Thinking of English Teaching with Video Games in China

(Innovative pedagogy)

Recently, there are many research studies about the benefits of using video games as tools for teaching, and many scholars agree that games especially serious games have great potential for teaching and learning. However, fewer studies can demonstrate how video games can be successfully integrated into the current curriculum. Therefore, how we can use video games to teach now is still a challenge. As an English teacher from China, I think there are still some methods I could use to improve English competency of my students by using video games.

Teaching Context

It is necessary to introduce my teaching context in china first and then present my pedagogy about using video games to teach English. There are about 60 students in my class in china, and their average age is 16. I teach them 2 English classes everyday from Monday to Friday. Due to the pressure of the college-entrance exam, my teaching purpose has to be set to achieve higher score in the exam. There are two labs in our school facilitated by 70 computers in each lab, but the computers are mainly for students to learn skills of typing and word processing. Moreover, these computers may not be access to the internet all the time, and the students are not allowed to play video games in the lab, when they are having their computer classes.  Therefore, the time for students to have computer class is very limited. Clearly, students have very limited condition and time to be access to computers in their school. The positive thing is they all have minimum one PC at home which can be connected to the internet for 24 hours every day. In addition, the students have a month long winter holiday and a two month long summer holiday every year.

When and Where to Play

Based on the above context, I think it is more possible for my Chinese students to use video games to learn English after class outside their school because of the reality of the developing Chinese education system and the limited facilities in most Chinese high schools. By playing games at home and during the winter or summer holidays, my students and I can relax our tired body after the stressful curriculum. Students’ parents and school masters may support more if students playing games in order to learn English in the holidays at home. Playing games and is time consuming and we can have more time spending on game-related learning during the school holidays. 

What and How to Play

Most of my students started to learn English when they were in grade 3 in primary school. However, seldom they have the chance to talk to English native speakers. They learn English mainly by reading their textbooks and listening to the explanations from their Chinese teachers. In other words, the lack of authentic learning input is a critical issue for them. Furthermore, when students are aiming for passing various types of exams, the social aspects of English language are always neglected by students due to their limited opportunity to be exposed to English culture (Atkinson, 2002).

The massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft might be a solution to this problem which I want to attempt because of its following characters.     

1. Motivation. It is by far the most popular MMORPG, and most young people will enjoy the way of learning English through playing. In addition, it is much easier for player to communicate in different media forms such as blog, forum, and so on. 
2. "Real life" situation—solutions. MMORPG offers sufficient contexts and authentic virtual environment for students to learn and practice the target language in a “real life” situation (Gee, 2001).  
3. Tasks based and problem-solving oriented. Students will benefit from a framework that offers a wide variety of solutions to thousands of tasks that require different amounts of time as well as language skills in the target language (Yee, 2006). 
4. Collaboration and communication.  By making communication among the players a central aspect to the game, it provides a unique opportunity for teachers to make use of an already-existing virtual environment that requires students to use the target language to communicate with native speakers in order to achieve a goal.  
5. Guide. In order to give enough support, I will join this game with my students as a role of guide and supervisor. For example, providing corrections or help when necessary. This experience can be very precious for my future teaching by using video games.

Although this game has many advantages, some considerations cannot be disregarded.

1. Not all the students can be fit in this pedagogy. Some of the students may not be interested in learning English through playing games. Therefore this study is only an optional holiday study program rather than a compulsory one.  
2. There is a cost involved. Each student would require a subscription of $15 per month.

In conclusion, I have discussed my teaching context in china, and my thinking about how to combine video games with English teaching and learning in my class. I believe this method may help my students to improve their English competence and my understanding about gaming and English learning in some way.

(Nan LI)

Reference:

Atkinson, D. (2002). Toward a Sociocognitive Approach to Second Language Acquisition. The Modern Language Journal. 86 (4). p. 536.

Gee J. P. (2001). Reading as situated language: A sociocognitive perspective, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 44 (8). p. 714-715.

Yee, N. (2006). The Psychology of Massively Multi-User Online Role-Playing Games: Motivations, Emotional Investment, Relationships and Problematic Usage. In R. Schroder & A. Axelson (Eds.), Avatars at Work and Play: Collaboration and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments. London: Springer Verlag. pp. 9-25.