Summary
It’s a popular endeavor to learn another language, andEnglishis one of the most popular when it comes to this demand. There are thousands of apps and programs for acquiring the ability to speak English, with varying degrees of success, but the best way to learn any language is to use it.
There’s a collection of video games that can help players learn and practice the language even though they aren’t specifically labeled as “educational” or “language learning apps.” Games that include interactive dialogue and detailed descriptions of items or locations are equally useful for those who hope to learn English or for native speakers looking to improve their existing skills.
Bookwormis a simple game that has inspired otherdigital games likeWordleand was itself inspired by old-school physical games likeScrabble. It’s wonderfully intuitive, totally PG-rated, works on virtually any platform, and scales well with the player’s level, so it’s equally fun for advanced speakers.
The goal is to make as many words as possible to advance to higher levels, with extra points given for longer words, those that are featured as bonus words, or words that use the rare green or golden tiles. Once the tiles start burning, they have to be used and extinguished before they burn down the whole library.
Using an MMO is a better choice for more advanced learners, but someone who wants to learn can start on a lower curve if they choose. When it comes toWorld of Warcraft, this works best if the player creates their character on an English-speaking server, but another option for beginners is to join an English-speaking guild.
Players who already know the game’s vocabulary in their native language will be able to recognize many of the words used for basic gear, special locations, and key spells or abilities. It doesn’t matterif it’s retail or ClassicWoWeither since both modern and classic versions have bilingual item descriptions and world-chat options.
The language inFirewatchis used to drive the story of Henry, a fire lookout working in the Wyoming wilderness in 1989. The specific region under his care is Shoshone National Forest, and his only contact with the outside world is his supervisor Delilah, who is available only by walkie-talkie.
Henry’s interactive conversation with Delilah is fairly limited, making it easier for ESL learners to follow, and the vocabulary follows the themes of forestry, wilderness, and safety terms, so it’s easier to interpret in context. Players can either explore the game as an open world or follow an audio tour, the latter of which is ideal for more advanced learners keen on practicing directions or instructions.
Civilization 6is usually cited as ideal for learning history and geography, but it’s also great for learning English. The vocabulary neatly fits into categories like politics, war, and resources, just to name a few, and some diplomatic relations will help for learning dialogue.
Despite the cultural differences when it comes to choosing leaders, as long as the overall game is in English, any option will do. It is possible to be Teddy Roosevelt or Queen Victoriafor a more authentic historical experiencewhen it comes to how English became one of the vernacular languages of the global community.
Season: A Letter To The Futureis based on the tale of one person who is recording the story of all people, or the whole world, on the eve of some unspoken and profound change. Some players interpret this to mean the world is ending, but that might not be the case, and even if it is, there’s little to indicate what this ending will look like.
The theme of this game is writing and recording things, which includes taking pictures, which means thatmost of the vocabulary focuseson descriptions, directions, and using the past tense. The tone and register are simple and direct, with little or no slang used in either the spoken or written portions of the game.
The writing and dialogue inBaldur’s Gate 3are on point, which is a great start, but several other factors make this RPG ideal for those hoping to improve their language skills.BG3is available in a variety of languages when it comes to subtitles and descriptions,but the voice acting is alwaysgoing to be in English.
That means virtually all of the audio has a text translation, including the narrator, so players are going to learnsome basic vocabulary and common phrasesno matter what. Another helpful layer to this is that most of the voice actors in the game have clear but distinct accents and use little or no slang because of the fantasy setting, which makes translation a whole lot easier.
