It's been a while!
Study (Trinity Dip TESOL), work, writing articles, and a much needed break have all contributed to an extended period of downtime at ELT Sandbox...
But I prefer to look forward rather than back so here is a quick look at a few things that have got me excited about #GBL for language learning over the coming academic year.
Study (Trinity Dip TESOL), work, writing articles, and a much needed break have all contributed to an extended period of downtime at ELT Sandbox...
But I prefer to look forward rather than back so here is a quick look at a few things that have got me excited about #GBL for language learning over the coming academic year.
1. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Gaming is often stereotyped as a solo activity with little scope for interaction and active use of language. Of course, with MMOs and live game broadcasting, that is simply not true.
With Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes it is definitely not true!
The premise of the game is simple - one player sits in front of the screen with a ticking time bomb in front of them, while the other(s) sit away from the game screen with the bomb diffusion manual (available for free at bombmanual.com).
The player with the bomb then must describe what she/he sees while the other player finds the relevant instructions and relays them, all the while trying to beat the clock.
With Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes it is definitely not true!
The premise of the game is simple - one player sits in front of the screen with a ticking time bomb in front of them, while the other(s) sit away from the game screen with the bomb diffusion manual (available for free at bombmanual.com).
The player with the bomb then must describe what she/he sees while the other player finds the relevant instructions and relays them, all the while trying to beat the clock.
The potential for EFL classroom use is obvious - one player uses descriptive language to explain what the bomb looks like (plenty of there is/are, have (got), prepositions of place and adjectives!) while the others need to decode the manual (plenty of conditional structures in there) and verbalise the input. Intensive speaking, reading, listening, and comprehension practice all with the added pressure of a time limit.
The good people at Steel Crate Games Inc have been kind enough to supply me with a review copy so expect a more detailed look at the learning potential of this game soon.
The good people at Steel Crate Games Inc have been kind enough to supply me with a review copy so expect a more detailed look at the learning potential of this game soon.
2. Minecraft: Story Mode
Minecraft has undoubtedly had a huge impact on gaming and has fast become one of the main games used in educational contexts, thanks to its scope for creativity and player interaction with and manipulation of the gameworld.
Meanwhile, Telltale Games have been driving forward the idea of video games as literary devices creating an award-winning series of interactive fiction games, which put the player in control of the main character.
And now the two have come together with Telltale's latest release, Minecraft: Story Mode.
Meanwhile, Telltale Games have been driving forward the idea of video games as literary devices creating an award-winning series of interactive fiction games, which put the player in control of the main character.
And now the two have come together with Telltale's latest release, Minecraft: Story Mode.
I have long seen Telltale Games as having great learning potential. The plots are well-written and the characters well-developed and while the choices you get to make for the main character may not significantly effect the overall outcome, they do allow an important level of ownership of the story. They can also be a great springboard into discussions about the thinking behind the choices and the differences in each player's experience.
The only issue has been the suitability of the games content-wise for young learners and teens. Bad language, violence and themes in The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones is unlikely to go down well with stakeholders. However, Minecraft promises to be more child-friendly (as I am sure the game developers are aware that a lot of kids are going to be interested in this game) and could potentially be a great way to get some of my younger language learners engaged in and analysing an interactive adventure story.
The only issue has been the suitability of the games content-wise for young learners and teens. Bad language, violence and themes in The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones is unlikely to go down well with stakeholders. However, Minecraft promises to be more child-friendly (as I am sure the game developers are aware that a lot of kids are going to be interested in this game) and could potentially be a great way to get some of my younger language learners engaged in and analysing an interactive adventure story.
3. RPG Maker MV
How about moving from playing games to making them?
RPG Maker has been around in various forms for a while but I have never had much of a chance to play with it. I did have a copy of RPG Maker VX Ace but my experiments never amounted to much.
However, a new version is on the way promising easier access to more options and features than ever before.
RPG Maker has been around in various forms for a while but I have never had much of a chance to play with it. I did have a copy of RPG Maker VX Ace but my experiments never amounted to much.
However, a new version is on the way promising easier access to more options and features than ever before.
Among the key new additions, which should aid in making the games more appealing to learners are:
- multi-platform support allowing creation of games for IOS and Android devices
- addition of mouse and touchscreen support so controls are no longer limited to the keyboard
- higher res graphics and better overall polish
I see this software as having two potential uses. First of all, provided I can get to grips with it, the opportunity to create a game aimed at language learners is an intriguing one. I am not sure what form it would take yet and how language work would be integrated but I am most definitely keen to explore the possibilities.
Secondly, with the developers touting RPG Maker as "simple enough for a child" it would be great to get my learners involved in making games. Brainstorming plot ideas, generating dialogues, storyboarding, describing landscapes and settings - it could make for a very interesting and productive learner project.
Secondly, with the developers touting RPG Maker as "simple enough for a child" it would be great to get my learners involved in making games. Brainstorming plot ideas, generating dialogues, storyboarding, describing landscapes and settings - it could make for a very interesting and productive learner project.