Let’s Play Spelling Games in Class!

to produce a coherent piece of text with correctly chosen and spelled words usually lags behind their general language proficiency. Unlike writing skill that requires specific pedagogical strategies and practice, spelling skill can be developed in a more straightforward way by means of digital technologies. Smartphone apps are good examples of educational tools that can be applied for spelling practice in a foreign language. Such practice which is usually offered in the form of games can engage learners in the process of knowledge construction and, in effect, be more productive for language learners at different levels of language proficiency. Students have the opportunity to play these spelling games individually or in groups and receive automated feedback from the system. This increases the applicability of these games for self-study. The present article introduces three app-based spelling games and reviews their applicability for English word spelling practice. Introducing these games to students, teachers can motivate learners to play a more active role in the process of learning and extend the instructional/learning time beyond the confines of the physical classrooms