As a middle school technology and learning coach, I observe teachers rush through their school year in an attempt to “cover” a large volume of learning standards with the goal to have students apply skills in a meaningful way over the course of a week or two, complete a summative project or exam, then proceed to other learning standards.

I can only imagine how difficult learning through memorization and imitation would be for me, were I to enroll in a school where I lacked proficiency in their primary language. I currently assist students who are learning English language vocabulary while studying science, mathematics, fine arts, and history, and have observed that incorporating games, simulations, and activities that promote multi-modal meaning led to higher engagement, longer retention of skills, and more persistence in successful communication through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Foreign language teachers have engaged students through singing, flashcards, picture books, and other multi-modal strategies with some success, however simulation games appear to show a greater effect. Franciosi (2016) studied both flashcard (repetition, rote memory) and simulation (interactive, narrative, integrated skills) games to determine whether the use of simulation was effective for short and long term vocabulary retention. Students at a Japanese university played 3rd World Farmer, a agricultural game requiring players to decide how to spend limited resources to manage a farm in Africa.

Figure 1: Screen capture of the simulation activity “3rd World Farmer”

Franciosi also used Quizlet, a flashcard game, to teach a list of 29 vocabulary terms in English and Japanese.

In the second meeting of a semester, control students were presented with computer-based flashcard activities and given 40 minutes to play. Test students were divided into teams to play the simulation game for approximately 35 minutes and allowed to collaborate, develop strategies, and make decisions for running their farm. In the final five minutes, the teams from the test group met as a class and discussed winning and losing strategies.

For the following class meeting, test students were also shown the Quizlet activities, then invited to use both simulation and flashcard activities for the remaining 80 minutes of the period. Control students continued to practice with the Quizlet activities for the same amount of time.

In the third meeting, all students were tested on the vocabulary list. Students were then asked to forgo using either activity for the remainder of the semester. A post-test was administered at the end of the semester, 11 weeks after the initial activities.

Both groups displayed large gains at the outset, and diminished scores after a long period of neglecting the vocabulary list. Over the longer period, there was a larger gain present in the simulation group. Fanciosi also noted that educators may also use simulation activities for the motivational benefits, as well. Still, the added complexity or expense of implementing simulation activities can be an impediment for some teachers.

Simulation provides meaningful challenges that promote longer term retention than simple memorization, even when using flashcard games. Technology is not effective for engaging learners itself, but using technology to increase the complexity and relevance of learning skills like a foreign language can promote greater retention and motivation.

Sources:

Franciosi, S., Yagi, J., Tomoshige, Y., & Ye, S. (2016). The Effect of a Simple Simulation Game on Long-Term Vocabulary Retention. CALICO Journal, 33(3), 355-379. doi:10.2307/90014365

[Illustration]. (n.d.). Screencapture of the simulation activity “3rd World Farmer.” Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/game/3rd-world-farmer