English Attack! turns learning English into a game

English Attack! is a website for learning English in a relaxed, informal way. At first sight it appears to be purely for entertainment – and, indeed, it is highly entertaining. But it is also a very effective way of acquiring real English skills through fun, enjoyment and playing a range of challenging games. And for such a revolutionary approach to language learning, the company behind English Attack! – Entertainment Learning – is based, appropriately, in Paris.

Vocab Quickview from the recent Skyfall Video Booster on English Attack!

As the world’s first 100% entertainment-focused online resource for helping people around the world improve their English language skills, English Attack! was created by media and entertainment experts who now work in English Language Teaching and see huge potential in a totally different approach to learning through online entertainment platforms.

Creating True Innovation in English Language Learning

English Attack’s unique method achieves three key pedagogical outcomes:

1. Strong Learner Motivation

English Attack! generates strong learner motivation through current, authentic content (clips from movies, hit TV series, music videos); visual mini-dictionaries on a wide range of subjects; a videogame-like reward ecosystem, and membership of a worldwide social network of learners of English. Fresh, topical content is added to the site daily.

2. Retention Of Learning Items

The site enables learners to move the lexical items seen in the learning units from short-term into long-term memory - the only way to truly retain them - thanks to a range of addictive Learning Games that provide repeated exposure to (and use of) the new vocabulary. Learners practice with games that are generated dynamically each time a new content unit is played.

3. Frequent Input, and Learner Autonomy

English Attack! exercises are short-format (1-3-minute videos, visual dictionaries with no more than 20 lexical items, fast-paced games and thus a typical learning unit can be completed in 10 minutes. The brevity of the learning sessions and the attractiveness of the content result in most of our learners using the site every day. This allows us to achieve one of the key requirements for effective language learning: frequency of input.

Click here to find out more about English Attack!

If you would like to find out how English Attack! can help your school, company or other organisation to deliver highly-effective English language learning for your students, employees or stakeholders, please contact Robert Dennis, who will be happy to discuss your exact needs with you and offer you a customised solution. Robert is responsible for sales in Northern Italy, but he will be happy to refer you to the marketing partner for your country.

Verb Dash: one of the exciting language games on English Attack!

Exploring a virtual world of English beyond the classroom with Little Bridge

I recently attended the PSA Symposium at the British Consulate-General in Milan, where Pete Sharma spoke eloquently about blended learning, an increasingly important area of education that is closely connected to informal learning. At the Symposium, teacher and digital learning entrepreneur Paul Rogers presented Little Bridge, the virtual English-looking town with a modern, diverse cast of characters where children can learn English in a safe, friendly and compelling environment.

Click here to read the full report of this event on the Milan English blog…

Paul Rogers of Little Bridge speaking at the PSA Symposium, Milan 2012

What is informal learning?

Mark K. Smith on the infed site provides a well-researched and thought-provoking introduction to the subject of informal learning:

All of a sudden a number of researchers and policy pundits have rediscovered ‘informal learning’. But is there really such a thing? We explore the theory and practice of 'informal learning'.

Smith goes on to quote two leading authors in the field of informal learning, Frank Coffield and Charles Leadbeater:

Informal learning should no longer be regarded as an inferior form of learning whose main purpose is to act as the precursor of formal learning; it needs to be seen as fundamental, necessary and valuable in its own right, at times directly relevant to employment and at other times not relevant at all. (Coffield 2000: 8)

We must move away from a view of education as a rite of passage involving the acquisition of enough knowledge and qualifications to acquire an adult station in life. The point of education should not be to inculcate a body of knowledge, but to develop capabilities: the basic ones of literacy and numeracy as well as the capability to act responsibly towards others, to take initiative and to work creatively and collaboratively. The most important capability, and the one which traditional education is worst at creating is the ability and yearning to carry on learning. Too much schooling kills off a desire to learn.... Schools and universities should become more like hubs of learning, within the community, capable of extending into the community... More learning needs to be done at home, in offices and kitchens, in the contexts where knowledge is deployed to solve problems and add value to people's lives. (Leadbeater 2000: 111-112)

Click here to read more about informal learning on infed...

Photo: Tnvols2 via Wikimedia Commons

Welcome to the Informal Learning Exchange!

Hi! Welcome to the Informal Learning Exchange. This blog is intended to provide a platform for discussion and debate about new ways of learning that make use of informal or non-traditional media. In particular, we will consider how entertainment and games are being used to help students learn a wide range of subjects, including language learning. We will also look at the influence of the internet and web 2.0 in facilitating the social aspects of informal learning, such as communities and gamification.

Articles and comments about all aspects of informal learning are welcome on the Informal Learning Exchange, but we are especially interested to hear from people who are using online digital media, games and social gaming to learn and teach.

The Informal Learning Exchange has been created by freelance business English teacher and communications consultant Robert Dennis, who is based in Milan. Robert has recently teamed up with English Attack! - the online learning platform that allows people to improve their English skills in a fun, entertaining way.

If you would like to find out more about English Attack! or how your organisation can benefit from informal learning, please contact Robert Dennis, who will be happy to discuss your needs.

Send an email to robert@engage-language.com

Photo by JulesInKY via Morguefile.com