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As the Paris 2024 games come to an end, this is as good a time as ever to take a look at the importance of games and play when learning, especially when learning a new language!
Games are all about fun right? Ok, maybe not so much the Olympics but I’m talking about games with family, friends and classmates (even if those classmates are online)!
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why games are so important when learning to communicate in a new language…
Eliminating mistakes. When we play we use our imagination and when we’re using our imagination there are NO mistakes! Taking away the, often self-imposed need for perfection, is totally free-ing, this is often where I see the biggest positive change in a student. A once shy, fearful child, scared of saying the wrong word or using the wrong pronunciation, are free here to ‘throw caution to the wind’ and just try! And often win! Students are definitely winners in my book whenever they take that risk and just try! I live in a foreign country, and as a fifty something adult, I certainly understand the fear of speaking in a language that isn’t your mother tongue.
Reducing anxiety. Games and creative activities have the power to lower anxiety, creating a wider potential for both learning and retaining new language. I can clearly recall those, sadly not often enough times, when my teachers said, ‘right class, we’re going to play a game / do some drawing’, it was a game-changer for me. My self-imposed walls came down brick by brick and this is where I learnt the most.
Games are motivating. Stepping away from a text book, a screen or a whiteboard to break-out in to play is liberating, and happy making! When we’re happy, we want to do more of the thing that is making us happy right? Not only that, these are the times when we form positive memories and retain what we have learnt the most.
Challenges are good. Well chosen games, challenging enough to push a child, yet not too out of the way to create frustration and boredom, are a teachers’ secret key! Finding the golden spot here is the winning card! And of course this comes with trial and error, and lots and lots of experience!
It’s all about connection. Games give meaning and context to language in use, Pictionary being a fabulous example of this. Drawing helps us process information in multiple ways, visually, kinesthetically, and semantically, connecting language terms and concepts in a much deeper way, leading to a greater recall of the language being learnt.
These are just five fantastic reasons to incorporate play, games and creativity into any learning environment. I’d like to end on a quote I stumbled across from Agnieszka Uberman ('Forum' Vol. 36 No 1, January - March 1998 Page 20.)
- ’Games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these reasons, they should be used just because they hellp students see beauty in a foreign language and not just problems that at times seem overwhelming.’ -