Utilizing MMO video games as a media for

teaching English to young learners

Raihan Mahmudi - 21018093

Chapter II

A. Review of Related Theories

Based on the explanation presented in chapter one, the researcher will review

some related stories of vocabulary mastery, reading comprehension, and video games.

1. Definition of English Learning Media

Learning English are meanings that are agreed upon by a group of native

English speakers. English is the primary way to participate in the cultural life of

foreign-speaking communities.

Learning English as a second language needs to be known and understand

precisely what the language itself means. A standard definition of language is:

"Language is a system of arbitrary conventionalized vocal, written, or gestural

symbols that enable

members of a given community to communicate intelligibly with one another."

(Brown,2000). Brown wants to convey that language is considered a system

consisting of 1062 Proceeding of International Conference on Education, Society

and Humanity Vol. 1 No. 1, 2023

 sound symbols or symbols that can be used to communicate.

Defining language (Brown, 2000: 5) further says that a consolidation of

several possible definitions of language is explained as follows: (a) language is

systematic, (b)language is a set of separate symbols, (c) the symbol is mainly

vocal, but possibly also visual, (d) the meaning of the symbol has been adapted to

its reference, (e) language is used as a means of communication, (f) language is

used in community or cultural speech,(g) essentially, language is for humans,

although the possibilities are not limited to humans only, and (h) the language that

humans use mostly has the same way.

2. The Importance of English Learning Media

It is believed that learning a new language is not an easy task, because it

requires some exercises in multiple skills like listening, writing, reading, and

speaking. Learning another language aims at facilitating the learner to write and

communicate in new language easily. The motivation to learn plays the important

role in improving the language proficiency. Hence, learning process needs a

proper media to increase the learner’s desire to learn by creating the atmosphere

of fun.

Media is an instrument that is used to transform messages or information from

“resource” to “receiver” (Criticos, 1996). Based on these definitions, it can be said

that the learning process is a process of communication. The learning process

contains five components of communication, teachers (communicators), learning

materials, learning media, students (communicants), and learning objectives. So,

learning media is everything that can be used to channel messages (learning

materials), so that it can stimulate attention, interest, thoughts, and feelings of

students in learning activities to achieve learning goals. Gerlach and Ely (in
 Ibrahim, 2001) stated that instructional media plays a key role in the design and

use of systematic instruction. A medium, broadly conceived, is any person,

material, or event that establishes conditions which enable the learner to acquire

knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In this sense, the teacher, text book, and school

environment are also media.

Media as one of the usual aids is most available resource for language teacher

that is used for centuries to help students and practice foreign language

effectively. Learning media can be understood as the media used in the learning

process and objectives. In essence, the learning process is the same as

communication. The learning media can be understood as a communication

medium used in the communication process, learning media has an important role

as a means to deliver the learning messages. Hence, by using media in the

teaching and learning process can facilitate the educators in delivering the

material to the students. Besides, using media in teaching process can stimulate

the students’ attention and interest in understanding the learning material easily.

The purpose of using learning media in learning process is not only to complete

the learning process and to attract the attention of students, but it aims to facilitate

the teaching and learning process so that it can improve the quality of teaching

and learning. Hence, the learning media is the integral component within learning

system.

3. Types of English Learning Media

Every learning media has its own characteristics. These characteristics can be

identified through the ability of media in generating the sensory stimulation of

sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. There are three types of media, e.g., visual
 media, audio media, and audio-visual media. These types can be used in teaching

and learning as the instructional aid to bring all students into comprehending the

subject clearly.

a. Visual media

Visual media is a type of media that expresses messages through verbal

communication symbol. Thesesymbols mean that they need to be understood

completely, so that the process of delivering message can be effective and

efficient. Besides, this media has function to attract the students’ attention, clarify

the presentation of learning subject, illustrate or decorate facts which might be

forgotten when it is not visualized.

1. Pictures

2. Board

3. Textbook

4. Newspapers and Magazines

5. Comics

6. Literary Works

7. Computer

8. Augmented Reality

4. Definition of Listening

Listening is one of the most important language skills. Listening is

the part in communication, through listening we can share our ideas with

other people. Listening is the most frequently used languageskill in

everyday life.

The importance of listening is acknowledged by Brown (2001:247)

who stated that “Listening is the major component in language learning

and teaching because in the classroom learners do more listening than

speaking.” It means that, listening is the important thing in daily

activities, through listening we can interpret the meaning.

As defined by Oxford (1993: 206), listening is a complex problem

solving skill and it is more than just perception of the sounds. Listening

includes comprehension of fundamental language skills. It is a medium

through which children, young people and adults gain a large portion of

their information, their understanding of the world and of human affairs,

their ideals, sense of values, and their appreciation.

Rivers in Hasyuni (2006: 8) says that listening is a creative skill. It

means we comprehend the sound falling on our ears, and take the raw

material of words, arrangements of words, and the rise and fall the voice,

and from this material we creative a significance. Listeners must cope

with the sender‟s choice of vocabulary, structure, and rate of delivery.

Russel in Hasyuni (2006:8) also say that listening skill is listening

with comprehension, attention and appreciation. Then, listening activity

needs integrating skill of language, such as pronunciation, vocabulary

mastery, writing, speaking, and reading. Listening skill can be meant as

ability to pay attention or to hear something. But listening is not same as

hearing. Hearing is essentially an automatic, passive activity. It is

possible to hear sounds without consciously engaging in the process.

While, in listening the brain doesn‟t automatically translates the words

into the message they are conveying. That is essentially what listening is

determining the meaning and the message of the sounds or words. It is

active process that involves much more than assigning labels to sounds or
 words. As mentioned in Nunan (2003:24) “Listening is an active,

purposeful process of making sense of what we hear.” It means that, we

should interpret the meaning from what we hear, therefore listening is an

active skill.

5. Definition of Speaking

Many experts have proposed the definitions of speaking. Speaking is a way of

message in saying ideas, knowledge and feeling to other people. It is the most

important method in which the narrator can state himself with a language.

According to Harmer (2001:269) capability to speak fluently by using their

knowledge, information and say it by on the spot. It needs the ability to assist in

the management of speaking. It occurs in the real condition and has a little time

for planning it. Therefore, the fluency is needed to reach the aim of the

conversation. Richards (2008:19) argued that speaking is exploring idea, acquiring

something done, subtraction various aspects of world or basically being together.

It means that if learners can speak accurately or fluently will help them

communicate easily and explore their idea. Speaking English also helps students

get up-to-date information field about health, technology and science.

Cameron (2001:41) argued that it is also mains to organize the communication

so the listener will understand what the speaker said. Speaking is essential for

language learners because the first appearance of communication is speaking. In

their daily life, they are expected to be able to speak English accurately,

acceptably, and fluently. It requires a lot of exercise to be able to speak easily in a

foreign language. Pinter (2006:55) said that, speaking can be started by repeating

models, drilling set phrases and practicing. It means that making conversation

with others in some situations where contribution of spontaneous are required. So,
 the fluency of speakers has to be learned not only from language which we used

but also from what the suitable things which we said in certain situations. It is

hard and lengthy procedure to be able to master all sub skills.

6. Definition of Reading

Reading is a process which is done by a reader to get a message

that will be delivered by the writer by words media or written language. Reading

is a constant process of guessing, the students should be taught touse what they

know to understand unknown elements, whether these are ideas or simple words

(Grellet 2004: 7).

According to Tarigan (2008: 7) states that reading is a process

carried out and used by a reader to acquire message which is conveyed by a writer

through words could be seen and known by reader. In short, reading is an activity

to get meaning from printed words or symbols and how this ability is used to

recognize, understand and interpret in words.

Moreover, according to Finochiano and Bonomo as cited in

Tarigan (2008: 9) state that reading is bringing meaning to and getting

meaning from print out written material. In addition, Harmer (2001: 190) defines

reading as an exercise dominated by the eyes and brain. The eyes receive message

and the brain then has to work out of the significance of these messages.

From all definition above, the writer concludes that reading is the

process to understand about the content of the text. The primary target in reading

is the students should understand the content of the text after they do reading

comprehension. It is realized that reading skill or reading activity will open

knowledge widely give more vocabularies and information.

7. Definition of Writing
 Nunan (2003: 88) states that writing is an intellectual activity of

finding the ideas and thinking about the way to express and arrange them into a

statement and paragraph that is clear to be understood by the people. It indicates

that the writers are demanded to show the thoughts and organize them into a good

composition. In addition, writing presents the writer’s concept in understanding an

issue which is shown to the public. It requires the integration of idea

systematically written.

Writing is considered as an active creation of text involves on the one hand

lower-order transcription skills such as handwriting, punctuation and spelling, and

on the other hand, higher-order self-regulated thinking processes such as planning,

sequencing and expressing the content (Berninger at al, 2002). It requires the

writer to express the content of writing into a good composition by considering

the aspects of writing to be understood by the readers.

According to White and Arndt (1991) in Hammad (2013: 1), writing is a

thinking process which demands intellectual effort, and it involves generating

ideas, planning, goal setting, monitoring, evaluating what is going to be written as

well as what has been written, and using language for expressing exact meanings.

It means that writing consists of some stages that should be done by the writer in

coveying the message of writing

8. Video Game

A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves

interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller,

keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display

device, most commonly shown in a video format on a television set, computer

monitor, flat-panel display or touchscreen on handheld devices, or a virtual reality

 headset. Most modern video games are audiovisual, with audio complement delivered

through speakers or headphones, and sometimes also with other types of sensory

feedback (e.g., haptic technology that provides tactile sensations), and some video

games also allow microphone and webcam inputs for in-game chatting and

livestreaming.

Video games are typically categorized according to their hardware platform,

which traditionally includes arcade video games, console games, and computer (PC)

games; the latter also encompasses LAN games, online games, and browser games.

More recently, the video game industry has expanded onto mobile gaming through

mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablet computers), virtual and augmented

reality systems, and remote cloud gaming. Video games are also classified into a wide

range of genres based on their style of gameplay and target audience.

B. Relevant Research

Media of teaching is crucial in learning a language. The more available is

media to be used for teaching the easier it is for a teacher to educate the students for

learning second language. English teaching media is needed for the purpose of

students to understand the English language clearly. Many video games provided

listening and reading activity, to give players the narative when playing the game. But

only in MMO games where you can do listening, speaking, reading and writing

activity.

According to the purpose, the researcher reviews some related research to

support the urgency of this research. The findings of the reviews presented as follows.

1. A study titled THE EFFECT OF ONLINE GAME DOTA 2 IN STUDENTS'

VOCABULARY aimed to see whether that multiplayer online video game have
 impact on students’ english vocabulary. This study was conducted on 9

participants using purposive sampling because the researcher used personal

judgment to choose the sample based on prior information and the researcher’s

believe that the participants were able to give any information that she needed. In

gathering the data, the researcher used an in-depth interview which was

standardized open-ended interview. Standardized open-ended interview was one

of interviewing strategies in which the interviewer asked exactly the same

questions with same sequence to participants so the interviewer would easily see

the patterns and compare their answer. Based on the result of the study, DoTA 2

players conducted a lot of interaction using second language fluently. They could

express their idea and emotion without anxiety. They just spoke and delivered

their thought using English confidently. But then as the result they accidentally

acquired English through interaction. So, for English teachers it is better to

consider students’ emotion during the teaching and learning process so that

students can absorb the knowledge language optimally.

2. Another study with the title ONLINE GAME AS A MEDIA TO IMPROVE

STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL aimed to see if online game as a media have

an impact on students speaking skill. This paper seeks to explore the effect of

online game on students’ speaking skill. The paper was a qualitative study. It

started by identifying the users and non users of online games. It took 38 students

of Indonesian Language and Literature Department of STKIP PGRI Jombang; 10

male and 28 female students. The research took place between 20 May 2019 and 6

June 2019. The research analyzed speaking skill factors (internal and external

factors), the benefit of online game on students’ speaking skills, the aspects of

speaking skills which consist of language aspect. After conducting the research,
 the researchers conclude that online game influences students’ speaking skill. It

was seen from language and non-language aspects. The language aspect consists

of articulation, intonation, stress, and diction, while, the non-language aspect

consists of language variations, fluency, suitability, expression, and attitude. This

research confirms that online games influence students’ vocabulary acquisition

and language variation.

3. The last one is titled It’s a WoW World: Second Language Acquisition and

Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming which aimed to see if playing an mmo

video games could help students acquire a second language. The study was

conducted as a digital ethnographic study (Chen, 2012; Nardi, Ly, & Harris, 2007;

Nardi, 2010; Boellstorff, Nardi, Pearce, & Taylor, 2012) through playing World of

Warcraft with the participant for over a yearlong period. The participant was a 21-

year-old Korean male, who did not have experience in English speaking countries

prior to coming to U.S. His English education proficiency was level 2. This means

he was at an intermediate level according to the Penn State IECP (Intensive

English Communication Program). IECP level 2 indicate that the participant’s

English ability is capable to read and write in a beginner level, somewhat close to

survival English level. The data were collected through a digital ethnographic

method. Digital ethnography refers to a qualitative research methodology that

studies online content such as online communities and cultures formed through

computer-mediated communications. The findings of this study is that the

participants was forced to learn the english independently via context clues to

progress the game and needed help from other player to understand a complex

word that are used in the game.

 In conclusion, multiplayer online games do have an impact towards students’

English skills. Video games have a potential to be used as a media for teaching

english languag. In reading, a reader must master many vocabularies to get a good

understanding, because reading involves word to word analysis, context

understanding, and comprehending the meaning of the whole material written. On

the other hand, a study showed that there is no correlation between vocabulary

mastery and reading comprehension. The findings from some research stated

above, the researcher wants to observe the correlation of vocabulary mastery and

reading comprehension in a video game called Call of Duty, a game that involves

dialogue and many forms of written material to support the delivery of story line

in the game.

C. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The conceptual framework of this research is as follow:

English Language
Teaching

Media Material

Video Game Writing Reading

Comprehension Comprehension

Listening Speaking
Comprehension Comprehension
Oniline
Interactions