Collaborative Creation of Adventure Games in the ESL One-Computer Classroom

Abstract

This is a report on a workshop conducted at ISAGA ‘91 in Kyoto, Japan. The format of this workshop was as follows. First, two short simulations used in an ESL teacher-training course were demonstrated to participants: one of a “traditional” (grammar-focused) language-learning exercise, the other of a “communicative” activity. A debriefing was conducted in which participant reactions were discussed, as well as the apparent effects of the simulations on actual teacher trainee behavior. Finally, the presenter showed how generic computer software can be adapted to a novel use in the ESL classroom, describing an activity in which ESL students collaboratively create a computerized text-adventure game. The activity is intended to promote self-reliance in writing tasks by taking students from an environment of peer support to one of increasing independence. At the same time, it creates a “bridge” for the novice teacher from a highly teacher-centered (traditional) classroom to one in which the teacher’s role is quite different.