In more than a decade years of teaching experience, I have found English language classroom, a great challenge

Video Games for Motivated Practice

Video games can get a bad rap. But they’re not always just mind melters. Quite the opposite, in fact!

A lot of my friends who speak English as a second language say that video games were a big help in picking up the language.

For many students, the motivation to beat the game helps them stay focused and gives them the drive to practice.

Apart from that competitive urge, video games can also be like a kind of alternative literature. They often involve a quest with a traditional narrative structure: there’s an introduction, rising action, climax, descending action and conclusion.

You can recycle your favorite book-focused exercises, like character analysis, plot analysis and writing about the world and culture of the game.

Progress journals are also an option: daily charting of what happens in the game and how many points were earned.

It’s great to read stories in class too, but video games may be more motivating to some students who like more interaction.