Attitudes of Primary School Students About the Role of Computer Video Games in Learning English: Case Study in North Macedonia

The majority of research on video games focuses on children and teenagers, though the
age range of players has expanded. Most studies emphasize elementary school students, who
are generally enthusiastic about gaming. Our research focused on this group across several
elementary schools in the southeastern part of North Macedonia. The results demonstrate
correlations and comparisons that align with current trends. Internet access plays a key role in
gaming, with 86% of respondents having access, compared to 98% of Australian teenagers.
Our findings reveal that 51% of students want to play video games, and 31% play daily.
Additionally, 71% believe video games help in learning English, particularly by enhancing
motivation, vocabulary, conversation, listening, and overall language skills. Furthermore, 51%
of students view gaming as a fun activity shared with peers. Meanwhile, 98% stated they are
not allowed to play video games in the classroom. Opinions remain divided on whether video
games should be integrated into English language learning.
Keywords: Video games, basic schools, children, English language, modern tools