Sociocultural and multimodal analysis on video games’ effect on extramural second language learning

Abstract

In this bachelor’s thesis I will discuss the overt and covert effects of video games on second language acquisition in English language learners. For this paper I will provide theoretical background and material from various sources including James Paul Gee’s theory on learning language and literacy through video games, sociocultural and ecological theory, multimodal analysis, and various academic articles.

After analyzing previous research and theory, I concluded that playing good video games is one of the most effective ways to learn. As Gee points out, good video games have the qualities of the best learning theories when compared to cognitive and learning sciences’ theories of learning. If approached with a reflective state of mind, video games have the potential of increasing language proficiency and comfort in language use beyond traditional learning, provided that the learner is already somewhat familiar with grammatical structures and basic linguistic elements of the target language.