Learning English with video games: Is that even possible?

But of course this is not the case. In fact, video games can have a very positive impact on your life. For example, if you are currently unemployed or simply have a lot of free time during the semester break, it is easy to lose the structure of your day. However, online games can give your day a bit more structure by having several events throughout the day. For example, there could be bonuses at a fixed time at lunchtime or in the evening and further gaming events on certain days of the week. You can even learn English on the side with video games. We'll show you how this works in this article.

Learning doesn't have to be boring

The older we get, the harder we find it to learn. Let's take a look at children in this context. Children are offered various foreign language courses from an early age. However, since the little ones can't even write yet, the possibilities seem limited. But what do children like to do best? That's right, they like to play. Children are already taught foreign languages through games. Why should it be any different with video games?

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Fun factor and application

An old Chinese proverb says: "Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand."

That's why simple English vocabulary doesn't stick in your head so easily. You are only told the words, they are shown to you in the book, but you have no connection to the individual words. Reading a story or a book can help a little more. After all, you would hardly read anything that doesn't interest you. The catch with reading stories, however, is the grammar. There are different tenses in English, so the story can be harder to understand. A game, on the other hand, uses relatively simple vocabulary without complicated tenses. You are also directly involved in the game, so you have to use the words straight away. The use of new words may not necessarily take the form of a conversation, but they are used to describe objects and tasks that you have to fulfil.

More than just grey theory

In a language course, you are usually dependent on fixed times. A game offers a dynamic environment so that you can freely choose when you feel like playing. You are drawn into another world by the video game and focus more on making sure your game goes well. You don't have to stare at a board and concentrate at the same time. Depending on what kind of video game you're playing, you do need to concentrate, but it's a little different. What's more, video games eliminate the fear of making mistakes that you have in a classroom. You can't make a fool of yourself. In a video game, there are often international players who don't necessarily speak perfect English.

Learning English with video games - the benefits

There are already several studies that prove that you really can learn English and other foreign languages with video games. Study participants often remarked that they particularly liked the relaxed learning atmosphere. The game also motivated the study participants to learn another language. This is understandable, as you want to be successful at the game and need to understand what the game requires of you. It was even found that players learn another language more quickly by playing the game as opposed to attending a conventional language course. This has even been observed by English teachers. The best students are passionate gamers and speak fluent English faster than those who do not play video games in English. Again, motivation plays a role: some games are only available in English and not in the native language. The attraction of playing video games is motivating enough to learn English on the side.

This is why learning English with video games works

Different linguistic skills are involved when playing, so video games turn out to be an excellent teaching tool. You're not just reading and listening to English, you're speaking it at the same time.

Learning in context

Neuroscientific studies demonstrate that people learn better when there is a context. If there is no context, it is harder to memorise individual words, such as those in the vocabulary appendix of an English book. When you play, you learn the names of different things in English: places, objects, characters, coins, animals, treasures and much more. You will immediately see what something looks like when it is labelled in English. You will also learn some dialogue if there are characters in the game that provide further background to the story. With a given context, it is much easier to memorise new words.

Repetition

Repetition is always important when learning. The more often we repeat something, the more likely we are to memorise it. However, instead of simply being asked to memorise vocabulary, the words are repeated automatically as the game progresses. You associate their meaning directly with each new stage of the game. It doesn't matter how complex or simple the game is.

Practise listening and reading

Listening, reading, speaking and writing are actually different things that tend to be practised separately in a conventional language course. When playing, however, all four aspects are combined. You listen to a dialogue and read the rules of the game. If the video game actively works with chat windows or direct voice chat, you also write and speak English. You learn some grammar just by reading.

You get to know native English speakers

As already mentioned, many gaming platforms are international. Whilst you will certainly meet Russian players, you will also get to know native English speakers. The bridge to getting to know each other is the video game itself as a common denominator. Take part in discussions about the game in forums or on social networks. It's exciting how many new people you can get to know through a game! In some cases, this can even lead to friendships with people from all over the world.