Youth Literacy Game Night

Civic Circle® Area: Volunteer

The impact of COVID-19 continues to change our daily lives and routines, but volunteering and civic engagement are just as important as ever. This project can be modified to adhere to social distancing guidelines set by local and national authorities, to do virtually or to do at home and deliver via mail or drop off.

This project was inspired by the Youth for Literacy generationOn Club of Redwood City, CA who hosted a game night at their local library! You can host a game night too, and help non-native speakers practice their vocabulary and grammar skills.

Why Is It Important?

There are 311 languages spoken in the U.S. and an estimated 7,000 different languages spoken around the world! In 2013, nearly 1 in 5 people in the U.S. spoke a language other than English. With so many different languages and speaking abilities, youth and adults seek opportunities to learn and practice their English skills. Help youth and adults practice their speaking skills and learn new vocabulary in a fun way by engaging them with a game night!

What You Need:

• Board games such as Scrabble, Apples to Apples or Taboo
• Flyers or posters to advertise the event
• A space to hold your event

Steps:

1. Think about where and when you are interested in hosting your game night. You could host the event at a library, community center or school.
2. For a socially-distanced option, set up a video conference for a virtual game night.
3. Confirm the details with your location.
4. Advertise the event with flyers, posters or through social media.
5. Brainstorm what type of games you can play that will help develop speaking skills and build vocabulary. For instance, Scrabble and Simon Says are great games for learning new words and verbs!
6. Collect different board games to use during the event. Make sure to have a variety of options that are inclusive of different speaking levels. Optional: You can be creative and create your own games!
7. Gather as many people you know to participate in your game night.
8. Enjoy a night of fun!

Reflection Questions:

• How do you feel making tools and games to help other people learn?
• What else can you do to help other people learn?