Proficiency Through Play

The brainchild of veteran educators Andrea Caulfield and AnneMarie Chase, Proficiency Through Play is packed with 50 high-engagement, low-tech games that have been tested by real teachers and students in real language classrooms.

Whether you have 5 minutes or 45, or your energy is somewhere between “mellow” and “mayhem,” you can find the right game to spark student engagement, promote language acquisition, and build community through friendly competition.

How Proficiency Through Play Changes the Game

·         Language-Agnostic: You can play any game in any language classroom.

·         Offline Gameplay: Games are low-tech, helping your students to disconnect from their devices and connect directly with each other and the target language.

·         Acquisition-Driven Design: Every game has been intentionally crafted with language acquisition at its core, providing students with the input they need to level up their proficiency.

·         Zero-Stress Classroom Management: Designed by teachers who understand how limited your time and energy can be, this book is highly intuitive, practical, and structured to streamline your prep and keep your classroom running smoothly.

Take the Guesswork Out of Gameplay

Each game is organized with a comprehensive, easy-to-read breakdown:

●     Duration of gameplay

●     At-a-glance icons showing different aspects of the game, from prep time to energy levels

●     Clearly stated learning goals

●     Simple materials checklist and steps to prep

●     Teacher-created examples, plus QR codes on select games to access classroom-ready presentations and digital templates to accompany gameplay

●     How to set up on game day, step-by-step gameplay instructions, and rules

●     Classroom-tested tips and “traps” to avoid

●     Strategies to stretch the input, unique extensions and variations, and tailored advice to level up or down for any student ability

©2026. English. All levels. Middle school, high school. 8.5 x 11 inches. Spiral-bound.