Why Learning Through Play Works.

by Lea

Many people see play as what happens in the playground and learning as what happens in the classroom. However, did you know that play is not only an incredible tool for learning but an essential part of it?

Generally, parents have an understanding that play is a way for their newborns to develop cognitive, creative, social, and physical skills. However, because play is such a natural instinct for children, its importance seems to be less and less recognized as the child grows up. Especially in our current world, attention is heavily focused on quick evidence of learning such as points and exam results, which inevitably affects the approaches of schools and teachers as well.

While we understand the importance and necessity of testing, at Globally Speaking in Rome, we also believe in the immense power of play in education for our young learners. As the organization “Save the Children” states, “Play is how children explore, express, and engage with the world around them,” ultimately helping them become successful and happy adults. But why does learning through play work so well, especially when learning a foreign language?

Free Play vs. Teacher-Led Play

First, it is important to distinguish between free play and teacher-led play. While free play is absolutely necessary for a child’s general development, teacher-led play takes the essence of free play and channels it. Through a teacher’s guidance, specific lesson needs are highlighted. It is not just a break or “fun time” away from typical classroom activities. Rather, it is a very intentional way to refocus, practice, and help children regulate their bodies and minds during lessons, especially considering that a recent study revealed that young children actually have more energy than endurance athletes!

While incorporating play during lessons offers various benefits for young learners, here are some of the most impactful:

Reduces Performance Anxiety

One of the biggest benefits of play in lessons is that it eliminates the fear of participating and making mistakes. Especially for shyer kids, talking and answering questions in a new language can be quite stressful. Although this is a fear that students will overcome with time, play lets them do this in a much freer and quicker way. Because their focus shifts entirely to participating in the game or winning, their anxiety drops, and they produce language much more naturally than they would on a quiz or a test.

Encourages Authentic Communication

Another major benefit is that games force players to use English for real purposes, like negotiating rules, asking for help, or collaborating with peers. While we try to replicate authentic conversations during traditional lesson activities, this naturally occurs the moment students are invested in a game. They stop overthinking rules or worrying about making perfect sentences and start using the language as a genuine tool to achieve their goal instead.

Enhances Vocabulary Retention

It has been a long-known fact that connecting new vocabulary to sensory actions, sounds, and imagery makes the words stick. A child is much more likely to remember the word “jump” if they physically leap during a game or a song, rather than just looking at a flashcard or a picture in a textbook. This helps the language be stored in their memory alongside physical movement and a happy memory, making it much easier to recall later.

Builds Natural Rhythm and Pronunciation

Activities such as songs, nursery rhymes, and simple chants naturally teach English pronunciation, sentence stress, and phonetic patterns. Through music and play, children learn the rhythm and intonation of a foreign language before they even realise that they are learning. It allows them to practice difficult sounds in a repetitive, low-pressure, and fun way! The way educational music is structured also helps the lyrics to be memorable and something that the children often naturally repeat even outside of the classroom.

However, most importantly, we want English to be more than just another obligation on your child’s busy schedule. Our priority is to make it a vital life skill they actively look forward to developing. By weaving songs, games, and play into our lessons, here at Globally Speaking we make sure that mastering English is an experience they enjoy every step of the way.