Designing game-based L2 courses for university-level learners

Background: Games and play are natural to human beings and have been enjoyed by many throughout the world. Their use in education has a long history. They have also been reported to have enhanced learning outcomes in language education in general and second/foreign language (L2) education in particular. Despite substantial research on the effects of games in L2 education, there is limited literature available on how L2 courses can be designed with and around games. Aim: Therefore, this research explores how experienced L2 teachers use games to teach an L2 (English) in a university setting. Methods: For this research, qualitative data was collected from four experienced teachers through one-to-one semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The results show how game-based L2 courses can be designed for university-level students. Conclusion: Those who want to design their L2 courses around games, can gain a bird’s eye view on how experienced L2 teachers design their game-based courses.