Document Type
Learning Object
Abstract
In this lesson, students deepen their proficiency in the target language by designing and implementing a foreign-language edition of the game Codenames. Drawing on their understanding of vocabulary, semantics, and cultural nuance, students adapt game components and rules to account for language-specific challenges such as word ambiguity, cognates, homophones, and idiomatic meaning. Through collaborative gameplay, students actively apply linguistic knowledge in a communicative, problem-solving context that emphasizes precision and strategic language use. The lesson promotes critical thinking, intercultural competence, and authentic language practice while reinforcing vocabulary acquisition and comprehension in an engaging, student-centered format.
Disciplines
European Languages and Societies | French and Francophone Language and Literature | German Language and Literature | Italian Language and Literature | Latin American Languages and Societies | Modern Languages | Near Eastern Languages and Societies | Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures | Pacific Islands Languages and Societies | Reading and Language | Slavic Languages and Societies | South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature | Yiddish Language and Literature
Publication Date
Spring 3-26-2026
Language
English
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
McCulley, Jeffrey Nolan and Bennett, Chloe, "Codenames for Language Courses" (2026). UTA Libraries Staff Publications. 217.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/utalibraries_publications/217
Included in
European Languages and Societies Commons, French and Francophone Language and Literature Commons, German Language and Literature Commons, Italian Language and Literature Commons, Latin American Languages and Societies Commons, Modern Languages Commons, Near Eastern Languages and Societies Commons, Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons, Pacific Islands Languages and Societies Commons, Reading and Language Commons, Slavic Languages and Societies Commons, South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons, Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature Commons, Yiddish Language and Literature Commons
Comments
The card template used for this lesson is a slightly modified version of the original version located here:
https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/120452/codenames-template
One of the authors has previously been employed in a temporary capacity by the publisher of Codenames, the game on which this lesson is based. This professional relationship is disclosed in the interest of transparency and did not influence the design, implementation, or evaluation of the lesson described in this publication.