04/06/2020
To support the millions of children learning English at home, Cambridge Assessment English has teamed up with game-based learning platform Kahoot!, launching a range of fun games that help young learners practise English and build their language skills. The games were accessed by thousands of players within a few hours of their launch.
Nine games are already available. They bring rich Cambridge English content into the Kahoot! environment, where bright colours, interactions and music are designed to prompt and maintain engagement.
The games are specifically designed to help learners to explore, practise and review language and reading skills at Pre A1, A1 and A2 levels. As they play, learners and their teachers can see immediately what needs more work, and games can be repeated in class or set as a challenge to help learners reach mastery of the language content, or to help prepare for Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers.
Belinda Cerdá, Head of Digital Partnerships at Cambridge Assessment English, explains:
'Playing games is nothing new and we often see teachers introduce them into the classroom as part of their regular teaching. But if you take the right approach to games design they can do so much more than engage and reward learners. Well-designed games can create excitement and flow, distracting learners from stress or anxiety, and making them more open to learning. Playing the right kind of games can also lead to increased levels of intrinsic motivation in the learning environment.'
'These games are not just fun – they help children practise language and vocabulary aligned to their CEFR level, something they would also be doing at school' Cerdá adds. 'They are ideal for online classes and can also be for independent learning.'
'As a department of the University of Cambridge, our mission is to help people to learn English and prove their skills to the world. We’ve been amazed by the speed and enthusiasm with which parents and teachers around the world have moved to online teaching, and we’re committed to providing them with high quality resources and support to help them to make the most of this challenging time.'
Craig Narveson, VP of Content Partnerships, Kahoot! said:
'We are very excited to partner with Cambridge Assessment English to launch a series of games that young learners can play anywhere – in the classroom, during virtual lessons, or at home.'
Learn more about how Cambridge Assessment English are helping support teachers around the world.
Read some tips and ideas for integrating Kahoot! games into English language learning at the Digital Teacher.