Can a ‘shouting’ digital game help learners develop oral fluency in a second language?

Abstract

This study examines the development of oral fluency in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) environment that uses a 'shouting' digital game as a pedagogical tool: Spaceteam ESL 4. Spaceteam ESL is a game for mobile devices that involves time-sensitive aural exchanges among players (English learners), with great potential to promote fluency development (via speed) in a non-threatening environment (mediated by the game, a CMC tool). 20 high-beginner/low-intermediate English as a Second Language (ESL) learners participated in the study, divided into two groups: an experimental group (n=11), which played the game for 15 minutes as a warm-up in class for a period of six weeks, and the control group (n=9), which was engaged in 'traditional' classroom activities such as info gap, story retelling, and other interactive activities for the same period of time. The study followed a mixedmethods design with pre-, post-, and delayed post-tests to measure developments in oral fluency (measured via the computation of number of syllables per second). The results suggest that mobile games such as Spaceteam ESL have the potential to assist in fluency development, but further investigation is needed.

تحسین الطلاقة الشفویة لطلاب الدبلومة العامة من خلال القراءة الشفویة للذات والقراءة الضیقة

“…The result of the study coincides with the findings of BavaHarji, Gheitanchian, and Letchumanan (2014), Gashan and Almohaisen (2014), Göktürk (2016), Grimshaw, Cardoso, and Waddington (2016), Abd Al Galil (2019), Cadena-Aguilar, and Ortega-Cuellar, and Cadena-Aguilar (2019). These studies suggested new treatments for oral fluency problems, based on using modern strategies/techniques or adopting another language skill, and these treatments proved to be effective.…”

I Can’t Program! Customizable Mobile Language-Learning Resources for Researchers and Practitioners

“…Other individual differences such as L2 speaking anxiety may decrease through the use of gamified language learning apps (e.g., [11]), while willingness to engage in a task may increase [12]. Additionally, McCarty et al [10] found that mobile devices may be more effective at holding students' attention than tasks completed on a computer, as students are not as likely to multitask; for example, completing a task on a computer allows students to easily switch between windows or tabs, whereas an app covers the entire screen of a mobile device.…”

“…Twenty-first century technology and language learning practices have continued to provide unique opportunities for language learners, ranging from webcam conversations (e.g., [26]) to interactions in gamified learning spaces (e.g., [11,24]). However, given that CALL is a young discipline primarily grounded in the humanities, an alternative theoretical framework to CALL can be adapted from applied sciences, particularly engineering.…”