Video games can be highly effective tools for language learning, offering a range of benefits that traditional methods might not provide.
Why video games?
Video games frequently offer rich, immersive environments where language is used contextually. Players come across vocabulary, phrases, and grammatical structures within meaningful scenarios, aiding in the understanding of how language is applied in real-life situations. Moreover, video games are fun and engaging, which results in learners spending more time practicing, consciously or not. Repetition helps as well: the same procedure can happen many times (i.e., opening your inventory, or using specific spells), aiding in the retention of new words and phrases. In multiplayer mode, gamers often chat in written or oral form with their co-players, which can improve conversational skills and cultural understanding. In WoW (World of Warcraft) for example, there are even “Guilds”, online communities of players working together to achieve a common goal or to simply hang out and have fun. In-game, the combination of visual and audio elements can help learners associate words with images and sounds, enhancing memory and comprehension. An even more important feature of video games is the authentic experience they provide. Developers take localization very seriously, as it is essential for creating a financially successful product with a global fanbase. To achieve this, they hire foreign voice actors, translate subtitles, and modify elements within the game to better align with the target culture. In addition, many games feature dialogues and narratives written by native speakers, providing exposure to authentic language use, including slang, idioms, and cultural references that might not be covered in textbooks. Moreover, the gaming experience is not limited to the game itself: players often find themselves searching for tips online, watching videos and scrolling through online threads. The lore, the detailed story behind each game and character, as well as any fan-made content, offer a learning source. There is also a plethora of gaming-related content online, such as YouTube videos or Twitch streaming. Watching content like this, by natives of the target language, is beneficial and can help intermediate to advanced learners.
Tips and tricks
- Choose the preferred language based on your goals! You can often choose different languages for the audio and the subtitles, so you can start by having one of these options set in your native language, and the other in the target language.
- Check out these recommendations for selecting a game based on your age and language level: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/learn/language-learning-video-games/
- Participate in the gaming community! You can choose whether you prefer to join a Discord channel or chat in relevant forums – whichever the means, communicating with players from all over the world will be highly beneficial.
Sources:
Andrade, M. (2023). How to Learn Languages with Video Games, Lingo Pie, https://lingopie.com/blog/how-to-learn-languages-with-video-games/
International Center for Language Studies (2024). Video Games Turn Into Language Learning Games — How?, https://www.icls.edu/blog/video-games-help-people-to-learn-a-new-language
Schoen, K. & Forest, R. (2023). Dear Duolingo: Can video games help you learn a language?, duolingo blog, https://blog.duolingo.com/video-games-for-language-learning/
United Languages Group, The Immersive Experience of Video Game Language Learning, retrieved from https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/learn/immersive-experience-video-game-language-learning
