Speaker
Description
This presentation will share the planning, process, and final results of an MA dissertation paper that carried out a small-scale research project to explore the impact of non-digital games for both language development and social-emotional learning in a preschool EFL classroom. The ideas and inspiration behind the project will be discussed, along with a short overview of the roles of play and games in language education and young learner contexts, as well as key competencies in childhood development and social-emotional learning. Next, the project methodology will be described, including data collection and the framework for analysis. Finally, the results will be presented, accompanied by a discussion of the findings, the role of teachers, and limitations of the study. It is hoped that this presentation will be of interest to not only teachers of young learners, but also to current students who are thinking about or about to begin their own dissertation process.
Bio: Martin Sedaghat is a preschool teacher and lecturer at Niigata University of Health and Welfare. He is from San Diego, California, and has been living in Niigata since 2003. His research interests include language game design, picturebooks, and second language acquisition for young learners.
