More than just a spiel: special focus on non-Latin script

Published on 1 November 2023

More than just a spiel

Workshop: 1st November 2023

University of Liverpool, Language Lounge, 1-7 Abercromby Square

In an event on 1^st November 2023 in the series of workshops on Games in Modern Languages Teaching Hanna Magedera (University of Liverpool) and Dorit Fellner-Whitgreave (University of Manchester) offered a workshop with a special focus on languages with non-Latin scripts, together with their colleague in Chinese Studies, Lei Peng (University of Liverpool). 

After a "Cocktail Party" opener - where only tea and coffee was served - language teachers working in both Secondary Schools and Higher Education enjoyed the hands-on experience of playing a variety of games and also learnt some Chinese characters as they went along. Teachers of Russian and Arabic as well as various other languages were introduced to games that can easily be played in all languages, with adaptations of old favourites such as "Battleships" that became "Battle Monkeys" to practise prepositions, and "Simon Says" to practise the imperative, and games that encourage speaking, grammar and vocabulary practice, including "Speed Dating" with albeit identities that were as playfully ersatz as the ‘cocktails’ with which we opened. Some participants got rather competitive and that added to the fun had by all. 

The series continues at the University of Nottingham on 7 November 2023, with further events planned in Manchester, London and online.