MIWLA 2026 Spring Workshop
From Arcade to Classroom: Transforming Classic Games for Language Education
Registration is FREE for MIWLA members.
Join MIWLA and register today!
️Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Place: Grand Valley State University, Holten-Hooker Learning Center, 10880 Residence Drive, Allendale, MI 49401
Contact: Julie Evershed, jevershed@miwla.org
️Presenters: Alfonso Sintjago and Phill Cameron, University of Michigan Language Resource Center
Coffee sponsored by Avant Assessment ☕️
️Lunch courtesy of Klett World Languages ️
This is a hands-on workshop. Bring a lap-top!
✅ SCECHs available!
Educational games can greatly boost student motivation, especially in complex subjects (Plass, 2023). In this workshop, we share our approach to designing over a hundred HTML-based language-learning games using AI tools like ChatGPT and Firefly. Inspired by classic games such as Pac-Man, Q*bert, and Mario, we developed language-centered versions that reinforce vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge. Each game includes audio and interactive features, with vocabulary tailored to specific lessons, ensuring alignment with course goals.
Our design follows Annetta's (2010) "I's" framework - Identity, Immersion, Interactivity, Increasing Complexity, Informed Teaching, and Instructional principles. We also adopted Philips and Popovic's (2012) learning sciences recommendations, prioritizing continuous in-game assessment and adaptability for diverse learning contexts, such as classroom use and parent-child learning.
This process involves detailed design, iteration, and strategic AI prompting to create effective games. In this workshop, we will guide participants through designing their own language-learning games, illustrating how AI can be a powerful tool for creating custom, curriculum-aligned resources. Attendees will gain strategies for game-based learning tailored to their students' needs, fostering sustainable engagement that extends beyond the classroom.
AGENDA
09:30 - 10:00 Arrival
10:00 - 10:15 Introductions
10:15 - 10:30 Game examples
10:30 - 11:00 Game principles
11:00 - 11:30 Language learning + Game principles
11:30 - 12:00 Game design session 1
12:00 - 12:30 Lunch break
12:30 - 12:45 Sharing and feedback 1
12:45 - 1:30 Game design session 2
1:30 - 2:00 Feedback and wrap up
