In recent years, online games have become a source of concern, as parents fear that their children will develop an addiction to this hobby that would keep them out of society. Some have shown themselves to be very inventive in reducing the place of games in timetables, in particular by limiting periods of connection to the Internet.
It should be remembered, however, that all the research on children and video games does not paint a grim picture of the situation. On the contrary, more and more work suggests that apprehensions would be unfounded and that play could be a precious educational tool to develop the sociability of children.
Video games could offer similar benefits to interactive whiteboards and tablets that many schools use to stimulate student interest.
How gaming could help you
Language learning seems like a perfect opportunity to “gamify” the lessons. Some schools already use Minecraft – the idea being that students develop a common learning area on the platform, finding new words as they go along to help them.
James Paul Gee, a leading researcher on the issue of video games and learning, argued that role-playing games like The Elder Scrolls or World of Warcraft open up an ideal learning space for what he calls students ” at-risk “.
In principle, there is in these games what it takes to be challenged, supportive and flexible so that the students do not feel alienated, and, perhaps most importantly, they even have certain control of the learning process.
Any of us could be one of those “at-risk” students, as defined by Gee. They can be young people with special educational needs, as well as students who simply feel more vulnerable during language lessons. After all, discovering another language requires some people to truly step out of their comfort zone. For example, they may feel nervous and intimidated in the classroom.
Researchers specializing in language learning see this phenomenon as a sort of “affective filter” – the fear of making a mistake and losing face affects the propensity to participate in the course.
My research focuses specifically on language learning – a subject that students seem to endure more than appreciate. They are based on the work of Philip Hubbard, a leading specialist in the use of technology to improve language learning. He has already hinted that, although the technology seems useful in the classroom, there is no set strategy for using it – and that’s where my research comes in.
Their goal is to identify this strategy and answer the following questions: how would video games be useful, why would some students prefer to learn through play rather than attending a course, what aspects of language learning could we improve as well?
power of gaming
Role-playing games, especially massively multiplayer role-playing games (MMOs) like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, and Runescape tend to short-circuit any timidity. Players need to communicate in real-time, with no leeway to question what to say and how to say it best.
This immersion can seem terrifying to someone learning a language. But, in reality, a very useful game study by Ian Glover – lecturer on technology-enhanced learning at Sheffield Hallam University – has shown that students experience a very high level of extrinsic motivation when they play. In other words, they really want to take it to the next level, earn bonuses and rewards, which they define as the criteria for excellence in the game space.
Therefore, they will strive to improve their communication so that they can progress faster – and this can go even further. Players are often encouraged to repeat levels to improve their performance.
Build relationships
This is what researcher Zoltan Dörnyei describes as “motivational flows”. This concept implies that, for some students, motivation is completely based on their personal vision of success. This is an important point insofar as, if the theory according to which students learn foreign languages only to tick the boxes necessary for obtaining a diploma, they will be satisfied with the minimum of knowledge to acquire to validate their year.
On the contrary, if success in language courses is linked to success in the game, then this can be a strong way to maintain their interest and develop their language skills.
Video games can also help learners to develop more complex social skills. This approach is inspired by the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin who believed that truly meaningful communication was the result of efforts to negotiate between cultural differences and the development of solutions.
This often happens in a video game when players are looking for their roles, but the most important thing is that these negotiations lead to a relationship – that is to say, a sense of sharing and a feeling of belonging. A study in Japan found that gamers mainly turn to these online games for social bonding.
Will the schools of the future teach languages through play? It remains to be seen, but given all the evidence that the game promotes social relationships and teamwork – while providing real opportunities for sharing ideas and gaining knowledge – there may be good arguments for leaving aside these manuals for a while and connecting to this virtual world.
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