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Learning a Foreign Language with The Sims

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the no-habla-espaniol dept.

JavaTHut writes "The Journal Language Learning and Technology has a new article describing how The Sims can be modified to teach a foreign language. With this and other efforts at U.S.C. and M.I.T., could simulated immersion within video games become an effective way of acquiring a foreign language? Also of interest in the article are suggestions for using spatialized translation layers in foreign language songs and a Firefox extension for learning foreign vocabulary words."

5 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. This is actually an interesting idea... by agraupe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'll admit that I am intrigued. This problem does suffer the flaw that, if it is played like normal, the player doesn't really need to know what is said, and will therefore probably ignore it. I believe the whole point of immersion is to make the person *need* to know it, and to provide an environment in which they can do so. If they can make it work, I'll pay for it. I'm going to wait and see how this develops.

    1. Re:This is actually an interesting idea... by necrisque · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I also think it's a good idea because languages are learned best at an early age, to make children get a natural understanding of the language and culture behind it. And putting it in a game like The Sims will also put more focus on something like learning how to speak the language, which is actually being neglected at some schools. Reading and writing is another matter.

      It would really be intriguing to be able to actually hear what the sims are saying and understand it, but I think it'll become boring listening to the same thing in even a thousand languages. Maxis would need to change what they say per language, maybe add some local remarks/sayings in it so it'll be worth going through the game.

  2. How about some cons? by Anarrin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't think the Sims could provide a sufficient language portion that would allow anyone to get by. Most Sims events occur within the house, when any foreign language use would be required mostly outside of it in public places, which the Sims wouldn't cover.

    In addition to that, the Sims would not really provide any kind of advancement since the progression in the storyline does not imply progression in the complexity of the language. As a result the gamer would dive right into the same language level as he will be playing from that point on. Language is difficult to learn when there is no sense of accomplishment and progression which can't exist in a paceless learning.

    Lastly, the Sims is quite an addictive game (speaking from experience) and encouraging that from an educational standpoint is kind of like encouraging smoking because its cool while disregarding its health implications (a slight exageration but you get the point).

  3. Hold on a minute.... by StressGuy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've always wanted to learn a second language and I've tried when I was younger. However, growing up in a small town in the mid-west, I'd have to travel hundreds of miles to find someone who spoke the language natively. So sure, I could memorize words, syntax, etc., but, without the ability to use that knowledge on a regular basis, the memory fades.
    .
    To me, this sounds like a way to make it possible for people that don't have regular opportunities to use the language they are trying to learn a new way to get there from here.

    The only caveat I can think of is that relative anonymity seems to bring out the a-hole in a lot of us. That is to say, there might be a lot of jerks entering the sim that would try to ruin it for the rest of us just for the amusement of doing so. I guess the sim-world will probably need a cover charge to keep out the riff-raff.

    --
    A goal is a dream with a deadline
  4. Re:Children learn English this way now by Naikrovek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    that's because, compared to many other countries, we ARE stupid and ethnocentric.

    I told a colleague at work that I was planning on learning French. He ERUPTED at me and told me how useless anything French was... He hates France because they wouldn't help us in Iraq. They wouldn't help because they had a pretty good feeling that there weren't any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and they turned out to be right. Apparently being correct is good reason to hate a country... I don't see the logic but oh well.

    Reminds me of the book of Jeremiah in the bible. Jeremiah was a prophet, he told people what was coming, they didn't listen, and when he turned out to be correct, they killed him. I guess people hate the phrase "I told ya so."