Imagine a method of learning that looks a bit like the opening credits of Game of Thrones and you’ll have a good idea of Mrs. Kokoszka’s Upper Campus Spanish classes. As part of her curriculum, Mrs. Kokoszka utilizes a gamified approach to help students develop their Spanish language skills.

Classcraft is a game-based program that encourages collaboration, communication, self-expression, and is culturally relevant to today’s youth. Mrs. Kokoszka incorporated this program into her classroom before remote learning, but it has taken on increased importance during the spring term.

“I’ve found this to be an extremely effective and functional tool that allows our students to learn while having fun,” says Mrs. Kokoszka. “It’s a great way to supplement more traditional practices of teaching and learning.” In her fifth grade Spanish class, for example, students are asked to create characters and embark on various quests to help them learn new vocabulary and grammar. With different incentives and rewards, the students can work at a pace that feels right for them and they become invested in their work. Their progress is easily tracked by the teacher, who can post video tutorials and assign new tasks.

“Classcraft provides a chance for students to work at their own pace and be responsible learners,” shares Mrs. Kokoszka. “I love that the students have access to the material that they need in a single place where they can go back to it as many time as they need.”