How to Make Language Learning Fun

“Practise hard, train hard, work hard and play harder.” – Alcurtis Turner

Do you want to incorporate more games in your language classes?

Games are a wonderful tool for getting students to acquire linguistic skills and vocabulary. When the learning is hidden in the game, they don’t even realise that they’re actually working (learning).

Whether they’re mastering French grammar, taking Spanish classes or learning an African language, games should always be an intrinsic part of any language class.

In today’s article, Superprof sets out why it is advantageous to utilise games as part of a language class.

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How to Learn Language Skills Effortlessly

Gamification is the process of applying elements of games in, normally, non-game environments. Game-like elements and games have been used, over millennia, to entertain, engage and educate. The whole idea is to get students to have fun while they are learning.

Can you believe that there are around 7 000 languages spoken on planet Earth, from English, which can be regarded as universal, to virtually unknown ones, spoken by only a handful of people. No matter what tongue you’re attempting to learn, fun can always be made a part of the learning.

You can include fun language learning games, such as card games and board games, as your students will be absorbing and using new language skills while they are playing.

Students can delight in the learning of languages with:

• Games
• Various Apps
• Speaking in groups
• Interactive resources

With so many options available to students these days, from traditional games to present-day apps, there is absolutely no reason for them saying that they’re bored during language classes. The aim is, of course, to engage them in such a way that they don’t recognise that they’re actually learning.

Below is a brief list of games to learn a new language:

• Time’s Up
• Guess Who?
• Taboo
• Pictionary
• 20 Questions

If there are tablets, computers and, maybe, VR headsets in your classroom, there are quite a number of sites and apps that you can make use of to add an element of fun to your language lessons.

Below are but a handful of sites that have gamified the learning of language:

• Duolingo
• Memrise
• MosaLingua
• Babbel

Your students can access these apps for a couple of minutes every day as a digital component of their language lessons. The apps are suitable for learners of all ages and levels.

Designing an Environment Where Language Acquisition Occurs Naturally

The teacher has an important task of creating an environment that encourages the learning of a subject, in this case, a language. The more relaxed and engaging that environment is, the better for both learners and teacher.

Students will also learn a great deal through the use of ritualisation, where students repeatedly talk their way through everyday activities or role-play them.

Games can also be utilised to reward students when the have satisfactorily completed a language activity. They will be very encouraged to complete their task if they know that the reward of a game awaits them at the end.

Games offer students the opportunity to learn the target language in an easy, unpressured way, removing the reason for a lot of anxiety: making mistakes.

Students will really enjoy their classes when the activities for foreign language classes help the see how the language skills, they are learning, are actually applied when the language is spoken or written

Popular 80s games, such as jacks and marbles, can be as popular as games such as Pokémon cards and Fortnite in language lessons.

It is important that you, the teacher, get your students excited about their learning and the games that they are going to be engaged in. This will facilitate the learning of new language skills or present students with multiple opportunities to practise their skills.

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Students, Homework and Parents

Games to learn a new language can be a wonderful source of motivation for students, because they allow the students to take charge of their own learning. In a sense, it inspires them to teach themselves. Students may be encouraged to put in greater effort if they know that at the end of their task or activity, they’ll be able to play a game as a reward. If activities for foreign language classes are fun, they will be learning the target language through play, without them recognising that they’re actually working or learning!

Homework could also be gamified and some of the homework activities could involve playing a game with members of the family. This could become a wonderful way to involve parents in their child’s learning of the target language, while also offering the student the opportunity to show off what he or she has learned so far.

Students can actually concretise their learning of the language by exposing their parents to something new. The game also allows students to practise their grammar or new vocabulary. Through association, the game can, additionally, aid the student in remembering the new information learned.

Supporting Speaking and Interaction

Employing games in a class situation is a great way for learners to interact and communicate with one another and a good way to get even shy learners to talk, which is one of the fundamental reasons for learning any language.

Repetitive activities are made more enjoyable when fun language learning games and activities are employed, especially when improving pronunciation and expanding vocabulary. Also, games that get students off their seats and moving about, will be of great benefit to kinaesthetic learners.

Games also teach students important skills, like teamwork, because some games expect participants to work together, while also instilling a respect for rules and a sense of sportsmanship.

Games are a very important, since they promote interaction with others, precisely what a language is used for.

Impacting on the Relationship Between Student and Teacher

As opposed to having one student becoming teacher’s pet, all students will enjoy their lessons and like their teacher, if the lessons are fun.

A student, learning a foreign tongue, must of necessity, want to interact with others and they will have to speak to fellow-learners and their teacher on a regular basis. In the normal teaching situation, the teacher is deemed to be at the top in the hierarchy.

The playing field is somewhat levelled when the teacher assumes the role of just another player in a game, facilitating interaction and speaking, in particular. Also, the fear of trying and failing is removed, since students and the teacher appear to be on the same level. The correction of errors now comes across naturally, in a play way, as opposed to being directing and, possibly, intimidating.

You’re still there to teach the foreign tongue, don’t forget. If your students enjoy their lessons with you, they will learn better and achieve better results. In addition to facilitating their learning you will achieve the satisfaction of teaching lessons which your students enjoy and find useful.

Games are a brilliant educational tool, helping you to reach your students in a less-formal way and helping them to enjoy and look forward to their lessons.

Adding a Fresh Spark to Language Lessons

Learning a new language is not only about learning vocabulary, rules and grammar.

Learning a new language will enable you to:

• Learn about other countries
• Acquire knowledge about their customs and culture
• Grow in appreciation of other peoples and their cultures

The above are concepts which you could spend your entire life learning and language classes will definitely teach you more about the world we live in and its peoples. Learning more about the culture of other people will highlight the usefulness of language skills and get students to view their language classes as important, very informative and not a laborious chore.

A brilliant way to find out more about a culture is to play games which are popular to that culture. Games and role-playing can be used to teach greetings, manners and cultural norms.

Videos and podcasts are very useful digital resources which can assist students to pick up on accents and to hear the language in action. Students can see how people live and interact with one another in the country where the target language is spoken.

If your classes are fun and engaging, your students will be excited about attending them and relishing the opportunity to learn.

Still in need of some direction? Check out the Superprof website for some expert advice.

Private tutoring is a wonderful way to enhance your language skills or brush up on some new teaching techniques, at your convenience.

The Superprof website has on offer a wide range of tutors, offering online tutoring, group classes or individual face-to-face sessions. Each format has its own advantages and drawbacks.

If you prefer one-on-one sessions tailored to your individual needs, then you would lean towards face-to-face tutorials with a tutor whose attention and focus would be you and your particular needs. This option may be more expensive than the others, but no time and energy is wasted on anything that you may deem to be irrelevant.

If you’re on a tight budget, then group sessions would be ideal for you. Here you will be able to learn from others who are, possibly, at the same point in their learning as you are and you can learn from one another.

You can, of course, broaden your search for a tutor by tracking down a native speaker online. This authentic learning experience may be exactly what you’re looking for and may even open doors for you to visit the country where your target language is spoken. Who knows what’s waiting for you? Get that visa ready!