Summary+of+Language+Learning

Language learning includes, but not limited to, language acquisition, second language acquisition, composition, and language arts.

Most language instructors agree that one of the best ways to learn a language is through immersion in a culture where the language is used routinely to interact with others and with the world. Of particular value for language learners are immersive experiences where they have the advantage of collaborating with a native speaker (exolingual experiences) or with peers who are more fluent in the language. Whether is it Chinese student co-questing with native English speakers in //Quest Atlantis// or native English speakers raiding in WoW on a German-speaking server, video games, particularly MMORPGs can provide such a immersive experience while providing rich log files for assessment and reflection.

Using video games to teach language in varying forms is possibly the most effective use of educational computer gaming. Not only do multiple studies show that video games are very useful in teaching language, but in some cases it is arguably more favorable than other teaching methodologies, making it not only functional, but preferable. This alone sets language as substantially different than other subjects. Din & Calao (2001), for example, found that for kindergarteners, language skills (in the form of reading) increased compared to a control group, while math skills did not. Even though the same manipulation and educational video games were utilized for math and language skills, the language skills were bolstered by the video game while the math skills were not bolstered significantly. It would seem that language is simply a medium that lends itself well to be learned through video game use.

Using Video Games for language learning is so effective, in fact, that in many cases video games teach language to those not even playing the game themselves, leading to a large degree of usefulness in a classroom environment. DeHaan (2009), in an exploratory study to determine the effectiveness of a videogame in teaching English as a second language to students at a rural Japaneese university, found that students that observed the game playing learned significantly more than the students who were playing the game themselves. Further exploration by DeHaan & Kono (2010) found further evidence of this – that observers were taught very effectively by the videogame, over twice as much vocabulary learned by the observers than the players themselves (deHaan, Reed, & Kuwada, 2010). Theoretically this is due to increased cognitive load from the player of the game, as more attentive resources are required to play than to watch, and this split attention resource could put a lower ceiling on the amount of learning a player of the videogame in a given timeframe. However, in both cases, the viewers of the game learned over twice as much as the player, displaying a large capacity for learning afforded by the game itself – the key is to bring out those potentials.

This finding of Cognitive Load has both advantages and disadvantages to both learning researchers and teachers. Firstly, if Cognitive Load is to be taken into effect, it must be taken into effect in both designing and in choosing the educational video games. Games that require a high cognitive load such as a rhythm video game (DeHaan, 2009) might not be as effective at teaching either language or other skills as videogames that have a lower attention requirement while playing. However, for teachers that face the problem of how to get a classroom of students to play an educational videogame, this research shows that not every student needs to play a game in order to get the benefits of that game. In fact, if game resources are limited, and one student has to play the game while other students watch, the watchers may benefit more than the player themselves.

The strong connection between video games and language learning is becoming more and more transparent as we get deeper into the research. Considering the lack of findings from other academic areas (e.g., math, science, etc.), it leads one to wonder why language learning has such a strong presence in comparison. We could suggest that video games bring learners into an immersive environment that has historically been the most efficient way to learn a language. Like moving to Italy to learn Italian, participating in a video game (i.e., playing or viewing as mentioned above) places a learner into an environment where learning the language is a necessity for survival and success. Our basic human nature is to adapt to our environment in order to survive, so participating in a gaming environment where “death” is a possibly should be no exception.

References deHaan, J. (2009). Video games and second language acquisition: The effect of interactivity with a rhythm video game on second language vocabulary recall, cognitive load, and telepresence. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A, 69. deHaan, J, Kono, F. (2010) The Effect of Interactivity with WarioWare Minigames on Second Language Vocabulary Learning (in press) deHaan, J., Reed, W., & Kuwada, K. (2010). The Effect of Interactivity with a Music Video Game on Second Language Vocabulary Recall. Language Learning & Technology, 14(2), 74-94. Retrieved from ERIC database. Din, F. S., & Calao, J. (2001). The effects of playing educational video games on kindergarten achievement. Child Study Journal, 31(2), 95-102.