Game-Based Instructional Design for Beginner Chinese: Constructing a Classroom Game Activity Database

With the rapid development of international Chinese education, enhancing learner engagement and motivation in beginner-level Chinese classes has become a major focus. Based on Embodied Cognition Theory and the concept of game-based learning, this study proposes a systematic framework for constructing a “Classroom Game Activity Database” for beginner Chinese teaching. It designs 24 games covering listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, integrating pre-class warm-up, new content presentation, review, and consolidation stages. Through modular database design and scientific game classification, this research not only improves resource accessibility for teachers but also provides practical, engaging, and goal-oriented classroom activities. The paper highlights principles of database construction, scientific approaches to game design, and application of an incentive mechanism, while introducing an “Experience-Reflection-Transfer” model for classroom integration. Findings suggest that the designed game activities effectively enhance learner motivation, improve communicative competence, and promote classroom interaction, offering innovative models and practical references for Chinese language teaching.