Do you want to make some sound?

Gamification is the way of using game design elements in other non-game fields, which can engage players to participate. As Franciosi mentions, computer-mediated activities seem to offer clear advantages over conventional classroom lessons in providing on-task feedback, and maintaining an optimum skill/difficulty balance. Feedback for sustaining flow should give learners an ongoing indication progress and/or performance.

I played sound factory three times in which a player needs to make tire sounds, attract the coworker, unlock more instruments and avoid the boss’ inspection to win the 3-level game. For the first time, I didn’t react quickly enough and was caught by the boss. But I went through smoothly for the second and third time.

I hope after playing this game, the students are able to know and use the vocabulary appears in the game. Firstly, sounds could attract the students’ attention and make them want to explore more. Then, bonus instruments are provided in every new level. In addition, students could compose their own melody with some of the instruments. The teacher works as the information provider and guider of this game because the teacher provides the basic information and steps of the game and also provides help and guide when students come across any problem while playing.

I would use walkthrough to explain the game to beginner-level students. I would guide them to comprehend the steps of this game and maybe I could perform once as I explained to make sure all of them understand it. But for intermediate and higher-level learners, I would let them try without walkthrough because the game is not complex and it also provides the detailed steps.

I think I would use pictures because they are clear and direct especially for lower-level language learners to get an idea about the game. I could use them for assessment on vocabulary by pointing to different and check if the students could recognize. Also, using key vocabulary to make sentences could be used to assess students’ performance.

All in all, sound factory is a simple but interesting casual game which we could use in increasing students' vocabulary in language learning.