Digital games and accent mark: possible connections between learning and playfulness

Abstract

Although digital games have been seeing in a pejorative way by parents and teachers (LEFFA et al., 2012), they are teaching-learning objects that can benefit reading and writing (RIBEIRO, A. L., 2016). With regard to accent mark, it is common to hear some teachers statements about the absence and/or wrong use of accent mark in formal texts written by students (COUTO; GUIMARÃES, 2020). Considering this context, this paper articulates accent mark – which presents itself as a difficult teaching content – and games – tools capable of contributing to a pleasurable learning experience. Thus, the objective was to analyze digital games in accent mark learning, in order to discuss the possible connections between learning and playfulness inherent (or not) to them. This work is based on theories about digital games (LEFFA et al., 2012; RIBEIRO, F. R., 2013; RIBEIRO, A. L., 2016) and the teaching-learning of accent mark (MARRA, 2012; COUTO; GUIMARÃES, 2020; CRISTÓFARO-SILVA; ALMEIDA; MARRA, 2020). Methodologically, it is a descriptive-interpretative investigation with a qualitative approach (PAIVA, 2019). The results showed that the analyzed games were built under the aegis of mechanical teaching and decontextualized writing, with a focus on memorization, and provide a timid learning with minimal or no playfulness.