The University of Reading’s Institute of Education (IoE) has a vibrant research community and we regularly invite members of our community to share their research as part of our lunchtime research seminar series. On Thursday, 31 October 2019, we were pleased to hear research updates from Prof. Suzanne Graham (Professor of Language and Education) who presented research conducted with a former IoE colleague, Dr. Louise Courtney.
In the talk, entitled ‘It’s like having a test but in a fun way’: Young learners’ perceptions of a digital game-based assessment of early language learning’, Prof. Graham discussed how games like The Language Magician, a computer-based language assessment tool developed with EU funding and in collaboration with the Goethe Institute and other partners, may offer an important solution to the assessment challenge faced by teachers working with younger language learners. She argued that digital games are a valid and reliable way of assessing learners on challenging content without negative impact on enjoyment, which is a particular challenge at the primary-secondary school transition.
The event was very well attended by both research staff and doctoral students at the Institute. Details of the Institute’s future lunchtime research seminars can be found here.