Digital Game‐Based Learning of Formulaic Expressions in Second Language Chinese

Abstract Digital games offer a promising platform to engage second language (L2) learners in contextualized language practice, including pragmatics practice. Although scholars have made strong claims on the benefits of game‐based learning, empirical findings have not yet established strong support for the effectiveness of games. Existing studies are mostly descriptive rather than experimental; few studies have compared L2 learning outcomes between a game‐based learning group and a comparison control group. To fill this gap, this study investigated the instructional and motivational effects of a digital game on learning Chinese formulaic expressions. We developed two digital learning environments: a scenario‐based digital game ( Questaurant ) and an interactive online lesson. Forty‐nine learners of Chinese in two U.S. universities were randomly assigned to the game group ( n = 25) or the online lesson group ( n = 24). Both groups equally improved their knowledge of formulaic expressions after the respective learning session. However, the game group showed a significantly higher level of motivation compared to the online lesson group.