Winter-themed Minecraft world helps kids learn English
(Pocket-lint) – A winter-themed Minecraft world will help kids learn English as part of a collaboration between Microsoft and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The new world, called Gormi’s Winter Wonderland, is designed with Microsoft to help kids aged eight and above to learn the English language while solving puzzles and carrying out in-game tasks. A press release says that those tasks will be based on real-life communication skills and are suitable for beginners at level A1 and above of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).
‘We wanted to create a compelling English language learning experience and Minecraft was the perfect platform, because it’s loved by millions of children all over the world,” Alex Martin, Product Manager at Cambridge said via press release. “Gormi’s Winter Wonderland presents in-game challenges that encourage children to improve their English by learning and using relevant language and real-life communication skills”.
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Martin goes on to say that kids will be encouraged to process the meaning of the words that they come across in the game and then use that knowledge to progress. “It’s a really fun experience that I’m sure will resonate with children and parents all over the world.,” he says. This isn’t the first time that the team at Cambridge has worked on something like this. The same team developed some of the world’s leading English language learning and assessment products, we’re told.
Microsoft has released its own blog post about the game and those interested in learning more can read about Gormi’s Winter Wonderland on the Cambridge website too.
Writing by Oliver Haslam.
