Technology Integration project Presenters: Araksya Aloyan & Arpen Grigoryan

Digital games Digital games are... Good for learning, developing strategies and skills to solve problems in context and critical thinking. Autonomous learners. Motivating for students. Emotional engagement. Situated learning, social learning, students become the centre of attention. (http://myeslcorner.blogspot.am/2012/04/digital-games-learning-english-by.html)

Videos Increase of student motivation Development of learner autonomy Enhancement of communication skills (http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/video-teach-learn/ped-benefits.html)

Literature Review Cruz (2007) states that some educators incorporate video games into their lessons both to catch and keep the attention of the students and to enhance course content. Many business, medicine, and law schools are using video games like Kristen's Cookies, Dexter, and Objection. Mohsen’s (1998) article examines how the interaction of students with an online video simulation affects their second language video comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning. Students participated in a virtual knee surgery simulation by dragging various surgery devices. The pedagogical implications of this study suggest that interactivity in language input is crucial in facilitating second language acquisition.

Video materials give the opportunity to experience the language in a natural context as well as apply cognitive skills while watching the video and interacting with learners. There are different studies and research articles about vocabulary learning through visuals and listening materials. Several researchers note that better vocabulary acquisition happens when new material is introduced with captions. Hernandez (2004) says that videos, audio materials and captions as well as texts make easier incidental vocabulary acquisition as the visuals scaffold better comprehension and memorization. (Perez & Desmet, 2012)

According to Goli’s (2016) study for some people implementing video materials in language teaching is lazy medium, however if implemented correctly and accordingly, it can be very beneficial and motivating especially for young learners. Wang (2015) elicits some advantages of video materials in English language teaching: stimulating students’ autonomy, enriching classroom activities and helping to hold their attention in the classrooms. Goli (2016) suggests several steps for successful video implementation such as pre-class preparation: choosing the right video according the learners’ age, proficiency level, the topic of the class, presentation or viewing: introducing the video and its aim, and post-viewing activities such as describing the characters of the video, matching, ordering of the scenes, etc.

Research Questions Q1. Does the implementation of online games and video materials promote L2 learners’ motivation? Q2. Does visualized learning in terms of gaming and video watching benefit English language vocabulary acquisition? Q3. Does the content-related video watching play stimuli for developing speaking skills?

Methods Context: English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Participants: Yerevan State Medical University students # of learners - 3 Age - 20 - 21 Proficiency level - Intermediate (B2)

Instruments: Evaluation form Please, evaluate your experience during the classes (mark effectiveness of the classes from 1-low to 5-high). Student A Student B Student C Motivation (games) Vocabulary acquisition (games) Useful words (games) Participation in discussions (videos) Vocabulary input (videos)

Integrated Technologies: Online Games

puzzle-english.com video materials (TV-shows, movies, songs, social ads, grammar videos, etc.) with double subtitles (English, Russian) vocabulary (pronunciation and Russian translation) for different proficiency levels and with different accents (American English, British English, etc.)

Goals and Outcomes Enhance L2 learners’ vocabulary only through games 1.1. Learn and memorize names of surgery tools 1.2. Identify surgery related terms and vocabulary in context 1.3. Apply surgery terms and vocabulary in authentic situations 2. Raise learners’ awareness of different surgeries through games 2.1. Learn the steps of different surgeries 2.2. Discuss different types of operations 2.3.Answer and ask questions in topic-related situations

Goals and Outcomes Improve L2 learners’ listening comprehension skills through captioned videos 1.1. Understand the information in the video 1.2. Learn and memorize the vocabulary from the video 1.3. Analyze the information in the video 2. Develop L2 learners’ speaking skills through video watching and discussion 2.1. Apply the target vocabulary in authentic situations 2.2.Speak about crucial topics in medicine 2.3. Discuss and analyze different issues and topics in medicine

Sample Lesson Online game ‘Nose surgery’ (30 minutes) Provide the new vocabulary – terms related to “Nose surgery” Play the game (http://www.silvergames.com/nose-surgery) Provide the list of surgery tools Check the new vocabulary with the help of flashcards

2. TV program ‘Healthy morning’ (30 minutes) Greet and introduce the topic Watch the video ‘The influence of sugar on our brain’ (https://puzzle-english.com/video/sugar-brain) Discuss some questions related to the video: What are some influences of sugar on our brain? What are the reasons of this influence? What should we do to avoid diseases caused by sugar?

Appendices Vocabulary to go Surgery: Cavity – խոռոչ Nostril – քթանցք Membrane – թաղանթ Septum - միջնապատ Reshape – ձևափոխել Dissect - հերձել Incision - կտրում Sedate – անշարժ

Flashcards Anesthetic mask

Findings Q1. Does the implementation of online games promote L2 learners’ motivation? At the end of the classes learners filled evaluation forms in which they marked the motivation factor of online games as being high. However, our learners suggested that it would be more beneficial to implement online games with 1st and 2nd grade students as they don’t have real practice of surgeries. Q2. Does visualized learning in terms of gaming and video watching benefit English language vocabulary acquisition? According to the results of classroom activities related to the vocabulary checking learners had the expected achievement in vocabulary acquisition. However, our learners found some words and phrases not frequently used in their practice.

Findings Q3. Does the content-related video watching and discussion play stimuli for developing speaking skills? The results in the evaluation form showed that learners participated in the video discussions and practiced their speaking skills through the videos. However, the topics should be carefully chosen as learners have more meaningful discussions on familiar topics.

Learners’ perception Benefits Student A: I found surgery related vocabulary very useful. Student B: The videos were very informative and useful for my professional knowledge. Challenges Student B: Videos provided Russian subtitles and word translation. Student C: As there was a time limit in the game, we didn’t manage to pay much attention to the tool names.

Discussion & Recommendations Mohsen (1998) and Cruz (2007) discuss the effectiveness of online games and captioned learning in EFL/ESL classrooms in their articles and find both technologies very useful. This overlaps with the findings of our research: online games and video materials were very motivating and stimulating for the learners as by playing the games they had the chance to deal with authentic situations and learn the vocabulary easily and by watching content-related videos developed their speaking skills through discussions and debates. It is very useful to implement both technologies for EFL/ESL environment as they promote incidental vocabulary learning and boost motivation, if the tools are carefully chosen and level and age appropriate.

References Cruz, J. Q. (2007). Video Games and the ESL Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XIII, No. 3. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Quijano-VideoGames.html Goli, B. R. (2016). The Use of Videos in EFL Classroom: A Revolution. International Journal of Linguistics and Literature (IJLL), Vol. 5, Issue 1 Mohsen, M. A. (1998). The Use of Computer-Based Simulation to Aid Comprehension and Incidental Vocabulary Learning. Najran University, Saudi Arabia. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/ Perez, M. M., Desmet, P. (2012). The effect of input enhancement in L2 listening on incidental vocabulary learning: A review. IBBT, Belgium. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812003369 Wang, Z. (2015). An Analysis on the Use of Video Materials in College English Teaching in China. International Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 2, No. 1. Retrieved from http://ijelt.sciedupress.com

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