Teamwork beyond the classroom

Samantha Brown

This week, the four-square courts at school became a lively and laughter-filled stage for learning Japanese, as our Year 7 students took part in a fast-paced, movement-based game designed to reinforce their understanding of numbers from いち (1) to じゅう (10).

The game was simple in structure but packed with educational value and energy. In each round, students listened closely as their teacher called out a number in Japanese. With only moments to react, they had to race to form groups of that exact number, using the lines and spaces of the four-square courts as their boundaries. 

If the number was "しち" (7), for example, students had to find six others, and quickly gather into a group before time was up. Those who couldn’t find a complete group in time were temporarily out of the game.

The activity created a high level of excitement and engagement, encouraging students to listen carefully, count accurately, and respond quickly in a full immersion setting. 

Socially, the game supported collaboration, confidence, and peer interaction as students negotiated and learned together. 

Linguistically, they developed fluency in number vocabulary and listening comprehension – all in an environment where every second counted. 

What made the experience particularly special was the way it turned language learning into a dynamic physical challenge. It was fantastic to see students thinking on their feet, working as a team, and using Japanese authentically – all while having an enormous amount of fun!