The Impact of Video Games on the Acquisition of English Vocabulary

Rad istražuje učestalost korištenja engleskih riječi i izraza tijekom igranja videoigara te se nastoje utvrditi strategije usvajanja vokabulara engleskoga jezika u nenamjernom, izvanškolskom kontekstu. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 76 učenika četvrtih i sedmih razreda osnovne škole kojima je engleski prvi strani jezik. U neformalnom razgovoru s učenicima prikupljene su engleske riječi i izrazi koje učenici koriste tijekom igranja videoigara. Potom su ispunili i anketni upitnik, sastavljen za potrebe istraživanja, te se vidjelo koliko je učestalo korištenje engleskih riječi, koliko ih učenici razumiju, te kakva je strategija nenamjernog usvajanja leksika engleskog jezika. Pretpostavka je da učenici sedmih razreda bolje razumiju značenje riječi s obzirom na duljinu izloženosti formalnom i neformalnom učenju engleskog jezika te da učenici sedmih razreda bolje razumiju značenje engleskih riječi i izraza koristeći strategiju usvajanja nepoznatih riječi iz konteksta, odnosno „strategiju zaključivanja“ značenja riječi. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da učenici često koriste spontano usvojene engleske riječi tijekom igranja videoigara te da postoji razlika među učenicima u razumijevanju značenja riječi u odnosu na izloženost engleskom jeziku.This paper explores the frequency of the usage of English words and expressions among primary school pupils during playing video games. It also examines the strategies in incidental EFL vocabulary learning. The research was conducted on a sample of 76 fourth and seventh grade primary school pupils learning English as a first foreign language. English words that are frequently used by pupils while playing video games have been gathered during informal conversations with pupils. A questionnaire survey was used in which participants’ understanding of the meaning of English words was tested. In addition, the use of strategies of incidental acquisition of English words and expressions was examined. It was assumed that there is a better understanding of the meanings of the words among seventh- grade pupils due to their longer exposure to formal and informal EFL learning. It was also assumed that seventh grade pupils have a better understanding of English words and expressions while using the strategy of acquiring unknown words from the context, also known as “the guessing strategy”. The research results have shown that pupils often use spontaneously acquired English words when playing video games. The findings of the study have also shown the differences in the understanding of the meaning of words among pupils depending on their exposure to the English language