Young gamers in the digital wilds

Implications of gaming preferences on L2 English vocabulary learning and teaching

Abstract

This study involves young learners of English as a foreign/second language (L2) in Sweden. The aim is to see whether there is a relation between their online gaming habits on the one hand and L2 English vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension on the other, and to investigate known words more closely in relation to their gaming preferences. We collected data with the help of a questionnaire, a vocabulary test, and a listening comprehension test, and analyzed data using a mixed method. The results showed positive correlations between gaming frequency and vocabulary knowledge as well as listening comprehension. Playing multiplayer games appeared more common among those who reported playing always, compared with those who played often or rarely. Pedagogical implications are discussed.