Using games in the ELT classroom has tremendous potential for several reasons. Games are genuine tasks. They are motivational. Learners of all ages enjoy them. They are opportunities for meaningful communication. Incorporating game features into ELT courses such as token systems, challenges, ‘unlocking’ content, can make classes more engaging and memorable. Read on to learn about the benefits of incorporating genuine digital games and game elements in the remote and online classroom with practical ideas on how to implement them.
Why include digital games?
As Mawer and Stanley (2011) have argued, if we could manage to get learners to devote the time, energy, concentration and repetitive behaviour they display when playing digital games in language learning, the impact would undoubtedly be big. Relatedly, Frasca (2018) has talked about the importance of games to help learners deal with frustration and learn to lose, make mistakes and try again.
Furthermore, they are a very important part of many learners’ lives. They could be taken advantage of in many ways: some digital games have very complex storylines that could be exploited for language purposes, many relate to other narrative pieces such as books, movies, transmedia. They also have a social component, with communities of fans collaborating to tackle problems and share solutions (Lion and Perosi, 2018). Also, as Steinkuehler (2010) has discussed, they can serve to develop digital literacies as they involve the production of meaning in the interaction with the game narrative.
The skills Prensky (2003) states learners put into practice when they play complex games such as planning for strategies, trying them out, deducing things, parallel processing, integrating information to make quick decisions, multi-tasking, can help develop executive functions.
All of these aspects make games great sources of teachable moments. However, games are largely absent from educational settings. This is why this article advocates for the integration of digital games in the online and remote English classroom, since these are especially pertinent in these contexts, as the affordances of videoconference technologies can facilitate their use, taking advantage of learners’ devices and screen sharing possibilities.
Gamification
‘Gamification refers to the process of making something like a game in order to make it more engaging and enjoyable’ (Dodgson, 2014) i.e.introducing characteristics that are typical of games such as reward systems. This can of course extend to any aspect of life, but we’re centering around ELT contexts here.
In English lessons, gamification can take very simple forms like a token system in which students are awarded points that can later be exchanged for rewards such as choosing a song, extra minutes of break or whatever you come up with, group challenges to unblock new content, setting levels of difficulty for learners to choose, among many others. More complex integration can go to the length of designing the whole course content as a game.
Some popular educational apps introduce some of these characteristics: Kahoot! transforms quizzes into competitive games in which learners are awarded points for being right and fast in their response, Quizlet has a feature that transforms sets of flashcards into matching games, Educandy allows you to easily turn a list of vocabulary items into interactive gamified practice. So does Baamboozle. The list could go on. Check out this handout that accompanied this British Council mini event talk by Sirin Soyoz to learn more about practical ways to implement gamification techniques and sites for gamified practice.
While these tools are certainly engaging, the focus of this article is on the use of genuine games for practice and warns readers of the dangers of using game elements to set disguised testing exercises or just as extrinsic motivation reinforcements that lose the essence of playing itself. As Prensky (2003) has criticised, ‘the kind of learning that edutainment delivers is mostly just skill-and-drill (or as many call it ‘drill-and-kill,’) which is totally different from the many exciting ways (often invisible on the surface) that games can, and do, teach’. Dodgson (2016) has also warned about the risk of misusing games to exercise behaviour control. Consequently, it is essential to make strategic decisions when using gamification. Watch this recent talk by Graham Stanley on integrating different game elements in class to inform these decisions.
In practice
Some considerations need to be made when deciding to use games for language learning. Games have been criticised for the violent nature of many (Prensky, 2003). Depending on your learners age, level, context, it might be possible to address and problematise this, while in other contexts it might be inappropriate to bring up that kind of game altogether. Being familiar with the games you’ll introduce, having played them yourself is advised. Deciding on whether you want to introduce a competitive, collaborative or another type of game is another important aspect. Being familiar with your learners interests and preferences might help you decide. Check out some practical ideas below:
Integrating games without actually playing them
There are many ways to use games to our advantage that do not involve actually playing them. Some simple examples include:
- Discussions. If you have a group of learners who are into gaming, you will soon learn these are hot topics. In the case of games with complex narratives, you can discuss the storyline, describe characters, game scenarios, and, of course, strategies to win. For gamers, when you start a lesson and ask them a routine small talk question, you can ask if they’ve played any new games recently or how they are doing with their favourite one.
- Understanding how to play: game rules can be used for reading or listening comprehension practice. Digital board games are especially well suited for this. Teaching others how to play could be one meaningful way to check comprehension. Actually playing the game following the rules could also serve this purpose. You may find learners go back to the rules as the game develops, spontaneously reading the text many more times than they would regularly do with the typical reading comprehension text.
- Walkthroughs. These are guides for a game so other players can use it to pass a level, find a hidden reward or other intricacies. Either reading or watching the walkthrough of a game shown in class or having learners produce them can be a very memorable activity. Learners could write instructions or produce a video about it.
- Guided play. This involves one person playing (normally the teacher) and screen sharing while the class gives instructions or speculates on what the next move or the solution should be. This is a good way to use puzzle-like games.
Playing games in class:
Some games are especially appropriate to play in class, either because they are short, they involve lots of language production or comprehension or are a great match for your learners. Casual games, i.e. games that target mass audiences that tend to have simple rules, short play time and do not require advanced gaming skills, are a good fit to this. Some simple examples:
- Escape games. These are games in which you need to discover clues, solve puzzles, complete tasks, in order to be able to leave a room or space. There are many available ones for free, especially in the form of apps, which are probably best implemented as guided play, as explained above.
- Hidden objects games. These usually involve finding a number of items from a list that is hidden in a scene. They are great for expanding vocabulary. Some have storylines that continue from one level to the next that could later be used as inspiration for writing practice, storytelling, vocabulary expansion.
- Digital board games. These are ideal to work on instructions, game vocabulary, negotiation, etc. Easily available examples include Catan, Exploding Kittens, UNO.
If you want to keep learning about the subject, explore this site called ELT sandbox with a number of articles on different aspects of digital games and language learning. If you are ready to try some games out, check out the second part of this article with some ideas to get you started!