SWCOLT 2022

As language teachers aim to embrace more proficiency-based strategies in their classrooms, it is critical to take a look at what role "games" can play to best meet their goals. Teachers who have traditionally used games as a means of "practicing" language or "drilling" discrete concepts may be missing out on golden opportunities to connect with students through purposeful, communicative exchanges. Teachers who shy away from games because they think is it time wasted, may be cheating themselves of a key ingredient that could motivate and excite their students to partake in abundant discourse fueled by meaningful, comprehensible input. This presentation will discuss WHY game-play is important in the language classroom and HOW to go about playing games in a way that promotes proficiency gains at all levels.