Language Games
Adapting or using the principles
of commercially-produced
games to create opportunities for
pre-school children to develop
their language skills
Why play games?
Games …
“… provide a playful
context in which
children’s errors or
failures do not have
serious
consequences”
S&LT adapting a standard game
Conant, Budoff, Hecht & Morse (1984)
S&LT creating a game
Communication games …
.. allow
for
focused
practice on a
specific
language target
within a
communicative
context
Small group games in pre-school
Language games …
• Encourage interaction with other children
• Stimulate communication
• Motivate children to participate
• Give adults opportunities to carry out ongoing
assessment of language skills