Game as a Means of Developing Foreign-Language Skills at the Elementary Education Level (Based on the Chinese Language Materials)

Taking into account the age-specific characteristic of younger schoolchildren, the ar-ticle highlights the need to adapt teaching methods – particularly through game-based formats that help maintain high levels of motivation and student engagement. The study examines the impact of play activities on the development of speaking skills and the formation of communicative abilities. E. A. Maslyko's classification of games is reviewed as a practical tool for teachers. The article also offers specific game-based exercises for effective early-stage instruction in Chinese, supporting the idea that using game-based methods promotes more productive material acquisition, en-hances the development and formation of foreign-language communicative compe-tence – the primary goal of language instruction – and increases learners' interest in studying the language, which is especially important for young schoolchildren.