How video games are teaching the world to speak English

I joined the gaming community when I was young, exactly when I was 10 years old. At first, I used to play computer games just to have fun and get out of the stressful school atmosphere, but then I realized that my English is improving, in the world of computer games you have to communicate with your teammates, either by typing or using the microphone. This was really helpful for me because I had no intention of learning English, at that time we were forced to learn French in school instead of English. I know it sounds unbelievable, but trust me, video games are interactive. Unlike music or videos, the game is significantly impacted by your choices. You are able to focus more intently and comprehend the subject matter better as a result of your active participation. One of the key components of any game is the element of choice. This is particularly true in in-game conversations when each decision you make affects the final result completely. To acquire varied responses and practice using new language, you may always go back and play the game again in a different way. We know that games can be addictive and dangerous. However, when used in moderation (i.e., not excessively), games can turn dreary language classes into enjoyable activities that you want to do on a regular basis.

"There are generations of people all over the world growing up using video games informally to teach themselves English," says Jonathon Reinhardt, an associate professor at the University of Arizona and president of the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO). "Or they would play the game because they wanted to play the game. And since it wasn't available in their first language, they would ... incidentally learn the language."