Laying the Foundations for Video-Game Based Language Instruction for the Teaching of EFL

Abstract

This paper introduces video-game based language instruction as a teaching approach catering to the different socioeconomic and learning needs of English as a Foreign Language students. First, this paper reviews statistical data revealing the low participation of Colombian students in English as a second language programs abroad (U.S. context especially). This paper also provides solid reasons why the use of video games in education and foreign language education is justified. Additionally, this paper reviews second language acquisition theoretical foundations that provide the rationale for adapting video-game based language instruction in light of important second language acquisition constructs such as culture and identity, among others. Finally, this document provides options for further research to construct and test the efficacy of video-game based language instruction while simultaneously leaving it open for collaborative contributions. Key words: English (foreign language), foreign language learning, information and communication technologies, second language instruction, video-game based language instruction. Este do cu men to pre sen ta la en se ñan za de idio mas ba sa da en vi deo jue gos. Ini cial men te, se hace un re co rri do del apren di za je del in glés y el ac ce so a sus con tex tos rea les (es pe cial men te la par ti ci pa ción de es tu dian tes co lom bia nos en pro gra mas de in glés como se gun da len gua en EEUU). Así, se co mien za a co-nec tar con cep tos del cam po de la ad qui si ción de una se gun da len gua con la ini cia ti va de la en se ñan za de idio mas ba sa da en vi deo jue gos. Se pue den apre ciar con cep tos como la cul tu ra y la iden ti dad lin güís ti ca 107 HOW, A Colombian Journal for Teachers of English * How to cite this article (APA 6th ed.): Galvis, H. A. (2015). Laying the foundations for video-game based language instruction for the teaching of EFL. HOW, 22(1), 107-122. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. License Deed can be consulted at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. en tre otros. Por úl ti mo, este do cu men to pre sen ta nue vas op cio nes de in ves ti ga ción re la cio na das con el uso, la im ple men ta ción y la efec ti vi dad de este tipo de me to do lo gía y su futuro. Pa la bras cla ve: apren di za je de una len gua ex tran je ra, in glés (len gua ex tran je ra), ins truc ción en se-gun da len gua guia da por vi deo jue gos, tec no lo gías de la in for ma ción y la co mu ni ca ción.