Lecturer：Dr. Cheng Wanni

Lecturer’s Profile

Dr. Cheng Wan-ni is the Dean of ECCED and Senior Lecturer at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL). She specializes in picture book creation, localization of teaching resources, and promoting parent-child reading. With her extensive research background, she empowers educators to build heart-centered communication models, enhancing the interaction quality and engagement in early childhood Chinese language education.

Course Overview

Board games are more than games—they are effective teaching resources that support children’s language learning and social development. This course focuses on how teachers can integrate board games into daily play-based teaching to develop children’s abilities in following instructions, communication, turn-taking, cooperation, and emotional regulation. Through gameplay experience, teaching scenarios, and facilitation strategies, participants will learn practical ways to teach through play and create more engaging learning environments.

Course Objectives

1. Understand the educational value of board games for language learning and social development. 

2. Apply principles for selecting suitable board games for young children. 

3. Use board games to develop children’s listening, vocabulary, and communication skills. 

4. Guide children to learn turn-taking, cooperation, and appropriate expression during gameplay. 

5. Handle common emotions, conflicts, and classroom management issues during board game activities. 

6. Design board game-based teaching activities for immediate classroom use.

Course Features

1. Integrates board game experiences into play-based teaching practices 

2.  Focuses on language development and social skills learning 

3. Provides practical classroom facilitation and interaction demonstrations 

4. Connects classroom application, problem-solving, and activity design 

Course Content

1.  The Value of Board Games in Play-Based Teaching

Why children learn effectively through play 

How board games support language and social development 

Introduction to common board game types for young children 

（配对类 Matching / 记忆类 Memory / 动作类 Action / 合作类 Cooperative / 逻辑类 Logic）

2.  Gameplay Experience and Language Teaching Demonstration

Hands-on gameplay experience for teachers 

Teaching children to understand rules and instructions 

Building vocabulary and expression through games 

Teacher language facilitation strategies 

3.  Social Skills Teaching and Problem Solving

Turn-taking and rule-following 

Cooperation and respectful communication 

Handling losing emotions, conflicts, and grabbing behaviour 

Teacher intervention and guidance strategies 

4.  Classroom Application and Activity Design

Integrating board games into daily themes 

Small-group and learning corner applications 

Teaching case discussions 

Action plan for immediate classroom use

Take-home Course Resources

1. Recommended Board Game List (by age and skill level) 

2. Board Game Selection Checklist 

3. Teacher Language Prompt Cards 

4. Social Skills Observation Form 

5. Conflict Resolution Prompt Cards 

6. Extension Activity Templates

	Course Flow
Time	Session Details
Unit 1	The Value of Board Games in Play-Based Teaching and Introduction to Common Board Game Types
Unit 2	Gameplay Experience: Demonstration of Language Learning and Instructional Facilitation
Unit 3	Teaching Social Skills: Turn-Taking, Cooperation, Winning and Losing Emotions, and Conflict Management
Unit 4	Case Studies, Classroom Application Design, and Resource Toolkit Introduction