Affordances of gaming virtual environments for Second language development

Second language Theories

Internationalist hypothesis: Comprehensive input Negotiation of meaning

Sociocultural theory: Mediation of meaning Interaction with Peers Zone of proximal Development

Learning Affordances

Learning: autonomous, individual, learner-centered, immersive, customized, collaborative, task-based

Access: NS, cultural artifacts & values, linguistic competence, incidental voc. Acq.

Environment: input-rich, realistic, engaging, interactive

Communication: Authentic, purposeful , socially contextualized

Challenges

Digital literacy Attitude towards gaming Gaming experience Cost of Equipment Overlap between game-play and

learning

Example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhfaGbtW4Sg&feature=related