The acquisition of prepositions through gaming

• Thesis title in Czech: Osvojování předložek prostřednictvím videohry
• Thesis title in English: The acquisition of prepositions through gaming
• Key words: akvizice jazyka|výuka na základě hry|didaktické hry|předložky
• English key words: language acquisition|game-based learning|educational games|prepositions
• Academic year of topic announcement: 2018/2019
• Thesis type: Bachelor's thesis
• Thesis language: angličtina
• Department: Department of the English Language and ELT Methodology (21-UAJD)
• Supervisor: doc. Luca Cilibrasi, Ph.D.
• Author: hidden - assigned and confirmed by the Study Dept.
• Date of registration: 09.09.2019
• Date of assignment: 09.09.2019
• Administrator's approval: not processed yet
• Confirmed by Study dept. on: 10.09.2019
• Date and time of defence: 03.09.2020 00:00
• Date of electronic submission: 05.08.2020
• Date of proceeded defence: 03.09.2020
• Submitted/finalized: committed by student and finalized
• Opponents: PhDr. Tomáš Gráf, Ph.D.

Guidelines

This thesis aims at investigating the (implicit) acquisition of the most common English prepositions by using a purposely developed videogame. The thesis will consist of the following steps: description of the main theories regarding the acquisition of prepositions, description of the game development (and how its design connects to the language acquisition literature), assessment of a group of children before and after the use of the videogame, report of the results, discussion of the results in relation to the theory.

This thesis will be written in English.

References

Ambridge, B., & Lieven, E. V. (2011). Child language acquisition: Contrasting theoretical approaches. Cambridge University Press.

Anderson, T. A., Reynolds, B. L., Yeh, X. P., & Huang, G. Z. (2008). Video games in the English as a foreign language classroom. In 2008 Second IEEE International Conference on Digital Game and Intelligent Toy Enhanced Learning (pp. 188-192). IEEE.

Chen, H. J. H., & Yang, T. Y. C. (2013). The impact of adventure video games on foreign language learning and the perceptions of learners. Interactive learning environments, 21(2), 129-141.

Gee, J. P. (2012). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. Routledge.

Guasti, M. T. (2017). Language acquisition: The growth of grammar. MIT press.

Hulstijn, J. H. (2005). Theoretical and empirical issues in the study of implicit and explicit second-language learning: Introduction. Studies in second language acquisition, 27(2), 129-140.

Schmidt, R. (1992). Awareness and second language acquisition. Annual review of applied linguistics, 13, 206-226.