Context and familiarity in language learning games

It is really important nowadays that people have a knowledge of one of the world languages such as English, Spanish or Mandarin. This project explores language learning games for low income, disadvantaged children in India.They found that the poorest people have a desire to improve in one of these languages to stand any chance of getting out of their situation. Computer games were found to be ineffective for learning because of problems with usability (computer literacy) and poor interface design. Children were getting distracted and just guessing answers, not learning very much because the contexts of the games were too unfamiliar for them, particularly with the western design bias. The team realised how important cultural familiarity was for the successful playing of the game, and the use of culturally appropriate words and images.This localization of content in turn would more likely lead to learners adopting the language more.

The expense of computer game development combined with usability problems are big disadvantages compared to hand phone usage with easier controls basic enough to learn quickly. Also, phones are cheaper and much more readily available for disadvantaged groups. To ensure games are situated in familiar settings games should be designed by first establishing what type of context learners are used to as well as the social norms. This involved interviewing people in the local area finding out about their daily activities, and the type of words commonly used.

Games were designed using bow and arrows ( commonly used in regional stories) and trains, which are an established everyday transport form. Key people were given local clothes and objects were displayed in cultural colours. Pattern Activity Curriculum Exercise (PACE) refers to a pattern of steps current language learning software (eg Rosetta Stone) or text books use to develop a language point. This pattern can be used as a skeletal representation on which to base a game on. This in effect scaffolds game designers, who lack the backgrounds to implement language learning tasks in software. This same pattern could then be used for various levels of difficulty by substituting different language from the syllabi. However, if a pattern is followed on its own it does not make a very fun game. So, the games themselves are developed based on heuristics (guidelines) on designing enjoyable user interfaces. Malone(1998) demonstrated that in order for games to be playable and engaging, the story experience should relate to real life even though the setting is fantasy. He also found that players were more engaged if the people in the game were like themselves.

I think the use of cultural relevance would help promote learning in languages especially for these low level/beginners groups. It must be important to keep the flow of a game going for it to succeed at being fun and hence,for people to learn language from it. Mainstream games with just in time advice/coaching would not really work-who wants to be interrupted with an explanation of a word or a pronunciation guidance because then the whole point of using a game becomes a bit redundant. I think localized design could be the way forward for phone games,which are cheaper to develop than computer games.


http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~divya/CHI2007_pace.pdf
http://www.behavioristics.com/downloads/usingheuristics.pdf