Early foreign language teaching has recently been made compulsory in Finland, making this an area open to development and innovation where policy-makers and teachers play a significant role in creating new kinds of learning environments, operating cultures, and pedagogy for foreign language learning. This article discusses the early foreign…

Authors Kevin McCaughey and Rick Rosenberg demonstrate techniques for using board games to stimulate student-centered language practice that is flexible, productive, engaging, and fun. The article includes tips for efficient game play and for using games with a variety of levels and class sizes. The authors show that playing board games for…

Technology is increasingly being used to foster engagement, enhance classroom dynamics, promote autonomy and improve the student learning experience in language learning environments. Many teachers have begun to employ digital apps and tools (e.g. Mentimeter and GoSoapBox) as a more interactive alternative to traditional activities. One product…

The potential of games to support language learning and acquisition -- be it in the digital wilds or in the foreign language classroom -- has often been discussed. In this article, I will look at digital games from an explicitly plurilingual perspective. I describe five existing games that demonstrate a plurilingual outlook (Romanica, MElang-E,…

This article identifies and describes several different approaches to using game-mediated language learning (GML2), drawing in particular on Reinhardt and Sykes' (2012; 2014) framework and related literature. The article concludes with a brief discussion of potential applications to adult literacy and basic education settings and learners.

Gamification is a methodological strategy that uses "game design elements in non-game contexts" (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, and Nacke 2011). The purpose of gamification is to engage people, motivate action, promote learning, and solve problems. This chapter describes examples of Spanish content gamifications that integrate different game…

This paper introduces "FineTune," a mobile application currently in development that features a gamified version of High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT). The aims of this paper are twofold: (1) to outline the theoretical motivation for the app's features, which includes a discussion of HVPT, gamification, and Self-Determination…

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges and opportunities for incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) into physical education, especially in settings disrupted by remote learning. This article provides practical strategies for PE teachers to apply the cooperative learning (CL) model to help Hispanic English language learners…

Incorporating inclusive games and game-related tasks enables learners to explore issues of gender and sexuality in the EFL classroom, while simultaneously developing competences relevant specifically to language learning. Carefully selected and didactically prepared games and gaming activities that highlight marginalised genders and sexualities…

This article proposes a Standard Model of CALL, i.e., a compilation of fundamental theories and practices that should always be considered when creating an instructional design for the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). This proposed model is inspired by the standard model of physics which is the widely accepted understanding about how…

Given the exponential growth in the popularity of early foreign language programs, coupled with an emphasis of evidence-based instruction, assessing young learners' (YLs) foreign language abilities has moved to center stage. This article canvasses how the field of assessing young learners of foreign languages has evolved over the past two decades.…

English language education nowadays is not merely about the instruction and acquisition of linguistic knowledge and skills. Instead, it has progressed to the real-life applications of the target language, which further requires a mastery of cultural knowledge and skills. In terms of culture, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, compared…

This paper reports a design case for a story-driven language learning game called "Arena." "Arena" was developed in the design science tradition, where purpose-built artifacts are used as a springboard for scientific inquiry. As such, "Arena" is a vehicle for designers and researchers to study the effectiveness of…