By on December 20, 2012
The U. S. government has joined the
list of organizations using gaming to enhance learning. This week, the U. S.
Department of State released a new game to give English-language students a
hands-on way to augment their mastery of English.
The free game, Trace Effects, available on the State
Department’s American English website, was created to
introduce users to American society, while also exploring “themes related to
entrepreneurship, community activism, empowering women, science and innovation,
environmental conservation, and conflict resolution,” according to the site.
Users play the game from the
perspective of Trace, a spiky-haired college student from the year 2045 who’s
accidentally sent back to the present day and must now find a way back home.
Players navigate a 3-D, Sims-like landscape that starts on a typical
college campus and includes locations such as New York, New Orleans, and the
Grand Canyon.
Though Trace Effects is light on
action, it provides students a number of opportunities to flex their language
skills. During the game, Trace encounters a variety of characters who give him
simple tasks to complete and help him along his way.
Added features, including links to
Scrabble-esque games such as Word Soup and Word Builder, give players the
chance to compete with others by forming words from letters. Social media has a
place here, too: Trace’s Facebook fan page features game strategy
suggestions, while a link to the State Department’s Exchange Connect Youtube channel offers information on exchange
programs where students can put their English language skills to good use.
The State Department’s American
English website also offers teachers and students academic resources, from
lesson plans in which student brainstorm New Year’s resolutions, to DVDs
offering tips about how to teach English through jazz chants. Users can also
download free PDFs and MP3 recordings of literary works by Edgar Allan Poe, Mark
Twain, or Jack London.
