Computer-ondersteund talenonderwijs
  • ISSN 0169-7420
  • E-ISSN: 2213-4883
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An adventure is a new type of computer game which has become immensely popular in the course of the 1980s. This article is about the possible role of adventures in foreign language learning and teaching (FLL).First there is a brief explanation of what adventures are, the different types and the way communication within the game can take place in natural language. Examples are given for French, German and English.Adventures can play a role in FLL in several respects: -they stimulate discovery learning procedures -they encourage the use of certain reading strategies -they are suitable contexts for vocabulary learning -they can present contexts for communication.Moreover adventures can be looked upon as a new type of literary text, which learners can read as an alternative to a book (some adventures are known as interactive fiction).The article then presents a set of criteria for FLL: For advanced levels text adventures are more suitable than graphic ones from the point of view of language learning, because they present a rich language environment. Graphic ones may be more suitable for beginners. Adventures should accept a variety of syntactic patterns and provide adequate semantic analyses, so that the student gets appropriate feedback. A certain tolerance to spelling is needed, or easy correction options should be available. The program must show the student the type of language it accepts. Hint-files to help students when they get stuck are important and possibly an on-line glossary might be useful. The vocabulary used must not be too exotic and the plot not too complex.It is finally demonstrated that the Infocom adventure SHERLOCK meets these requirements to a large extent.


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  • Article Type: Research Article
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