Developing Oral Interaction Skills with a Digital Information Gap Activity Game

Research-publishing.net. La Grange des Noyes, 25110 Voillans, France. e-mail: info@research-publishing.net; Web site: http://research-publishing.net

Y

7

Educational Technology; Technology Uses in Education; Educational Games; Second Language Instruction; French; Teaching Methods; Problem Solving; Cooperative Learning; Competition; Oral Language; Language Skills; Persuasive Discourse; Student Attitudes; Surveys; Interviews; Focus Groups; College Students; Foreign Countries

This study introduces the digital game Prêt à négocier, an information gap digital game, and investigates language learners' perceptions of its use in a French as a Second Language (FSL) context. In the game, students negotiate orally and synchronously with a partner for items like cars, houses, and even pirate ships. Inspired by Larsen-Freeman and Long's (1991) information gap activity, game players exchange information to solve a common problem (e.g. to buy a car within certain conditions imposed by the game). As a competitive game, the pairs must use their oral interaction skills in a comprehensible and persuasive manner to win (e.g. to obtain the best final price on a product). In addition to describing Prêt à négocier, this study examines 28 students' perceptions of its pedagogical use in a standard FSL classroom via a triangulation of methods that include a survey, interviews with participants, and focus group discussions. Based on our findings, we conclude that students' perceptions of the game are highly positive in most aspects of our analysis and that Prêt à négocier is well-positioned to help students improve oral interaction skills in a fun, comfortable, and interactive manner. [For the complete volume of short papers, see ED572005.]

As Provided

9

2017

ED572203