by Mykhailo Noshchenko Facebook: Michael Noshchenko

My personal ELT method is (for now) based on one particular game – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Game Studios – due to its incredible possibilities for CLIL as well as for LA. Yet the aim of this presentation is neither to promote nor to denigrate any brand or company, but to raise awareness of the role of computer games in ELT.

Literature and films are well-known for their educative purposes, but computer games are not so much. Which is a shame. Modern computer games are much more advanced in terms of their content (lexis, plot devices, thought- provoking potential etc.) then the games of past few decades. Plus they are games and thus they are interactive. Therefore computer games provide something more then just language. They provide immersion.

Role-playing games (RPG) Turn-based strategies (TBS)

Extensive vocabulary and perfect semantic and pragmatic language training material Virtual simulation of immersive environment for learning English Possibility for CLIL and LA synergy

Massively multiplayer online role- playing games (MMORPG) Real-time strategies (RTS) First-person shooters (FPS)

Very addictive nature of these games, which requires time as well as money to play. Poor lexis used in communication between players (Internet slang at the least) Harmful for students studying process

GAMING IS FAR FROM BEING AN ORTHODOX ELT METHOD, LET ALONE BEING SOMEHOW SYSTEMATISED

YET…

ELT specialists can use certain computer games as a linguistic sandbox

A cold medium that involves much more than just daily homeworking and occasional testing A virtual worldspace that enables students to experience different close-to-life challenges while on the couch Possibility for non-linear language study

Uninhibited lexis with high-quality visualizations and vocalizations Thought-provoking material presented in a way that does not involve any real-life edgy moments Possibility for advanced students to learn more then just textbook lexis

If properly guided, gaming can foster education of reluctant students, i.e.: English could be fun! Even without any task students will be able to absorb a score of language skills while playing any computer game on their own

Computer gaming is yet not a universal activity, i.e.: Without proper reasoning, gaming as an ELT method could be successful mostly with people familiar with it. Others might be reluctant to participate, dismissing it as immature, counterproductive or even frivolous Adult learners of intermediate English level demand more task-specific English material It will take time to fully introduce female learners to gaming, let alone to its benefits for ELT

Gaming demands certain level of digital savvy and hardware In order to use computer games as an ELT material a student needs to be properly motivated, otherwise it could have opposite results At the current stage, it is near to impossible to introduce gaming as an ELT method into any academic process Even the most immersive computer game to date does not provide an opportunity to practice speaking

IN ORDER TO BE AS IMPARTIAL AS POSSIBLE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE COMMENTARIES OF MY STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS ELT ENDEAVOUR VOLUTARILY

With each generation computer games receive more and more traction as well as attraction, which is why it is imperative to introduce gaming as more then just a fun way to spend ones free time, but as a fully-fledged intellectual resource The method is far from being developed, and for that very reason I urge the ELT community to participate in making it something more than just a personal undertaking I also urge the developers of computer games to fully realize the cultural relevance of their work and to enhance the quality of their products

FUN FACT I owe half of my vocabulary and use of English skills to the games Ive been playing as a student

THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION!