On March 21, 2025, academics and game enthusiasts gathered at Michigan State University for the Video Games for Learning Japanese (and Other Languages) event, co-hosted by the Asian Center of International Studies, the College of Arts and Letters, the Department of Media and Information, and MSU Libraries. The event showcased how video and board games can be harnessed as effective tools for language learning, particularly for languages such as Japanese, Swahili, French, and Portuguese.
Fred Poole, a professor in Foreign Language Teaching, opened the event with an enlightening presentation emphasizing the educational value of video games. "The biggest thing is seeing games as more than 'yes, games are fun and entertaining,' but they're also educational," Poole asserted, highlighting how the interactive elements of gaming can increase engagement and enhance comprehension.
Students in attendance had the unique opportunity to get hands-on experience with various language games. They tested out interactive resources such as Wagotabi, Wisp, and several rhythm games specifically designed to aid language acquisition.
Among the featured presenters was one of the designers of Wagotabi (和語旅), a role-playing game aimed at Japanese learners. The game is designed to marry fun and educational efficiency, prioritizing useful vocabulary and providing immersive storytelling to maintain user interest. It cleverly introduces fundamental concepts while allowing players to delve deeper if desired.
James York, a professor at Meiji University specializing in Ludic Language Pedagogy, introduced his card game Kei-Go, intended to help players practice Japanese honorifics. He discussed the methodology behind using games for language instruction, which he framed as a cycle of learning, playing, analyzing, and reporting. His insights underscored the importance of tailoring games to the educational process for maximum effectiveness.
Additionally, Jesse Sanderson, a master’s student in the Department of Media and Information, presented his board game called We Speak Kiingereza (meaning English in Swahili). This innovative game features 200 sentences geared towards assisting Tanzanian students with translation across varying levels of difficulty. Sanderson's work aims to mitigate dropout rates and support educational development in Tanzania while addressing the challenges of language transition and limited resources.
The event’s inception was inspired by professors Shannon Donnally Quinn and Mariko Kawaguchi, who recognized the potential for gamifying language education. Quinn noted how a group of language teachers initiated discussions around incorporating games into their curriculum, leading to Kawaguchi's initiative to put the conversation into action. She expressed satisfaction at the event serving as a casual yet constructive space for language educators to unify their efforts in exploring video games' role in education.
During discussions, the presenters acknowledged the challenges associated with integrating gaming into existing curricula. Professor Poole shared his success in utilizing board games routinely, while Quinn has successfully incorporated virtual reality into her coursework. However, Kawaguchi pointed out the practical difficulties, noting that games often can't fit neatly into course schedules, although she encourages students to engage with media outside of the classroom to enrich their language learning experiences.
Professor Michael Toole also expressed his enthusiasm for students extending their language learning efforts beyond formal education. "I think students work really hard in the classroom, but as a lot of people know, you can only do so much in the classroom," he remarked, encouraging learners to explore additional avenues, such as reading Manga or watching Anime, which can significantly enhance input and exposure to the target language.
Jonah Magar, video game collection coordinator, reinforced the concept of video games as both engaging and valuable educational resources. "There are so many more things that we can do to use games as teaching tools to use them in our research and our study, and that's what we're here for," he explained. His advocacy for gamification stood out as a central theme throughout the event.
Overall, the event garnered positive feedback from student participants. For many, the insights gained about the intersection of gaming and language education were profound. Freshman Liv English-Saunders remarked, "I think that it's kind of helping me realize that (games) can merge a lot of like ideas into one. The fact that you can still be playing a game and learning a language, at the same time, that's just really cool to me." The event not only introduced new teaching methodologies but also sowed seeds of curiosity and excitement about the future of language education through gaming.
