On October 28, the Faculty of Social and Humanitarian Sciences hosted an open lecture entitled “Gamification in the Classroom as a Means of Developing Students’ Social Skills”, delivered by Alina Valentynivna Medynska, Senior Lecturer at the Foreign Languages Department and PhD in Pedagogy. The lecture was attended by first- and second-cycle students enrolled in 014 Secondary Education / A4 Secondary Education (by subject specialisation), as well as everyone interested in the topic.

The lecture aimed to substantiate the effectiveness of using gamification in English language classes as an effective tool for simultaneously developing students’ language competence and social skills in general secondary education institutions.

During the lecture, the concept of social skills was explored in detail, with particular attention paid to their key components: communication, teamwork, empathy, conflict resolution, and self-regulation. In the context of foreign language teaching, the lecturer clearly distinguished between Play-Based Learning, Game-Based Learning, and Gamification, highlighting the differences in their structures and learning outcomes.

The lecturer also analysed the educational functions and motivational impact of key game mechanics - including narrative quests, competency badges, progress bars, experience points (XP), and leaderboards - on students’ engagement in language learning. Participants were introduced to a professional framework for designing gamified language tasks based on the backward design model, starting with the expected learning outcome and concluding with reflection.

Practical examples and tools for implementing gamification through both analogue methods and digital platforms were demonstrated. The lecture also highlighted the changing role of the teacher - from being the sole source of knowledge to becoming a facilitator of the educational process who encourages student autonomy and peer learning.

At the end of the lecture, Alina Medynska presented her original methodological guide, “Games and Gamification in Foreign Language Classes.” The guide contains theoretical and practical materials on the use of games and gamification technologies in foreign language teaching at different educational levels.

Following the lecture, students and faculty members discussed the material, shared their impressions, and highlighted the practical value of the demonstrated approach. They also expressed their interest in applying gamification methods in their further educational work.

According to the Foreign Languages Department