Jogos digitais : uma experiência de aprendizagem de língua inglesa em uma escola pública

Abstract

Due to the great advancement of digital technologies in recent years, the use of technological resources in schools has increased considerably. Likewise, the production and consumption of digital games have expanded, reached a very high level of popularity, and are increasingly present in our daily lives. However, it is possible to observe that, even with its popularization, we still find resistance regarding the use of these technological resources as learning tools, especially when dealing with games. In this context, the present work aimed to analyze the potential of the use of digital games for English language learning, with students from the 8th and 9th years of elementary school in a public school in Uberlândia, as well as to map the students' conceptions about the insertion and use of games and technology resources in English classes. It was also intended to analyze how the use of digital games in English language classes could influence students’ learning opportunities, as well as identify what could be learned about the English language through a digital game. The game chosen by the students and used in this study was League of Legends, a commercial game developed by Riot Games. In relation to the methodology, this work fits as a qualitative research, of an interpretative nature. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaire, reports of experiences written by the students after the game sessions and a collective interview with the participants. The analyses were carried out based on studies that deal with the use of digital technologies for language teaching, the relevance of learners' beliefs in this process and also their technological profile. The emphasis, however, has been on studies on game-based learning, especially on Gee's (2005) "good games" principles. The results showed that the participants of this research fit the profile of digital natives (PRENSKY, 2001, 2011) and of tech-comfy (PEGRUM, 2009), since they are constantly connected and well acquainted with technological resources. In addition, students were unanimous in stating that they believe that it is possible to learn English through digital games, and that digital technologies can favor such learning. However, I also noticed that this use is not yet normalized in school, and that, despite having access to these resources, they are not yet fully exploited in this environment, which is contrary to the digital reality of our society. After the experience of the game sessions, the participants reported that they noticed an improvement in their linguistic performance, especially in reading and writing skills. They also confirmed the power that digital games have of stimulating, provoking and motivating their players. Therefore, learning opportunities that emerge in this context are more likely to be meaningful for students.