Video Games and English as a Second Language - The Effect of Massive Multiplayer Online Video Games on the Willingness to Communicate and Communicative Anxiety of College Students in Puerto Rico

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper

Study of Puerto Rican college students learning English as a second language examines how time spent playing massive multiplayer online video games relates to two outcomes: willingness to communicate and communicative anxiety. The research frames online multiplayer games as informal, low-scrutiny contexts that can offer safer practice spaces for speakers of other languages. Findings show a statistically significant relationship, aligning with prior work suggesting online multiplayer gameplay can increase confidence and reduce anxiety when using English.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Review of Literature

Communicative Apprehension or Anxiety

Video Games and English as a Second Language The Effect of Massive Multiplayer Online Video Games on the Willingness to Communicate and Communicative Anxiety of College Students in Puerto Rico • Kenneth S. Horowitz The informal setting of online multiplayer video games may offer safe spots for speakers of other languages learning English to practice their communication skills and reduce their anxiety about using a second language. In this study, the author examined the relationship between both these concerns and the time spent playing such games by basic and intermediate English-as-asecond-language (ESL) college students in Puerto Rico. The results indicateda statistically significant relationship between them, supporting previous studies that establish a relationship between online multiplayer video gameplay and increased confidence and lowered anxiety about using English among second-language learners. Key words: affective filter; communicative anxiety (CA); English as a second language (ESL); massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG); willingness to communicate (WTC) As technology improves and online connectivity pervades many aspects of daily life, the ability to interact with others online grows more and more commonplace. Text messaging and the use of social media have become standard means of communication for many individuals, and this level of connectivity carries over to video games. Online multiplayer video gaming is more popular now than ever before, thanks in part to the incredible strides game consoles and home computers have achieved in making online interactions smooth and accessible. More than half of those who play video games (53 percent) do so with others, spending more than six hours per week playing online (ESA 2017) . In all, researchers estimate that seven hundred million people, or 44 percent of the worldwide online population, play online video game (Takahashi 2013) . 379 American Journal of Play, volume 11, number 3 © The Strong [Contact Kenneth S. Horowitz at khorowitz@pucpr.edu](Contact Kenneth S. Horowitz at khorowitz@pucpr.edu) Individuals can now play most video games with others anywhere in the world at any time, regardless of their game platform of choice. The accessibility of social media and online video gaming has also made it easier than ever to interact with those from other cultures using other languages. The need to speak English, one of the more widely used languages in the world, is more prevalent than ever, yet many schools in Puerto Rico struggle to prepare students for a bilingual or English-speaking environment. The lack of resources and limited class time, combined with the politicization of language usage has adversely affected the Puerto Rican Department of Education’s ability to provide continuous and engaging second-language learning, particularly in areas concerning language production (Pousada 2013; Schmidt 2014; Carroll 2016) . English language learners are defined as those who do not speak English asa native language and who are attempting to achieve English proficiency (Brooks and Thurston 2010) . This definition applies to many students in Puerto Rico, who are learning English as their second language (ESL). They also actively use social media and play video games, including online multiplayer games. These activities require knowledge and use of English, and many Puerto Rican English language learners willingly engage in them despite their often limited language skills. These informal settings, which are devoid of the evaluation and scrutiny of the classroom, help increase motivation, which is considered a primary goal of ESL teaching in Puerto Rico (Ortiz 2010) as well as reducing the fear and anxiety ESL speakers feel when using their second language. These settings may also present an avenue that can create stimulating and effective means for practicing English where such an environment is not readily available. Since the late 1980s,

FAQs

How do massive multiplayer online video games influence ESL learners’ willingness to communicate?

The study finds a statistically significant relationship between time spent playing online multiplayer games and students’ willingness to communicate in English.

What is communicative anxiety (CA) as discussed in the literature review?

Communicative anxiety refers to fear or anxiety about using a target language in public, including both trait CA (general anxiety patterns) and state CA (anxiety in a specific situation).

Why are online multiplayer game settings considered beneficial for second-language learning?

They provide informal practice spaces with less evaluation than classrooms, which can increase motivation and reduce fear and anxiety about using a second language.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper