The Effect Of Game Genres On Use Of Second/Foreign Language Learning Strategies

Vol. 5 No. 3

Year:2008

Issue:October-December

Title	: The Effect Of Game Genres On Use Of Second/Foreign Language Learning Strategies
Author Name	: Yu-yuan Lee
Synopsis	:
This study investigates the effects of game genres on the choice of certain language learning strategies among Taiwanese college students. The sample for the study consists of 162 undergraduate freshmen in an institute of technology in Taiwan. The results show that game genres have an influence on the choice of different language learning strategies. Simulation and role-play games have significant impacts on cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies. Students express stronger positive preferences on using simulation games to learn a foreign language than virtual-pet games. Simulation and role-play games encourage students to figure out the meaning of the unknown words. Simulation games also motivate students to keep playing when confronting a language barrier. The results imply that simulation and role-play games are superior to virtual pet games in terms of helping second/foreign language learning. Based on the results, implications and suggestions for further study and second/foreign language instruction are presented.