Digital Dialects - language games for European Day of Languages

Another shameless plug. This time it's for the Digital Dialects website. The site has interactive language games in 60 different languages from Afrikaans to Zazaki.

To play the games you will need Flash Player. The games are very good for practising basic vocabulary and mainly consist of matching vocabulary games. For some languages there are activities for more advanced students, too.

There are no audio files for most games, so they can be used primarily to improve reading skills rather than as a main teaching tool.

It is very user friendly and, unlike some similar sites, tells the user when they have made a mistake and shows them where they went wrong.

Languages, such as Greek, Hindi, Mongolian, Japanese, etc which use different writing systems have activities mainly in their own alphabets.

This site would be ideal for learning and practising common phrases in different languages for the European Day of Languages on 26th September.

For more ideas on activities for European Day of Languages you can look at (or even join) the EDL Ideas wiki.

European Day of Languages 2009 (EDL09)

Since it started in 2001, European Day of Languages, (EDL) has become more and more popular and celebrated in schools and educational establishments all over Europe.

In fact, after "Talk Like a Pirate Day", EDL is probably the most important day in the language learning calendar.

The first EDL was jointly organised by the Council of Europe and the European Union,the day they chose September 26th, and its aims were:

• to alert the general public to the importance of language learning


• to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and increase intercultural understanding


• to encourage lifelong learning

There are over 200 European languages (How many can you name?) and many other non-European languages spoken throughout Europe and EDL is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all of them.

The sharper ones among you will have realised that this year the 26th September falls on a Saturday. This was pointed out to me by a colleague who said, "We don't have to do languages day this year do we?"

"Don't panic." I said, "If we can't do something on the 26th, then why not the 25th? or the 28th?"

Anyway, you have no excuse for not celebrating this year because, as usual, I have done the ground work for you.

I have set up a wiki EDLideas2009 where you can find links to resources, websites, and videos all related to EDL09.

Because it is a wiki you can apply to join and add your own ideas and resources or just take a look and use some of the ideas. That is what they are there for.

I must say a big thank you to all those who have joined and added ideas and resources already...

...thank you, danke, merci, tak, gracias, ευχαριστώ, köszönöm mercé, obrigado, tapadh leat, sagolun, mulţumesc

...it is much appreciated.