Hybrid Design and Flipping the Classroom in Content-Oriented Foreign Language Courses
Developing Intensive Italian for Gamers
abstract
Recently, content-based language teaching has emerged as a successful response to the increasing challenges that language departments in higher education face. This is a case study. The hybrid format enabled the creation of a content-based intensive foreign language video game-based course. Flipping the classroom allowed learners to spend more time and focus their attention on exploring the spoken language through the digital gaming realia and communication. It also encouraged independent language exploration. Pilot data show that students attained the desired level, autonomous learning continued, and less stress was involved.
Keywords: Italian as a second language • Gamification • Game-based learning • Computer assisted instruction • Video game-based learning • Computer assisted language learning • Second language acquisition • Italian