for a "real world" that is not out to entertain them. But this logic is flawed. Does hitting yourself in the head with a hammer make you better at taking hits to the head with a hammer?

Students come to us to learn everything about English that they should learn. It is up to us to help them learn it. And that requires making English as fun as possible for students—without sacrificing a bit of rigor. It's a tough job. Good thing we've got great material.

English teachers are a creative and fun-loving bunch. For this issue, we received more than five times the number of submissions than we Omega Replica Watches could publish. The essays we were able to include are sure to inspire, entertain, and educate. Take some time during these summer months to relax and enjoy this English Journal wherever you go to recharge. Have some fun thinking about how to bring your favorite aspects of English to your students next year.