Games and AI in the World Language Class!

Ready to step up your teaching game? This week, I’m sharing five games that are just plain awesome because they’ll keep your students hooked while they get to hear tons of understandable and interesting stuff.

Now, why are these games so cool? It’s simple – they make sure every student has a fair shot at winning. Yep, that’s the magic ingredient that keeps them engaged and excited.

But wait, there’s more! I’m not just talking about games; we’re also getting into this fantastic AI tool that can whip up custom games for your favorite platforms like Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket, Quizziz, and more, all with just a few clicks.

I’m sharing the highlights of episode 55 of Growing with Proficiency The Podcast here, but to listen to all of the details, listen to episode 55 above, on your favorite podcast player, or here.

When we’re tired and our students are tired and we feel like we are really pushing our students without seeing that result, these low prep games are super handy.

Game of Mentira and Verdad

For this game, you need 10 to 20 personalized questions. If you have used Star Student Interviews, you can use any of those questions. I usually have a set each month. Each month I create 20 questions with general information and more questions related to this specific system. I have them in my TPT store if you ‘d like to check them out.

Next, put with the word mentira or verdad on the back of the cards. First, you are going to mode the play of the game:

• Display the question
• Draw a card. If the card says mentira, then you have to answer the question with a lie. If the card says verdad, then you have to answer the question with a verdad.
• Students will have to guess if it’s verdad or mentira. If they are correct, then they get a point. If they are incorrect, then you, the teacher, gets a point.

Your students can also play in small groups or pairs. I give a variation of this game with a dice in episode 55 of the podcast. 

Who Has The Question Game

Here’s another great world language class game that uses those questions from the first game. Create as many sets of questions as the number of student groups you will have. I like small groups; 4 students and no more than 5 students per group. Next, give each set to the group, but divide the questions into the number of students so that each student will be responsible for at least 3 questions. So, if your group has 4 students, you would need 12 questions. 

Now comes the playing part. Have students read their questions and make sure they understand. Now, you will say an answer to one of the questions. The student who has the question has to fast walk towards you. The group who gives you the question first wins the point. If you have two students who get to you at the same time, then they play rock-paper-scissors to untie.

This can be pretty chaotic if you don’t set some rules and model. First rule, no one can move until you say the magic word. Second, I situate myself in the middle and all the groups are in a circle around me. No running, only fast walking. This is a perfect game to play outside.  

Trashquetbol

You might already know about this game, but I learned it from La Maestra Loca. The only thing you need is a trash can. Next, use tape to mark three different distances from the trashcan. So, one is going to be the closest distance probably like one or two feet, and then you’re going to mark that three points, the next one is going to be five points, and the fourth will be 10 points.

Then, you’re going to ask questions about a topic that you have discussed in class, or it can be a Star Student Interview or Calendar Talk. You’re going to divide your class into groups of three to five. I like to keep them small, but sometimes we’re going to have to go with five. Each group should have a whiteboard and a marker.

You ask the questions and the students or groups answer the question, and then they show you the answer. Whoever, or whatever group, got it right, they have the chance to throw the ball. They get to also choose the distance. Super important, have very specific rules. My students are not going to show me the whiteboard until I tell them the magic word. Why? Because I want to be able to repeat the question. I want to level the field. 

Game of Boom

This was inspired by a game that Anna Marie Chase shared in her blog. Her original name is sit down. I read it, and I made it my own by making some changes.

My version of this world language class game is to first have students work with a partner and face each other. You will be in the front of the class. Next, you say a statement based on the story or content you have reviewed. Again, it can be any content, but students must be very familiar with the content.

 To start, I put my arms up and ask a question about the topic. Then, I pause and scan the room. I want to make sure all my students understand my question. I repeat the question and keep my arms up which means that nobody can answer the question just yet. If I see that a student has the look of I don’t know, I ask the class what a certain word means and I repeat it. This game is so fast paced that nobody really keeps up with the points, but it’s super fun!

Group Bingo

For this game, groups of three students have to illustrate the story or key words for content that you have just reviewed. Beforehand, create 9 box grids on paper. Cut the grid allowing students to get a strip with 3 boxes. Next, they will physically move so that they are one behind the other holding the strip with the 3 boxes in a way that if they put it together, it will be the entire grid. 

Then, you retell the story or you describe the word. The student who has that word or story marks the box. You continue until a group has 3 in a row.

The tip here is that students can’t change the order of their strips, only you can. You can say, “Row 1, move to the center” etc. to make the students move. The idea is that each student has to be responsible for listening so that they help their team/group.

AI in the World Language Class

Here’s the AI tool that I mentioned at the beginning of this post. We all like to make games for our favorite platforms like Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket, Quizziz, and more, but typing all the questions and options is time consuming. This is where Questionwell.org comes to help! 

You just write the topic and subject, and you can also add grade level. Then add the language you want the questions to be written in, and add in the reading. You can just copy and paste your story, but you can also paste a link to a Youtube video or webpage. Then, it has an outcomes section, so you can add outcomes like main idea, important details, infer specific vocabulary words, audience, etc.  or just leave it blank. 

Finally, hit generate set, and it will create the questions for you. Then, you can edit the questions you want and click export. After that, you can import those questions to all of those platforms. Isn’t that wonderful?

More Resources

I hope you found these games helpful because I know there are many moments during the year that we just need a game to help us bring up the energy, laugh a little bit, and add joy to our classes. Don’t forget to listen to episode 55 to hear a bonus game and more details on how I play these games with my students.

If you need ideas for the questions and content, you can head to my TPT store where I have many stories, Start Student Interviews, and Calendar Talk, plus many more authentic resources. Find them here. For a free resource, go to Las leyendas and get 5 leyendas!