East Stroudsburg Area School District language teachers attended a daylong workshop at East Stroudsburg University on Friday, Oct. 23. The session focused on using classroom games to get students talking more in world language classes.
The district said its teachers attended the 13th Annual Language Educators Workshop, titled "From Play to Participation: Practical Game-Based Learning with Gamehut." The district did not specify which schools or how many teachers participated. The workshop ran from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Stroud Hall on ESU's campus.
Dr. Mahmoud Amer led the session. Amer is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, professor and former chairperson of the Department of Languages and Cultures at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He presented Gamehut, a game-based learning platform that promotes participation, collaboration and oral production in second-language classrooms.
Each attendee received a Gamehut Teacher account and access to a gallery of ready-to-use game sets they can modify for their own students. Teachers also created or adapted a classroom activity using a Gamehut tool of their choice, aligned with their instructional goals.
According to ESU's workshop page, teachers explored several of the platform's tools during the day. In the morning, participants tried Vocabee for vocabulary development and retrieval practice. They then used Buzzrs for interactive review, teamwork and oral language practice. After lunch, they worked with DiceKrush for practice, review, categorization and problem-solving.
The workshop also highlighted how game-based activities can map to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, with attention to interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communication.
Amer has published research in peer-reviewed publications including CALICO, FLTMAG and SLRP, according to his West Chester University profile.
Workshop participants left with continued access to Gamehut tools and adaptable gallery resources, according to ESU's workshop page.
