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Portuguese to English: Online Role Play Games and Second Language Learning General field: Social Sciences Detailed field: Education / Pedagogy
Source text - Portuguese Os Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) são jogos de interpretação de personagem que, através da Internet, podem integrar milhares de jogadores interagindo ao mesmo tempo em pelo menos um mundo virtual. Desta forma, esses jogos podem proporcionar, além de diversão, um maior convívio com a língua inglesa e a oportunidade de aprimorar a proficiência linguística dentro de um contexto real. Por isso, o que se propõe neste estudo é um maior conhecimento sobre a aprendizagem de língua adicional mediada por MMORPGs para que os professores saibam como, se relevante, apresentar, utilizar ou incentivar essa prática junto a seus alunos. Com base neste objetivo principal, procuramos responder as seguintes perguntas de perquisa: (a) o que distingue o perfil de exposição à língua inglesa dos gamers e non-gamers; (b) se os MMORPGs podem, por meio de uma prática híbrida e sistemática, auxiliar no desenvolvimento da proficiência na língua adicional e (c) o que os protocolos think-aloud evidenciam acerca da aprendizagem mediada pelo MMORPG Allods Online. Seguindo o método experimental (NUNAN, 1997), 16 alunos do componente curricular Práticas de Leitura e Produção Escrita em Língua Inglesa fizeram parte do grupo controle e 17 alunos da mesma turma compuseram o grupo experimental e foram submetidos a um pré e pós-teste adaptados do Key English Test (KET) da Universidade de Cambridge (2008). Os testes foram administrados antes e depois de um período de 5 semanas com 3 horas por semana de experimento com o game Allods Online (grupo experimental), e de aulas do componente curricular (ambos os grupos). Uma análise quantitativa dos questionários sobre os perfis de exposição à língua inglesa dos participantes, uma análise quantitativa das notas dos testes e uma análise qualitativa de protocolos think-aloud coletados durante o experimento foram feitas com base nas teorias de (a) motivação (GARDNER, 1985, WILLIAMS & BURDEN, 1997, BROWN, 2007, HERCULANO-HOUZEL, 2005); (b) aprendizagem ativa (GASS, 1997, GEE, 2008, MATTAR, 2010); (c) interação e aprendizagem colaborativa (KRASHEN, 1991, GASS, 1997, VYGOTSKY, 1978); (d) aprendizagem situada (DAMASIO, 1994; 1999; 2003, BROWN, 2007, GEE, 2003) e (e), aprendizagem tangencial (PORTNOW, 2008 E MATTAR, 2010). Os resultados indicam que os participantes do grupo experimental (gamers) parecem ser mais engajados em atividades tangenciais de aprendizagem de língua inglesa, como jogar games, ouvir música em inglês, comunicar-se com estrangeiros e ler em inglês. Também concluímos que o período de experimento pode ter gerado resultados positivos nas notas dos testes dos gamers, principalmente nas partes relacionadas (a) ao desenvolvimento ortográfico, leitura e interpretação; (b) à escrita com foco no conteúdo e (c) à acurácia ortográfica. Por fim, os protocolos think-aloud apresentam evidências de que os gamers engajaram-se na aprendizagem ativa de língua inglesa, interagiram em inglês com outros jogadores e aprenderam aspectos linguísticos através da experiência com o MMORPG Allods Online.
Translation - English Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are role-playing games that, through the Internet, can integrate thousands of players interacting at the same time in at least one virtual world. This way, these games can provide, further than fun, a greater familiarity with the additional language and opportunity to improve the linguistic proficiency in a real context. Hence, what is proposed in this study is extended knowledge about the learning of an additional language mediated by MMORPGs for teachers to know how, if relevant, to present, use or encourage this practice to their students. Based on this major purpose, we seek to answer the following research questions: (a) what distinguishes the learning profile of the gamers and non-gamers; (b) if MMORPGs can, through a hybrid and systematic approach, assist the development of proficiency of the additional language and (c) what the think-aloud protocols show about the learning mediated by the MMORPG Allods Online. Following an experimental method (NUNAN, 1997), 16 students of the curricular component Reading and Writing Practices in English Language have comprised the control group and 17 students of the same class formed the experimental group and were submitted to a pre and post-test adapted from the Key English Test (KET) by the Cambridge University (2008). The tests were conducted before and after a period of 5 weeks of 3 hours of practice with Allods Online a week (experimental group), and classes of the curricular component (both groups). A quantitative analysis of the questionnaires about the exposure to English profiles of the participants, a quantitative analysis of the tests’ scores and a qualitative analysis of the think-aloud protocols collected during the experiment were conducted based on the theories of (a) motivation (GARDNER, 1985, WILLIAMS & BURDEN, 1997, BROWN, 2007, HERCULANO-HOUZEL, 2005); (b) active learning (GASS, 1997, GEE, 2008, MATTAR, 2010); (c) interaction and collaborative learning (KRASHEN, 1991, GASS, 1997, VYGOTSKY, 1978); (d) situated learning (DAMASIO, 1994; 1999; 2003, BROWN, 2007, GEE, 2003) and (e), tangential learning (PORTNOW, 2008; MATTAR, 2010). The results indicate that the participants of the experimental group (gamers) seem to be more engaged in tangential English learning activities, such as playing games, listening to music in English, communicating with foreigners and reading in English. We also deduced that the period of experiment possibly generated positive results on the gamers’ proficiency scores, mainly in the parts related to orthographic development, reading and comprehension, writing with focus on content and orthographic accuracy. Lastly, the think-aloud protocols presented evidences that the gamers have engaged in active English language learning, they have interacted in English with other players, and learned linguistic aspects through the experience with the MMORPG Allods Online.
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Translation education
Master's degree - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte
Experience
Years of experience: 13. Registered at ProZ.com: Feb 2018.
Adobe Acrobat, Google Translator Toolkit, memoQ, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, SDLX, Trados Online Editor, Trados Studio, Wordbee, Wordfast
Bio
I hold a Master's Degree in Language Studies from a public university in Natal, Brazil (2013) and a BA in English Language from the same university (2011). I was a professor of the Portuguese and English Language course at Potiguar University and proofreader of English Language at Potiguar University Publishing House (2014-2017). I am a researcher and writer. My most important work is my thesis about the learning of English mediated by electronic games, also published in English: "Online Role Play Games and Second Language Learning" (2016). Now I work as a full time freelance translator and proofreader, always with dedication and high quality.
Since I was a child, I used to play a lot of video games. It was one of my first hobbies. That was how I had my first contact with the English language and, yes, started learning English. At school, English and Portuguese were always my favorite subjects, because I thought they were very familiar to me.
Not surprisingly, I chose to continue learning English when I enrolled at the University. I've finished the English language and literature undergraduation with very good grades, engaging in two research projects with one of the best Professors there.
Right after graduating, I started to pursue a masters degree, conducting an experimental research about Online Role Play Games and Second Language Learning. Again, I've finished it with outstanding records. All of my grades were A+ as you can see in my academic transcript.
As a result, I wrote a thesis and a book in Portuguese and English and it was my first relevant job as a translator.
Besides working as an EFL teacher, I started working as a Professor at a private University, training students to be teachers, translating and proofreading academic documents.
Now I am interested in working with translation, localization and proofreading.
I look forward to working with you and show my high quality linguistic skills.
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