Gamification in practice - Language Dakar - in-house gamification training for Language Centre employees

On October 8, 2025, during the Friday training session, teaching staff at the Language Centre had the opportunity to participate in an in-house training workshop prepared by their colleagues entitled: "An exam can also be a game – gamification of preparation." During the training, its authors, Przemysław Boczarski, Agnieszka Świderek, Ewa Halsagard, Anna Ruszczyńska-Bujnowicz, and Agnieszka Kleczkowska, presented the theoretical foundations of gamification, discussing how the use of game mechanisms in the context of language teaching can increase student motivation and engagement.

The practical part presented the Language Dakar game scenario—a storyline filled with tasks, preparing students for the English language exam. An integral element of the gamification is badges (here generated using AI) awarded to students for their achievements during the preparation process. Artificial intelligence (AI) aided in developing the storyline and related elements, facilitating the creation of content and teaching materials.

Gamification is not a new concept, but its implementation is challenging, requiring careful preparation and thoughtful planning. However, it can serve as an additional source of motivation and engage students by engaging them in language tasks that go beyond the required textbook material.