Times are continuously changing and there is always a need for fresh ideas in language teaching. As technology has become a constant in daily life, connecting us with a variety of people in various social and cultural contexts, the need for language learning is great. Educational games are used to entertain and facilitate the learning process (Ilomaki & Kankaanranta, 2009). Specifically, digital games can be used in a classroom as yet another way to reach children, namely those with learning disorders who struggle in a traditional learning context.
Digital game-based learning can be a very powerful tool in the classroom. Even children without learning disabilities can benefit from this type of learning as it effectively engages children and provides a unique type of learning experience.
Some of the benefits of digital game-based learning are:
- Engages children in an interactive and meaningful learning activity
- Provides games that can be customized to children’s educational needs; children can set their own pace and practice more particular areas of difficulty
- Offers immediate feedback which can help reinforce skills that need more support
- Creates an environment where children are comfortable to take risks and make mistakes which in turn can help build confidence and self-esteem.
- …Create[s] a child-friendly learning environment making it the center of classroom (Uzun, 2009; Liu et al., 2011; Sánchez & Olivares, 2011)
- Develops critical thinking and decision-making skills in a fun way
- Exercises verbal and social skills
- Facilitates retention of knowledge by way of repetition of main language points using the various senses almost simultaneously
- …Provides children with the opportunity to learn four language skills in the classroom and outside of it through social interaction (G, 2005; Wang et al., 2008).
Although games also have drawbacks to the vocabulary learning process, using them can help [children] gain their lesson through entertainment. And of course, there are some things to be considered before even designing a digital game:
- Type of support available to those who are using the game
- Hardware availability
- Availability of other resources
- Possible setbacks that children might face while using the game
- Educational objectives according to national curricula
- Class timetables
Digital game development is just one of the FOCUS project’s endeavors to facilitate foreign language learning across cultures. This could potentially lead to the involvement of educators and parents in the language learning process (i.e., engagement, motivation, and retention of knowledge among children with learning disorders).
References
6 proven benefits of game-based learning for children with learning disabilities. (2023). Education 360 Journal. https://education360journal.medium.com/6-proven-benefits-of-game-based-learning-for-children-with-learning-disabilities-59fe67dd2cbc
Gee, J. P. (2005). Learning by design: Good video games as learning machines. E-learning and Digital Media, 2(1), 5-16.
Ilomäki, L. & Kankaanranta, M. (2009). The ICT competence of the young. In L. Tan Wee Hin, & R. Subramaniam (Eds.), Handbook of research on new media literacy at the K-12 level: Issues and challenges (pp. 101-118). Hershey, USA: IGI Global.
J., & Olivares, R. (2011). Problem-solving and collaboration using mobile serious games. Computers & Education, 57(3), 1943-1952.
Liu, C. C., Cheng, Y. B., & Huang, C. W. (2011). The effect of simulation games on the learning of computational problem-solving. Computers & Education, 57(3), 1907-1918.
Mohamed, A. M. A., & Shaaban, T. S. K. (2021). The Effects of Educational Games on EFL Vocabulary Learning of Early Childhood Students with Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 4(3), 159–167. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.3.18
Uzun, L. (2009). An evaluative checklist for computer games used for foreign language vocabulary learning and practice: Vocaword sample. Novitas-Royal, 3(1), 45- 59.
Wang, C. K. J., Khoo, A., Liu, W. C., & Divaharan, S. (2008). Passion and intrinsic motivation in digital gaming. CyberPsychology & Behaviour, 11(1), 39- 45.
