Didactic Games in the French Language Classroom

Abstract

The growing interest in studying foreign languages in Latvia, including the study of French as a foreign language, is a feature of our time. This indisputable position determines the relevance of the article. All students choosing French for study have very different motivation. At the same time, everyone is aware that a good knowledge of foreign languages is an indispensable precondition for career growth and the key that opens the door for us to enter another culture. French language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. The author of the article shares the opinion that games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. Games also encourage and increase cooperation. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication. The curriculum for foreign languages emphasizes the importance of learning languages and especially the importance of communication. Because of this fact it is vitally important for teachers to create a positive learning environment, and to try to spark interest among their students both in the foreign language and culture because that is important to a successful language learning process. Games help achieve these goals. The article considers the types of games (research games, certification games and didactic games) and their influence on psycho-physiological state of students. Brief methodical recommendations on the organization of didactic playing activities are also provided. The author describes game-based learning and its impact on intrinsic motivation and performance of students, in particular their speaking skills. The theoretical part includes definitions of main concepts such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and creativity. The practical part is dedicated to certain games and tasks to enhance motivation and speaking skills. In conclusion, the role of games in teaching and learning cannot be denied. However, in order to achieve the most from didactic games in the French classroom, it is essential that suitable games are chosen. Whenever a game is to be conducted, the number of students, proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings are factors that should be taken into account.