Influence of Digital Games on English Language Learners.

Reading head: Digital Games and Language Learning.        

Influence of Digital Games on English Language Learners.

Syeda Qurat-ul-ain Gilani

Amber Tariq,

                                                       Snober Iftikhar

         Noreen Niaz        

 Kashmala Saleem

Students of M.A. Department of English

Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

                                                    Sabiha Zunnorain

Lecturer in Fatima Jinnah Women University

Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

2018

Abstract

 In this study, a digital game-based English language learning is proposed for improving students' learning interest and achievements. An experiment has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in an English course at a private school. A total of 10 one graders participated in the experiment, 05 of whom were assigned to the experimental group and learned with the digital game-based learning, while 05 students were in the control group and learned with the traditional English language learning. The data collected from the pre-test and post-test scores. From the empirical results, it was found that the proposed approach could effectively promote students' learning interest, learning achievement, student’s participation skills in class, as well as their perceptions of the use of educational digital games. Moreover, it was found from the questionnaire that most of the students perceived digital game-based English language learning as an effective learning strategy that helped them improve their deep learning.

 Keywords: Digital game-based learning, an English language learning, learning achievements, Learning interest, educational digital games.

Introduction

        Among numerous sources of student’s interest in the language learning process, games seem to be very important. Learners love to play, and they participate in a game with more enthusiasm and willingness than in any other classroom task. Games can enhance language learning not just in students but also in adults who are not students. Language learning through games is not dependent on teachers, time and educational institute. Student’s learns language through games on their own. Yet, games are sometimes perceived as entertaining activities, playing which one is not really learning. There are teachers who fail to realize the importance of games, considering them not a wealth of various techniques and an opportunity for real communication but an uncontrolled and noisy waste of time.

        However, students in general learn better when they are active. Thus, when learning is channeled into an enjoyable game, learners are very often willing to invest considerable time and determination in playing it. Moreover, in view of diverse learning styles and preferences the students display, benefits from games seem to cater for everyone as one finds playing activities much richer language studying work than doing other kinds of practice. If games are properly designed, they may become an excellent and essential part of one’s learning program. The more variety we can introduce into teaching, the more likely we are to meet the needs of all the different students. What is more, as students need to be motivated, exciting and relevant classroom exercises appear to be necessity if real understanding and acquisition is to take place. For games are activities with rules, a goal to achieve, and an element of fun; they seem to be challenging and interesting enough to keep the young students occupied and eager to complete the task. The majority of activities, which are found in resourceful materials for teachers, are based on the belief that the games children enjoy and are interested in playing outside the classroom can be adapted and exploited for use in the English language classes. Furthermore, games make the children play and learn at the same time. Moreover, games help to create a context in which learner’s attention is focused on the completion of a task without realizing that language items are being practiced. As a result, language learning takes place in a context that children can directly relate to. However, it is always necessary to keep in mind the interests and needs of the learners.

        Games can provide a valuable learning experience in which the students practice and revise language only if they are carefully chosen, according to one’s styles of learning. Then again, it is significant that recreations like some other action or instrument can be abused when misused excessively with the goal that the spurring component vanishes quickly.

Aims & objectives

Following are the aims and objectives of the study:

• English has become international language that is understood all over the world. So, trend of learning English is becoming rapid. Our study will show academic acquisition of English language through digital games.
• Digital gamification can advance creativity and individualized learning, which will engage students and help maximize the role of the teacher.
• This research will show experiment on one standard students that digital games are more effective than non-gaming conditions.
• This research will center around the hypothesis behind gamification and whether they are more effective in learning than non-game conditions or not?

Research question

Are digital games more effective than non-digital conditions in English language learning?

Literature review

        Su and Cheng (2015) studied about “mobile gamification learning system for improving the learning motivation and achievements”. These researchers investigated how a gamified learning approach influences science learning, achievement and motivation, through a context-aware mobile learning environment, and explains the effects on motivation and student learning. A series of gamified learning activities, based on MGLS (Mobile Gamification Learning System), was developed and implemented in an elementary school science curriculum to improve student motivation and to help students engage more actively in their learning activities. The results reviled that students valued the outdoor learning activities made possible by the use of a smartphone and its functions. Pre- and post-test results demonstrated that incorporating mobile and gamification technologies into a botanical learning process could achieve a better learning performance and a higher degree of motivation than either non-gamified mobile learning or traditional instruction. The students also indicated that they are more confident to apply what they have learned through gamified programs. This research only focused upon science subjects while if we apply same method for English language learning we will find different results. This research is related to our research because we as researchers are also trying to find influence of digital gamification for English language learning which is a common way for learning English language nowadays is.