Design framework of Gameful English

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according to the categories and became part of the analysed data. All data were processed with Microsoft Excel and, in some cases, conceptual maps were elaborated to give a visual outline of the results.

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The pre-play phase introduces the topic of the session with wraparound tasks (acronyms in web chats, exploring biomes, watching different gameplay styles, commenting on Youtube videos, etc.) and reviews vocabulary and the debriefing tasks (assignments).

This phase is done in class and requires the active participation of the students who are asked about their opinions and solutions on the topic proposed. The during-play phase is done at home, individually, and it is a voluntary action: the student decides whether he or she wants to play, which modality to adopt, and to accomplish or not to accomplish the task given. Students mustn’t accomplish the task while playing. They must record 15/20 min of their gameplay and only after played they will use their records to accomplish the task. This choice aimed to preserve the flow and the engagement students have while playing. The post-play phase is done both at home when accomplishing the tasks and in class with the debriefing, when the students could integrate and discuss what they had learned in and around the game (game rules, narrative, vocabulary, etc.).

The initial session (level 0) outlined what to do before, during, and after each play session of Minecraft: getting knowledge of the task, playing the video game, and accomplishing the task. Some gamification components (leaderboard, points, and badges) were also introduced as a different assessment method³², and the structure of the gamified course, adapted from Ajlen et al. (2020), was explained in detail (Annex 1), showing some of the dynamics (narrative, progression, and constraints), and the mechanics (rewards, feedback, and challenges) the students had to manage. The follow-up session (level 10) included a general debriefing with the presentation and revision of the final products (edited live comments of the students’ gameplays).

In the following tables (Table 8), the 10 levels that the students had to face will be presented and the topic, tasks, and assignments specific to each meeting/level will be highlighted, regarding the different stages.

32 See Annexes 8, 3, and 4 for the written and oral test evaluation grids used for the different tasks and assignments, the badge table and the final leaderboard.

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Table 8.

Gameful English levels.

LEVEL 1: Video games Mission: acronyms use and understanding

Objective: speaking about video games, getting knowledge of the acronyms, vocabulary acquisition.

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: General speaking survey about video games preferences, genres, comparisons; the Geek test;

guess the acronyms.

Record 30 min gameplay.

Find the acronyms, guess the meaning.

LEVEL 2: Minecraft biomes Mission: describing places Objective: speaking about Minecraft biomes; making comparisons; vocabulary acquisition.

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: screenshots of MC biomes

Play MC. Make a world. Take a picture of it.

- Write a description (150-200 words) of your world.

- Group debriefing: talking about the acronyms and the game vocabulary

LEVEL 3: Before & After Mission: guess the changes Objective: speaking about the changes comparing two screenshots from MC

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: Screenshots from MC

Find an MC walkthrough on the web.

- Getting knowledge of what a walkthrough is.

- Group debriefing: Comments on the different students’

biomes.

LEVEL 4: Walkthroughs Mission: listening and video comprehension.

Objective: speaking of the use and validity of walkthroughs;

understanding suggestions, tips, hypotheses, and directions.

Pre-play During-play Post-play

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Wraparounds: Mojang official MC walkthrough

Free play - Did you need a walkthrough during your gameplay? How did you solve it?

- Group debriefing: what is a walkthrough? Are walkthrough useful?

LEVEL 5: Multiplayer Mission: making friends testing the different possibilities the servers offer; playing Multiplayer

Objective: speaking of voice servers; listening and video comprehension; finding online English-speaking players and play with them

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: Discord; MC Multiplayer modality: videos from YouTube

Free play in Multiplayer Group debriefing: how to find practical solutions during the gameplay.

LEVEL 6: Minecraft Creative, Survival, Multiplayer

Mission: the quest of details Objective: listening and video comprehension searching for specific info; speaking of different gameplay modalities

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: Youtube video selection: Creative, Survival, Multiplayer

Free play Group debriefing: what players

have you met? What have you done together? Was it difficult to make friends on Discord?

LEVEL 7: Text chat Mission: interact with the community using the written chat; understand what type of player you are.

Objective: Speaking: how to use a text chat in Minecraft: pros and cons; players types: achiever, killer, socializer, explorer

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: the Bartle test;

screenshots of Minecraft text chats

Play Minecraft

Take a screenshot of your text chat

- Analyse your screenshot and send a brief description of its contents, focusing on acronyms, gameplay vocabulary and the players’ behaviours.

- Group debriefing: talking about the students’ favourite modality of the week: pros and cons

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LEVEL 8: Voice chat Mission: talk with the community

Objective: listening and video comprehension; talking with English-speaking players

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: You-Tube video selection

Play Multiplayer

Record 15 min of your gameplay while you are speaking with the other players

- Analyse your gameplay: What was happening? What were you going to do? Was it easy to talk?

Why? Why not?

- Group debriefing: written chats, vocabulary of the game, pros and cons.

LEVEL 9: Youtubers and twitchers

Mission: make a live comment of your gameplay

Objective: understanding who streamers are and how they work. Different comment styles.

Listening and video comprehension; talking about Youtubers and twitchers.

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: web streamers charts; Youtube video selection of streamers with different styles

Record your live comment playing MC in the modality you prefer.

Make a short video of max 5 min.

Edit it.

- Group debriefing: difficulties on the use of a voice chat and its advantages.

LEVEL 10: You-Tuber! Mission: comment the students’

gameplay videos

Objective: Give opinions and feedback on the “live comments”

of their mates

Pre-play During-play Post-play

Wraparounds: Watching and commenting the videos of the class

Free play Group debriefing: comments on

the videos of the students;

considerations on Gameful English.

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