Beyond Repetition: Multimodal and Social Mediation of Vocabulary Learning through Minecraft Gameplay Videos among Young EFL Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v10i2.31954Keywords:
Extramural english, minicraft, Multimodal, young EFL learner, vocabulary recognitionAbstract
Although digital game-based language learning has received increasing attention, how watching gameplay videos creates vocabulary-learning opportunities for young EFL learners at home remains underexplored. This study examined how subtitled Minecraft gameplay videos on YouTube and family and peer interaction mediated children’s engagement with English vocabulary. A qualitative case study with descriptive corpus support tracked the regular home viewing of two siblings aged seven and eight for 30 days. Data comprised viewing histories, observational notes, video subtitles, and interviews with the children and their parents. AntConc analysis identified 50 frequently occurring lexical items, which informed a subsequent vocabulary-elicitation interview. Triangulation revealed that, across the interviews, the children recognized or contextually explained 31 target items. Recognition did not consistently correspond to raw frequency: words linked to visually salient actions, game objectives, emotional moments, or familiar experiences were more memorable than some highly recurrent but contextually less distinctive items. Subtitles appeared to connect spoken and written forms, while gameplay visuals supported meaning inference. Co-viewing, sibling or peer discussion, and the reuse of game-related expressions during play extended engagement beyond the screen. The findings suggest that the vocabulary-learning affordances of gameplay videos arise not from repetition alone but from the interaction of multimodal salience, learner interest, and social mediation. Given the two-case design and absence of baseline testing, these results indicate context-specific learning opportunities rather than causal effects. The study positions guided co-viewing and contextual discussion as promising ways to enrich informal digital EFL learning at home.
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