Can video games help people learn English?

English lessons have moved far beyond writing out the same old phrases. Countless learners worldwide have picked up English through exposure to pop culture and art. Harnessed correctly, media like music , films and podcasts are proven ways of boosting engagement and retention. But what about another format: video games?

Today, video games are part of mainstream culture. They’ve evolved from arcade machines to consoles, with mobile phones opening the market even further. Globally, over 3.3 billion people play video games in some form, and through dialogue, multiplayer games and storytelling, they’ve become integral in English language learning. From the comfort of their gamer chairs or playing games on the go, international learners level up their English as they hear key phrases, follow subtitles, and chat online with English speakers.

Grab a controller - here’s how video games can help anyone learn English and can play a significant role in TEFL teaching.

Why video games are perfect for language learning

For previous generations of teachers, the idea of students playing video games in class might have seemed unbelievable. Now, the characteristics of video games have made them impossible to overlook. Like films and music, video games are a part of mainstream culture, while their unique sense of community, collaboration, and problem-solving elements have made them an ideal medium for language learning.

Online communities and English learning

As soon as home internet became a reality, gamers felt the benefit. Massive online communities emerged on PCs, built around English-language gameplay and teamwork. Games like Elder Scrolls and World of Warcraft are incredibly popular today, attracting millions of English-speaking players. 

This specific method for learning English is particularly popular in ex-Soviet and Communist countries, as resourceful gamers found ways of finding Western video games past the Iron Curtain. On Reddit , you can find several people who recall learning English from classic online multiplayer games like Runescape , while one poster says:

“I've learned (English) from playing online games and chatting with others who were also learning English. Subtitles, games and other stuff are never translated into Lithuanian.”

While online chat lobbies aren’t a perfect way to learn English, consistent exposure to the language provides immersion outside the classroom.

The power of the English language video game market 

It’s not just online play that’s made a difference. North America and the UK’s enormous video game industries produce world-famous titles, and though players can choose other languages, developers can’t translate to every dialect. As a result, the lasting popularity of countless games has encouraged people to pick up the English language.

Though they can be played in other languages, titles like the Grand Theft Auto series, Skyrim and Fortnite are hugely popular games which encourage interaction with English, and have several references to pop culture from English-speaking countries.

Story-telling and English language contexts

Video games attract players of all ages with stories and mechanics. Whether it’s a sports title or a fantasy epic, learners want to follow a narrative from start to finish. Along the way, they’ll absorb phrases, essential vocabulary, and different English rhythms. Often, they won’t even notice they’re learning a language. Consciously and subconsciously, players learn words, phrases, and rhythms of English while completing a game and solving problems. 

Using video games in the TEFL classroom

Using video games as a learning tool is easier than ever. It won’t be possible in every school, but if you can set up a console and a projector, dialogue-heavy games can brighten up lessons. 

TEFL YouTubers like English with Ronnie explain that you can pause games at any time to reflect on essential vocabulary and slang and design valuable speaking exercises around game dialogue. 

If your school has the resources, you can play these games on a big screen, ask your students to explain dialogue options, recap what they’ve seen, and allow students to take turns playing. An English teacher on Reddit explains:

“I have a PS4 Pro in the classroom, and my ‘projector screen’ is a 75-inch TV, and they take turns playing while the other students watch. Those watching track specific aspects of story, theme, and/or character that I’ve assigned.” 

Or, as this news clip shows , school computer labs can be ideal, with students playing Pokémon during a lesson. This presentation by English with Cambridge gives teachers a range of ideas for immersive English lessons through video games, which include playing a level of a game to fuel discussion, and setting video games as English homework.

If bringing in consoles or PC games is unrealistic, quiz and trivia platforms like Jackbox are accessible, inexpensive ways to bring games into the classroom. Online English learning titles like BBC’s Rhymeville are perfect for huddling around a screen and learning together.

If you’re teaching students one-to-one, you could game online as an immersive form of learning. Generally speaking, this is better for adult learners, as you won’t be able to control what other players say - some online communities are especially toxic - but you can arrange one-on-one matchups on all kinds of games.

English, level one: participation or spectating

There are two main ways to use video games in the classroom: participation and spectating. While playing games might seem the more obvious choice, watching people play games is a major industry. There’s a constant, eager audience watching gamers through services like YouTube and Twitch , turning them into online celebrities that young learners follow. For young people, streaming has become as big as TV or film; their heroes are as likely to be streamers as actors or athletes.

Tip: Playing video games as part of a lesson plan (using quiz and trivia games) or as a reward can boost a classroom's energy. At the same time, watching classmates play games, taking turns, solving puzzles together and working as a team is a fun way to round off a class.

Games for young learners

Quizzes and trivia can be ideal for language retention, especially for younger learners. Useful video game tools include the colourful and kid-friendly Kahoot and Quizziz . Through these games, you can keep scores, find areas for improvement, and add a healthy competitive element to the classroom. High scores can motivate students, but it’s more about their fluency than the numbers on a screen.

Alternatively, try the British Council’s online games for more storyline-driven options, including titles like Story Maker and Wordshake. Or, if you have a class that loves Minecraft, Cambridge English’s Adventures in Minecraft will keep youngsters engaged - it’s a combination of participation and watching, as you can solve puzzles together as a class.

Games for intermediate learners

Games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing can work well in the classroom for learners approaching their teens. Though they’re still aimed at younger audiences, they’re packed with dialogue, character interactions, and challenges a class can tackle together. 

Sports games are another strong choice, teaching English with gameplay instructions and commentary. Teen-appropriate games like EAFC (soccer/football) and NBA2K (basketball) feature surprisingly dense storylines, conversation choices, and specific, sports-based language. If you have a console or PC in your classroom, these games can actively feature in a lesson plan or act as a reward.

Mobile language apps

Students can use mobile games in and outside the classroom to improve their English fluency and refresh their memories.

While Duolingo is an industry leader, competitors like StudyCat and Kahoot!’s Drops , are ideal for younger learners. NextLingua and Mondly are better for teenagers and adults, with advanced lessons and a more mature interface.

The benefits of using video games in TEFL lessons

Getting your students’ attention can be difficult in today's teaching climate. Both kids and adults have a million things to be distracted by, but if you use media that your learners can relate to, you won’t have as hard a time keeping your students engaged. That’s why video games are so ideal: they’re colourful, varied and command attention.

Here’s where video games excel as a medium for English teaching:

Video games are engaging and tell stories

Like a good book, film, or album, it’s easy to become emotionally invested in a video game storyline. When a game isn’t available in English, or a player chooses to experience it in English, they’re incentivised to learn the language to understand what’s happening. 

The determination to ‘beat’ a game, whether it’s Super Mario rescuing Princess Peach or something as complicated as Metal Gear Solid , encourages prolonged exposure to English. 

Learning English in new contexts

Video games can provide examples of English spoken in countless ways, with different accents, tones, rhythms and contexts. The language used in a sports title differs significantly from abstract, fictional worlds like Final Fantasy , and by playing a wide range of video games, learners can encounter words and phrases they wouldn’t have found in a typical English class. 

Of course, there are limits to this, and as a teacher, it’s essential to teach the basics first. However, it doesn’t harm your lessons if learners are finding meaningful English phrases from their hobbies.

Cultural awareness

Today’s video games are pop culture, but many are narrative-led gateways to different cultures and periods of history - with poetic license added in.

Titles like Assassin’s Creed take players to Ancient Greece and on adventures with Vikings. They’re far from historically accurate, but these games introduce players to stories and ideas from different cultures and time periods. Other historical games like Age of Empires allow players to control nations and interact with historical eras. These games aren’t history lessons, but as tools for English learning and cultural awareness, they rival books, films or music.

People who play sports sims like Football Manager or EAFC usually have an innate interest in geography, as they’ll recognise national flags and place names relating to teams and matches. More recently, games like MLB: The Show have incorporated historic storylines about race relations in the USA, and there’s been a significant increase in first-person narratives in sports games.

Video games are backed by research

Video games have already helped millions of people learn English. From gamers’ anecdotes to peer-reviewed studies , the evidence is clear: video games can improve core English language skills. Research shows it’s a great way for learners to pick up phrases and improve overall fluency, while building critical thinking skills. 

Games have also been proven to improve cognitive skills and social development . Through playing online and in person, people develop friendships and, with repeated exposure, learn languages.

How English learning is being “gamified” already

‘Gamification’ has always existed in classrooms to some extent. Schoolchildren have long been rewarded with extracurricular activities, gold stars, stickers or certificates based on good work and behaviour. Tracking achievements and earning rewards from learning is a form of ‘gamifying’ a classroom.

However, it’s out of the classroom where technology has ‘gamified’ English learning. Again, you can look to Duolingo as an example of video game mechanics meeting language learning - you have to perform time-sensitive tasks, work out puzzles and mini-challenges, and are rewarded with power-ups and streak boosts. 

The success of Duolingo and similar apps has seen online teaching companies use a video game-style approach. VIPKid and Novakid use AI, characters and gamification to engage with young learners, but the difference is that these programmes require real-life TEFL teachers to lead classes. For online English teachers, specifically those working with young learners , an intuitive understanding of video games is becoming increasingly important. 

For learners, the challenges and adventures of video games can make English classes feel like play, rather than work. From a teacher’s point of view, video games are great for motivating students, a resource for learning new teaching approaches, and a welcome tool for boosting fluency.

Video games: a new frontier in the TEFL classroom

Over recent years, video games have shifted from an after-school treat to a viable teaching medium. Through online multiplayer gaming, storytelling, dialogue, and a firm presence in pop culture, video games have emerged as a genuine learning tool, and their presence is constantly growing.

Backed by decades of academic research, computer games create immersive learning opportunities and fun ways for teachers to mix up lessons. Video games also provide motivation and ways for students to learn different kinds of English across cultures.

Video games aren’t just for play; they’re an interactive learning tool that can build confidence, improve language retention, and provide abstract and real-life English. To level up your lessons, all you need to do is press ‘start’.

Looking for a route to English teaching, but aren’t sure where to begin? Our TEFL Course Quiz will set you on the right path.