Ludic by Design: Integrating Digital Games into an ESL Curriculum to Foster Engagement and Joy

This paper reflects on my year-long praxis as a temporary lecturer in an ESL course for the Language Teaching program at the Federal University of Viçosa. To enhance the curricular requirements, I integrated a “Ludic topic” with digital games, designing activities that engaged students both within and around games (York et al, 2021). A post-term questionnaire revealed students’ perceptions: enhanced speaking confidence, collaborative learning, and joyful engagement emerged as key benefits, with many noting how games contextualized language practice. Challenges included passive participation in group settings and occasional misalignment between game mechanics and linguistic goals. Students suggested diversifying game types, pre-class surveys to align with interests, and extending gameplay across multiple sessions to deepen language exploration. Their feedback underscores the potential of LLP to balance curricular rigor with affective, meaningful, student-centered learning.