Browsing by Subject "Extramural English (EE)"

With the integration of digitalisation into daily life and education, video games have emerged as valuable tools for learning and teaching. The use of video games in both school and EE contexts has garnered increasing attention. However, given the evolving nature of this field and the vast array of available games, there remains a need to explore teachers' attitudes towards video games as digital learning environments and to identify suitable games for this purpose. Therefore, this thesis examines The Sims™ 4 as an extramural learning environment for vocabulary development of L2 English learners. This study analyses the materials gathered from the gameplay recordings of The Sims™ 4, by six EFL teachers, their interviews, and their gaming sketches. The interviews comprised three parts, with the second dedicated to teachers experiencing gameplay. This research employs mixed methods, using multimodal analysis to examine The Sims™ 4 and qualitative content analysis to analyse the interviews and gaming sketches. The analysis reveals the following key findings: Firstly, The Sims™ 4 provides a multimodal digital learning environment that enhances exposure to the target language, fostering vocabulary development and other skills for L2 English learners. Secondly, while EFL teachers acknowledge the benefits of extramural English activities and video games, they lack the necessary competence to integrate them effectively. Addressing this gap through targeted training can enhance their ability to utilize such resources. After initially hesitating to use or recommend video games due to perceived incompetence, EFL teachers shifted their stance upon experiencing The Sims™ 4. This highlights the potential for teacher training to address perceived barriers and facilitate digital learning environments.