Learning a new language can be a challenging and rewarding experience, but it can also be intimidating and overwhelming. One way to make the process more enjoyable and engaging is by using games as a basis for learning.
Here are a few reasons why playing games makes language learning fun:
Games are engaging:
Games are a fun and interactive way to learn, and they can help keep students engaged and motivated. By using games as a basis for learning, you can help make language learning more enjoyable and encourage students to stay involved.
Games are interactive:
Games are an interactive way to learn, which can help students practice their skills in a more realistic and engaging way. By playing games, students can practice their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a more interactive and dynamic way.
Games are adaptable:
Games are flexible and adaptable, which means that you can use them to teach a wide range of language skills. Whether you want to focus on grammar, vocabulary, or conversation skills, there is a game that can help you achieve your goals.
Games are fun:
Above all, games are fun. By using games as a basis for learning, you can help make language learning more enjoyable and help students stay engaged and motivated.
Here are a few examples of games that you can use to make language learning fun:
Scrabble:
Scrabble is a classic board game that can be adapted to teach vocabulary and spelling skills in the target language. Students can practice building words and improving their spelling skills, while also learning new words and phrases.
Hangman:
Hangman is a simple game that can be used to teach vocabulary and spelling skills in the target language. Students can guess letters to help fill in a word or phrase, and the teacher can provide hints or clues to help them along.
Word search:
Word search puzzles are a fun and interactive way to practice vocabulary and spelling skills in the target language. Students can search for hidden words in a grid of letters, and the teacher can provide a list of words to look for or allow students to come up with their own list.
Charades:
Charades is a classic party game that can be adapted to teach vocabulary and conversation skills in the target language. Students can act out words or phrases without speaking, and their classmates can try to guess what they are trying to convey.
Board games are a classic way to make language learning fun and interactive. There are many board games that have been adapted for language learning, such as “¡Arriba!” and “Let’s Talk Spanish.” These games can help students practice vocabulary, grammar, and conversation skills in a fun and engaging way.
In addition to these games, there are also many online resources and apps that can help you make language learning more fun and interactive. For example, we offer a range of exercises and games to help children practice their skills, and it provides feedback and rewards to help keep them motivated.
Overall, playing games can be a powerful and effective way to make language learning more enjoyable and engaging. Whether you use traditional board games, online resources, or apps, the key is to find the tools and techniques that work best for you and your students. With a little bit of creativity and flexibility, you can make language learning a fun and rewarding experience for all.
In the build-up to the festive season, learning about Spanish Christmas Traditions is a fun way to encourage interest amongst language students. Making language learning fun and relevant makes learning easier.
Download our free printable Spanish Christmas Traditions comprehension exercise to give to your students or read it out loud to them (subject to their ability) and then ask them to answer the questions.
Tradiciones Navideñas Españolas
La Campaña de Navidad
En España, es normal comenzar a ver decoraciones de Navidad en Noviembre.
Muchos edificios importantes están decorados así como las calles y las casas. Alrededor de Noviembre empieza también la Campaña de Navidad en todos los centros comerciales y en pequeñas tiendas.
La intención principal de la Campaña de Navidad es decorar las tiendas de forma navideña y ofrecer descuentos y rebajas para incitar a la población a iniciar sus compras de Navidad.
El Portal de Belén
Una decoración muy típica en España es el “Portal de Belén” que representa a Jesús y sus padres. Estas decoraciones se pueden encontrar en casa particulares y en tiendas, bares y restaurantes y, en algunas zonas del país.
Cuando se acerca el día de Navidad, se pueden encontrar representaciones de belenes en vivo y en directo, en la calle.
Nochebuena y el Día de Navidad
Nochebuena es un día muy celebrado en España. Se celebra en todo el país.
La comida servida ese día puede variar dependiendo de la zona, pero todas tienen algo en común: siempre se sirven mucha comida.
Después de la gran comida, es común comer algo dulce, principalmente “turrones”, que se parecen a las tabletas de chocolate pero suelen ser más gruesas y con diferentes tipos de frutos secos.
El Día de Navidad se celebra normalmente con la familia. Todo el mundo abre los regalos de debajo del árbol que ha traído Papá Noel.
A los más pequeños de la casa les encanta esta parte y, por esa misma razón, esta parte del día está dedicada a ellos aunque los adultos también reciben regalos.
De nuevo, la comida servida puede variar según la zona del país pero es común servir grandes cantidades de comida.
Nochevieja y Año Nuevo
En el 31 de diciembre, es común quedar con la familia y amigos, tanto en casa como en la calle, para celebrar Nochevieja y el Año Nuevo. Hay muchas fiestas y celebraciones por todo el país.
Cuando llega la medianoche, es común beber champán o cava y comer doce uvas de la suerte. Se come una uva cada vez que suena el reloj, en los últimos doce segundos del año. Se dice que comer dichas uvas trae buena suerte para el siguiente año.
En algunas zonas del país se “recomienda” llevar ropa interior de color rojo para iniciar el año, ya que se dice que también trae Buena suerte.
Día de Reyes
Es España, el día 6 de enero, celebramos algo parecido a la Navidad: un día en que los pequeños reciben regalos y dulces y las familias se reúnen de nuevo para pasar el día, juntos.
El día antes del Día de Reyes, por la tarde, en las calles de todo el país se lleva a cabo “La Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos”. Los Reyes Magos y sus ayudantes pasan por las calles, tirando dulces a los pequeños. A los niños y niñas les encanta estar en la calle recogiendo caramelos y saludando a los Reyes Magos.
En este día, es muy común comer el “Roscón de Reyes”, un tipo de bizcocho con un agujero en medio y con frutas y frutos secos encima.
El Roscón contiene dos sorpresas: una pequeña figura y una alubia. Quien sea que encuentre la figura, puede ponerse la corona que viene con el Roscón. Quien sea que encuentre la alubia tiene que comprar el Roscón del año siguiente.
Now the Questions/ Las Preguntas …
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¿Cuando es normal comenzar a ver decoraciones de Navidad en España?
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¿ Qué es la intención principal de la Campaña de Navidad?
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¿A quién representa el portal de belén?
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¿Qué es un belén en vivo?
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¿En qué parte de España se celebra nochebuena?
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¿A qué se parecen turrones?
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¿Done deja Papá Noel los regalos?
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¿Los adultos también reciben regalos?
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¿Cuando se celebra nochevieja?
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¿Cuando se come las uvas?
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¿En qué fecha se celebra el Día de Reyes?
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¿Qué es La Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos?
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A language classroom is not just about learning the grammar and the vocabulary. It is also about learning the culture or cultures to better understand the language. We all know how food is a fabulous way to get to understand a culture and its people. So what better or more fun way to learn a language than through food?
Today, we share 5 simple and easy tips to incorporate a country or a language’s food culture into your language classroom, your homeschooling routine or your language learning experience.
The key here is the authenticity of the content. Every decent educator will know that to learn a language authentic materials work best and are the most useful. Nobody wants to learn about made-up artificial conversations between a French baker and a customer talking about bagels!
Here are our 5 authentic yet simple tips:
Design Your Own Food Packaging
In a globalised world, it is not difficult to find food packaging containing foreign languages. Just head to your local (ethnic) supermarket and pick something that fits your target language. You get to use the packaging to learn a few words (and taste whatever is inside if it is relevant). Alternatively, next time you are visiting your target language country, bring back food packaging.
Create A Menu
Once again, you don’t need to travel far to find menus written in a foreign language. Either visit your favourite restaurant or check out menus online from restaurants in your target country to get a taste of your favourite dishes.
As an activity, get your students to search for menus, study them and create a brand new one for their very own restaurant.
Role-play: At The Restaurant
You have created your very own menu, all you need to do now is to set up a little role-play with that menu: waiter and customers. Asking questions about the menu, ordering from it, paying the bill are all wonderful authentic practice situations for any language student. Food vocabulary is obviously important here too but you get to add much more to it.
Cook a Typical Dish
Of course, one of the most obvious things you can do to incorporate food into your language lessons is to cook a typical dish from your target country. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or complicated and if you have no cooking equipment, a salad could work too.
Write Your Own Recipe
If your students are up to it, you could even ask them to write or translate their very own recipe. Imagine you are to cook something typical from your own country for people who only speak your target language. You will need to translate the recipe for them. You could supply them with a recipe or they could make one up. Watch out for translation of weights and measure units! They need to be culturally appropriate too. This is a wonderful activity to do to practice cooking-related verbs too.
Have you got any other tips to add to this list? We would love to hear about the ways you do incorporate food into your language lessons or classroom.
Download FREE materials and great gifts …
To celebrate the launch of our first Cooking With Languages products, our bilingual English/Spanish Activity Cookbook and Apron, we are offering our very first giveaway.
This competition is in exclusive conjunction with the latest publication of the wonderful Kids on the Costa (KOTC) magazine and can be followed on social media using the hashtag #KOTCColourComp
KOTC is our favourite magazine for kids and families on the Costa del Sol and southern Spain!
About Kids On the Costa Magazine:
How old is KOTC?The first publication of Kids On the Costa Magazine was launched in March 2002. It is 15 years old!
What date will the latest edition be published?
The next printed edition will be published on 22nd of May 2017 but you can read it sooner online (
Read Latest Version Here)
Until what date will the publication with the competition in be distributed?
The last distribution date of this publication will be February 2018.
How many copies are printed?
25,000 copies of the magazine are printed and, in addition, digital copies are distributed/promoted online
What is the distribution area?
The printed magazines are distributed at many points, from Malaga City to Gibraltar on the Coast and neighbouring inland areas such as Coin and Alhaurin el Grande. The online digital version is read worldwide.
How Can You Enter Our Competition?
- Grab a copy of the KOTC magazine (available from May 22nd, 2017 to February 2018)
- Colour in our picture of Arthur Apple and Nerea Naranja having fun and getting messy in the kitchen.
- Ask your parents to take a photograph of you holding the coloured picture and upload it to our Cooking With Languages Facebook page. (LINK HERE) NOTE: Make sure you “Like” the Facebook Page too as the winners will be announced there!
- OR upload your photo to Twitter tagging @cooklanguage and using the hashtag #KOTCColourComp
- Add the following dates to your diary: SATURDAY 22nd JULY 2017 and SATURDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2017 and be sure to visit the Cooking With Languages Facebook page on those dates as that is when the two winners will be announced.
What If You Don’t Live in southern Spain? What If You Aren’t Planning a Holiday Here in 2017? Don’t worry, You Can Still Enter …
- Download and print off the picture of Arthur Apple and Nerea Naranja having fun and getting messy in the kitchen. ( Use this link to download and print: Arthur & Nerea in the kitchen )
- Colour it in.
- Ask your parents to take a photograph of you holding the coloured picture and upload it to the Kids on the Costa Facebook page. (LINK HERE) NOTE: Make sure you “Like” the Cooking With Languages Facebook Page too as the winners will be announced there!
- OR upload your photo to Twitter tagging @cooklanguage and using the hashtag #KOTCColourComp
- Add the following dates to your diary SATURDAY 15TH JULY 2017 and SATURDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2017 and be sure to visit the Cooking With Languages Facebook page on those dates as that is when the two winners will be announced.
Download FREE materials and great gifts …
Let Us Show You How To Plan A Cooking With Languages Competition in Your Target Langauge
Learning about a country, its customs and its food is a fabulous way to motivate children to learn languages.
In previous posts, we have explained the many different skills children learn in the kitchen and how the kitchen is a great classroom for language learning.
Today, we are going to show you how to plan a Cooking With Languages competition in your place of learning.
Use Simple Bunting and Fun Food Facts for Decoration
Follow these Simple steps to plan a Cooking With Languages Competition in your Target Language (TL):
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Select your target language (TL) e.g. English
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List countries where your TL is spoken. E.g. England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, USA, Canada
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Prepare templates for the flags for each of the countries
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Research traditional and popular dishes for each country (Note: Keep it simple!) e.g. apple crumble, tatties, banoffee pie …
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Invite your students to:
Choose a recipe (remember they can research their own too!) and prepare step by step instructions in the TL
Prepare photos or even a video in the TL demonstrating each step of the instructions
Invite one set of students each week to give a presentation and bring in a sample of their foods
Alternatively ….
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Hold a Cooking With Languages Competition Day in your TL.
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All students are invited to bring in their creations on a given day.
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A panel of judges select the winning dishes.
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Winners can be for specific age groups, food type or any other creative category you come up with.
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Points are awarded for accuracy of TL, originality, taste and appearance.
Don’t forget to share pictures on your Cooking With Languages
If you would like templates of any materials, just email
cookingwithlanguages@gmail.com and we will send them to you 🙂
Download FREE materials and great gifts …
