ESL/New Immigrant Groups and Gaming

[Kleiman]

Hi--

Yesterday, I attended the New Jersey World Language Fair. The
discussion at lunch focused around the idea of using gaming with ESL
(English as a Second Language) students and New Immigrant Groups (of
all ages).

Has anyone worked with these groups and can share their experiences.
There was some interest from libraries in this area for this type of
gaming and I offered to follow-up.

Thanks,
--Allan
+++++++++++++++
Allan M. Kleiman, MLS
Chief Consultant
Library Consultant(s)-on-Call
Fords, NJ 08863
732-738-5183 (Office)
kle...@aol.com; allanm...@aol.com

[Samantha Woodson]

While I have not run a gaming program specifically for new immigrant or ESL groups, some of my regulars at gaming programs do fall into these groups.  I've even had a few sessions where my only attendees have been a large family of siblings that immigrated from Africa recently.  I have not used the games as any type of language training activity, but I have found that gaming programs are particularly appealing to some immigrant groups, particularly refugees (as many of my immigrant kids are) since it allows them to use things like the Wii that they ordinarily don't have access to, and which would have been completely unavailable to them in their home country.  As far as it's actual benefit or effect goes, I really don't have any idea, but I'd love to read some kind of study on that. 

 

Samantha

kle...@aol.com; allanm...@aol.com
--Julie Andrews

[Gordon Gavin]

Hi Allan,

We have a lot of Somali immigrants in our area.  I've found that gaming gives them an opportunity to interact with peers outside their regular social groups.  It also gives them the opportunity to show off their skills and earn respect in front of peers in a safe environment and in a non-confrontational way.  A way that allows them to try again if they lose, and allows them to improve at the game and gain social standing.  Games really do transcend the language barrier.

 

Gordon Gavin
Library Assistant
Youth/Teen Services
Northern Lights Branch
gga...@columbuslibrary.org
(614) 479-3247

>>> Kleiman <kle...@aol.com> 3/20/2009 7:56 AM >>>

[Liz]

I hope others have stories like this to share here. Language-related
experiences have a huge potential to bring positive attention to
gaming.

A couple stories from my experience:

I've also seen the Somali youngsters integrate successfully with the
"usual crowd" of gamers in my own library. I heard gaming has been a
way to socialize a circle of very problematic Somali teens at another
branch, with the carrot and stick of "behave today so you aren't
banned from the library when the time comes and you want to be able to
come play."

Outside the library, I have a friend (American) in Germany whose sons
play World of Warcraft with players speaking French, German, and
Spanish. She notes that their facility to switch between the languages
has significantly improved; she herself speaks 8 languages.

Also in World of Warcraft, I have characters whose names and/or named
pets are Spanish or French. (Cazzadora is my hunter, for example; the
proper spelling of Casadora was already in use.) I have been greeted
in both those languages and have had some lengthy conversations in
Spanish with complete strangers.

This is definitely a topic that merits more exploration. I am already
planning a followup survey to my WoW-related skills-acquisition
research (http://tinyurl.com/SkillsSurvey ... open until the end of
April; pass it around!). I think I've found another few questions to
ask!

Liz
------------------------------
Liz Danforth, MLS
D3 / Danforth Design & Development
elizabeth...@gmail.com, etdan...@gmail.com
Facebook: Liz Danforth
Twitter: Tourach
LinkedIn: Elizabeth (Liz) Danforth
Skype: oakheart333
website under reconstruction

On Mar 20, 9:58 am, "Gordon Gavin" <GGA...@columbuslibrary.org> wrote:
> Hi Allan,
> We have a lot of Somali immigrants in our area.  I've found that gaming gives them an opportunity to interact with peers outside their regular social groups.  It also gives them the opportunity to show off their skills and earn respect in front of peers in a safe environment and in a non-confrontational way.  A way that allows them to try again if they lose, and allows them to improve at the game and gain social standing.  Games really do transcend the language barrier.
>
> Gordon Gavin
> Library Assistant
> Youth/Teen Services
> Northern Lights Branch
> gga...@columbuslibrary.org
> (614) 479-3247
>

> >>> Kleiman <klei...@aol.com> 3/20/2009 7:56 AM >>>

>
> Hi--
>
> Yesterday, I attended the New Jersey World Language Fair.  The
> discussion at lunch focused around the idea of using gaming with ESL
> (English as a Second Language) students and New Immigrant Groups (of
> all ages).
>
> Has anyone worked with these groups and can share their experiences.
> There was some interest from libraries in this area for this type of
> gaming and I offered to follow-up.
>
> Thanks,
> --Allan
> +++++++++++++++
> Allan M. Kleiman, MLS
> Chief Consultant
> Library Consultant(s)-on-Call
> Fords, NJ 08863
> 732-738-5183 (Office)

> klei...@aol.com; allanmklei...@aol.com