Digital Games for Second Language Acquisition: A Systematic Review
Abstract: The present study aimed to review empirical studies on digital game-based language learning (DGBLL) with a focus on the acquisition of a second or foreign language. This literature review was conducted in a systematic manner to search for and analyze empirical studies published in eight prestigious journals during the ten-year period from 2008 to 2017. The review corpus consisted of 42 research articles, and the research results reported in these articles were synthesized into several trends pertaining to learners’ target languages, language proficiency levels, game genres, gaming platforms, and language acquisition outcomes. Based on the overall findings of this review study, several recommendations are then proposed for future research and practice.