Dear ,

A couple of weeks ago, one of my colleagues asked me:
"How do you make people pay for playing games in your classes?"
I told her I'm not just playing games, I'm playing
"Seriously Fun, Functional and Effective Games"
to facilitate "Game Based Learning".

In the last 25 years, I collected and invented many linguistic games
and communicative games.
I never play a game in my courses without a reason.

In linguistic games, the goal of the game is linguistic accuracy,
i.e. producing a correct structure.

Communicative games are activities with a goal or aim
that is not linguistic. Successful completion of the game
will involve the carrying out of a task, rather than the correct production
of Dutch sentences. In order to carry out this task,
it will be necessary to use Dutch,
and the teacher can specify in advance
what kind of vocabulairy/structures will be required.

The emphasis in linguistic games is on accuracy, in communicative games
the emphasis falls on fluency, on successful communication
rather than on correctness of language.

Game Based Learning can provide controlled practice
like a traditional drill (example) or an opportunity for real communication
(example). It can serve as a bridge
between the classroom and the real world.
It can also be used as a diagnostic tool for me.
I decide how much I correct instantly, or which mistakes
I will save for later feedback.

Using an example of the popular children's game 'Hopscotch' (= hinkelspel in Dutch), this infographic (borrowed from upsidelearning.com)
shows the differences between "Games" and "Serious Games".

Serious Gaming goes with the number one motto that I believe in:
An activity should be fun, even in your own language!

Sources: Own Experience + Jill Hadfield "Communication Games"

, if you would like to experience
"seriously gaming your way into learning Dutch" yourself,
you are welcome at one of my "Serious Games Events":

Escape Room Save Amsterdam

Afternoon Full of Serious Games (free)

or

Download this Dutch Logic Puzzle to play at home
(the first one who sends in the correct solution to this puzzle
will win this foldable Dutch basket, which you can pick up in Bussum.
Unfortunately, it can't be sent to you by mail.)

Stay tuned!

Sylvia Clements

P.S.: the latest schedule for the Dutch courses is always here.