Down with Grammar Homework and Spelling Tests: How Games and Interactive Activities Boost Language Acquisition

As a teacher of foreign languages, it can be challenging to get students to engage with the repetitive commitment that it takes to learn a language. All the dedication that goes into lesson planning, activity making and homework scheduling all while trying to adhere to the curriculum can get wasted if students are not focused on their lessons but thinking about the outside world. But why not bring some entertainment into the classroom? Not only can interactive activities and games be a great way to energise students and keep them excited about language learning, it can also be the key to bonding with your class and ensuring that you don’t get lost in mark schemes and past papers. Students of all ages could never to say no to a game of bingo.

The research about interactive learning and language acquisition backs it up too! Time and time again, it has been proven that games are not to be played around with, they are a powerful academic tool. A study published in The Modern Language Journal found that students exposed to game-based learning retained vocabulary 30% better than those using traditional methods. Better grades and happier students. Speaking of the emotional benefits, according to the Journal of Language Teaching and Research, students involved in language games reported higher motivation, lower anxiety and improved participation. It has become common knowledge that children tend to do better in subjects that they enjoy. Finally, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) emphasises that active engagement—through speaking, listening, and participating—leads to more effective language acquisition, because language learning cannot be done on paper alone. In short, play means progress.

Here are some ideas that you can implement in your classroom to break away from grammar homework and spelling tests:

          1. Vocab Bingo

What it teaches: Vocabulary recognition, listening comprehension.

How to play: Create custom bingo cards using current vocabulary words, images or definitions. Some websites like Bingo Baker have digital bingo generators that can reduce your lesson planning time or even be used for online session. Call out the words in the target language in a random order, or give a clue or definition, and students stamp the matching square. The first to complete a row shouts ‘Bingo!’ and wins.

Variations:

• Use images instead of words for younger learners or beginners
• Make this an autonomous group exercise where learners come up with the clues and bingo cards themselves
• Try “silent bingo,” where you act out the clues instead of speaking them

          2. Charades or Pictionary

What it teaches: Verb usage, vocabulary recall, quick thinking.

How to play: Write vocabulary words or phrases on slips of paper. One student selects a slip and acts out (charades) or draws (Pictionary) the word while the others guess in the target language. Memory retention is often about creating memorable rhymes or body movements, so this is particularly great as a sensory engagement exercise.

Variations:

• Use only verbs to reinforce action vocabulary
• Have students work in teams and earn points
• Add a timer for speed rounds

          3. Role Play and Skits       

What it teaches: Speaking fluency, listening comprehension, cultural context. Builds confidence in real-life communication and deepens understanding of social and cultural norms.

How to play: Give students a scenario (e.g., at a restaurant, at the airport, meeting someone new). In pairs or small groups, they act out the scene using as much target language as possible. You could even have students write their own mini-dialogues or scripts, encouraging the use of slang, idioms or cultural references relevant to the setting.

Ideas for scenarios:

• Booking a hotel room
• Going on a date
• Shopping at a market
• Asking for directions

          4. Memory Match

What it teaches: Word recognition, translation skills, attention to detail, concentration.

How to play: Create cards with words and their meanings or pictures. Spread them face down. Students take turns flipping two cards, trying to find matching pairs (e.g., ‘manzana’ + ‘apple’). Perfect for quiet review sessions or warm-ups, and it's easy to adapt to digital formats too.

Variations:

• Use verb conjugations (e.g., infinitive + past tense)
• Match nouns with appropriate articles or adjectives
• Use idioms and their meanings

          5. Digital Tools: Kahoot! and Quizlet Live

What it teaches: Vocabulary, grammar, reading speed and recall

How to use: Platforms like Kahoot! allow teachers to create live quizzes where students answer questions in real time, giving students instant feedback and a community-based language learning experience. Quizlet Live has students race to match terms and definitions in teams. Use student performance data from these tools to identify common problem areas and tailor future lessons.

Variations:

• Create a quiz about cultural info and customs rather than grammar and vocab
• Make students read out the questions to test their pronunciation skills
• Give out prizes to up the stakes

          6. Hot Seat

What it teaches: Descriptive language, vocabulary, listening comprehension

How to play: Place one student in the ‘hot seat’ with their back to the board. Write a word or phrase behind them. The class gives clues in the target language, and the student guesses the word. This encourages students to think on their feet and practice spontaneous speech in a fun, low-pressure way.

Variations:

• Use categories (animals, emotions, professions)
• Give points based on how quickly the student guesses
• Limit clues to a specific verb tense or grammar form

          7. Escape Rooms or Scavenger Hunts

What it teaches: Reading comprehension, problem-solving, collaborative communication.

How to play: Design an escape room-style activity where students must solve language-based clues to unlock the next stage or ‘escape’ a situation. Or hide clues around the classroom (or virtually using Google Forms or Genially) and send students on a scavenger hunt using prompts in the target language. It’s immersive, creative and gives students a reason to actively use everything they’ve learned.

Ideas for puzzles:

• Decipher a coded sentence using a grammar rule
• Have a hang-man exercise
• Translate a riddle to find the hidden object

          8. Seven and Up

What it Teaches: Thinking in the language, accurate spelling, vocabulary, pronunciation.

How to Play: Create cards each with a word with seven letters on it. Keep the cards face down. Turn one card over at a time. Students have 90 seconds to write down as many words as they can using the letters from the word on the card. After ninety seconds, ask students how many words they have created. Select some students to read out the words they have written down. Make sure they say each word and then spell it.

Variations:

• Have elimination rounds where students compete head-to-head for the champion
• Have themed rounds, i.e. numbers, colours, animals, etc.
• Introduce a point system, have the letters be different colours and worth different amounts of points

So, whether you're working with kids, teens or adults, a little playfulness can go a long way in turning hesitant learners into confident communicators. At Wiseward, we understand the importance of mixing language learning with social interaction and cultural engagement which is why we stress the importance of language immersion. Don’t think that the fun of language learning is only for the students! Come on one of our ‘For Teachers of Languages’ to level-up your teaching strategies while giving a refresh to your language skills. It might inspire some out-of-the-box for teaching like this…

So next time you're planning a lesson, play the game of: How can I make this into a game? Bring adventure and a sense of play into every lesson.

Check out these courses for more about languages and teaching:

Spanish for Teachers of Spanish

French for Teachers of French

German for Teachers of German

English for Teachers of English