The application of language games in teaching and learning the English language in lower secondary schools: a case of the Meru district council (Tanzania)

Abstract

Language games are one of the significant techniques appropriate for teaching and learning a foreign language. This paper examines how language games are applied in teaching and learning the English language in lower secondary schools: a case of Meru District Council (Tanzania). The paper is guided by the Communicative Language Teaching Approach. This study was qualitative; hence, data were collected from eight secondary schools through interviews and observations and then analysed thematically. Thirteen English language teachers were involved in data collection. The findings show that the majority of English language teachers do not use language games in language classes. The reasons for this are that many such teachers have had little exposure to a variety of games and lack awareness of language game instruction being among the techniques for teaching and learning the English language; hence, they lack the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply such games in the language class. This study recommends that capacity building for English language teachers is needed, particularly in the language games technique.