ESSAY WRITING PRACTICE 3: VIDEO GAMES

STEP 1: WARM-UP
Discuss the following topics in-class.
● What do you see in the
picture? What do you think is
happening?

● What are the trending video

games nowadays? What’s
your favorite? Why?

● Do you learn anything from

playing video games?

STEP 2: READING
Pre-Reading
Match the game genres with their definitions.
a. A game that requires careful planning and tactics to achieve victory, often from a
godlike perspective over the game world.
b. A game that involves travelling and jumping across platforms, often with obstacles
and other elements like ladders.
c. A game that focuses on one-on-one combat against an opponent.
d. A game in which the player controls a central character. They explore the game
world, solve puzzles and take part in tactical fights to complete their quest.
e. A game in which the player races against opponents in some type of transportation.
f. A game whose main focus is combat involving guns or other projectile weapons such
as missiles.

1) Platform game ………… 4) Role-playing game (RPG) …………

2) Fighting game ………… 5) Strategy game …………
3) Shooter game ………… 6) Racing game …………

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Now, read the text about video games and do the activities below.

Video Games can be Good for You!

For years video games have been criticized for making people more antisocial,
overweight or depressed. But now researchers are finding that games can actually change us
for the better and improve both our body and mind.

Games can help to develop physical skills. Pre-school children who played interactive
games such as the ones available on Wii have better motor skills, for example they can kick,
catch and throw a ball better than children who don’t play video games. A study of surgeons
who do microsurgery in Boston found that those who played video games were 27 per cent
faster and made 37 per cent fewer errors than those who didn't. Vision is also improved,
particularly telling the difference between shades of grey. This is useful for driving at night,
piloting a plane or reading X-rays.

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 Games also benefit a variety
of brain functions, including decision-
making. People who play action-
based games make decisions 25 per
cent faster than others and are no
less accurate, according to one study.
It was also found that the best gamers
can make choices and act on them up
to six times a second, four times
faster than most people. In another study by researchers from the University of Rochester in
New York, experienced gamers were shown to be able to pay attention to more than six things
at once without getting confused, compared with the four that most people can normally keep
in mind. Additionally, video games can also reduce gender differences. Scientists have found
that women who play games are better able to mentally manipulate 3D objects.

There is also evidence that gaming can help with psychological problems. At the
University of Auckland in New Zealand, researchers asked 94 young people diagnosed with
depression to play a 3D fantasy game called SPARX and in many cases, the game reduced
symptoms of depression more than conventional treatment. Another research team at Oxford
University found that playing Tetris shortly after exposure to something very upsetting – in
the experiment, a film of traumatic scenes of injury and death was used – can actually prevent
people having disturbing flashbacks.

The effects are not always so positive, however. Indiana University researchers carried
out brain scans on young men and found evidence that violent games can alter brain function
after as little as a week of play, affecting regions in the brain associated with emotional control
and causing more aggressive behavior in the player. But Daphne Bavelier, one of the most
experienced researchers in the field, says that the violent action games that often worry
parents most may actually have the strongest beneficial effect on the brain. In the future, we
may see many treatments for physical and neurological problems which incorporate the
playing of video games.

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Post-Reading

In your groups, fill in the chart below by finding out how the arguments below are supported
in the text. Write in short notes.

Arguments Supporting Ideas

Video games develop

physical skills.

Video games develop brain

functions.

Video games help overcome

psychological problems.

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 Online Research Task
As you may realize, the reading text mostly focuses on the positive effects of gaming. In your
groups, you have already listed the positive effects. Now conduct a brief online research on
the negative effects of video games in order to find opposite views on the major supporting
ideas that are mentioned in the text. Finally, share the ideas you have found with the other
groups.

Positive Effects Mentioned in the Text Negative Effects Found in Research

“Games can help to develop physical
skills.”
__Various studies show that playing too much
computer games causes physical damages and
increases anxiety and depression in players.__
__Many studies show that most adolescents who
are addicted to computer games have high heart
beat and blood pressure due to too much
excitement and stress.__

You may use Online Google Document to make note of your findings with your group
members. Using Breakout Rooms is also recommended.

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Here’s a sample:

Vocabulary
Fill in the gaps with the appropriate form of the words and chunks to complete the
sentences. There are two extras. You may use these words in your writing later on.

make errors do brain tell the difference in one’s psychological

scans between field problems

cause aggressive pay develop better make piloting a

behavior attention to motor skills decisions plane

1. Playing video games improves the speed at which people can ……………………………………...
2. Video gamers also demonstrate an improved ability to ……………………………………...several
things at once.
3. Researchers state that playing video games helps pre-school children
………………………………………… and thus, they have full control over their fine muscles.
4. Playing video games also has a beneficial effect on vision, increasing players' ability to
……………………………………................. varying shades of grey.

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5. Surgeons who play computer games work faster and do not …………………………………………...
as much as the ones who do not play.
6. Researchers from Indiana University investigated the effects of violent video games by
……………………………………..…………... on video gamers to monitor their neurological reactions.
7. Their research showed that violent video games affect emotional control and may
……………………………………..........................
8. Prof. Dr. Daphne Bavelier is one of the most experienced researchers ………………………………

STEP 3: WATCHING A VIDEO ABOUT THE TOPIC

Note to the Teacher: You can choose ONE of the video activities if time is limited. In
this case, choosing the first video (titled Are Video Games BAD for You?) is
recommended so that the students can see the possible negative effects, as well.

Video Activity 1

Watch the video about the good and the bad effects of playing video games on children.

• Which of the negative effects of playing video games have been mentioned in the
video? Put a check and take notes using the space provided.
• Work in groups and come up with explanations for the remaining negative effects of
playing video games on children. Write your notes in the space provided.

The video is titled “Are Video Games BAD For You?” (Duration: 2: 42)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NdlwUs0X3M

Negative Effects of Playing Video Games on Children

Negative Effects Explanation

1. Isolation from society Example: Children may spend less time interacting
with the family and friends.

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2. Aggressive thoughts,
feelings and violent
behaviors

3. Lower empathy

4. Lack of vitamin

5. Associating violence
with pleasure

6. Confusing reality and

fantasy

7. Muscle pain

8. Obesity

9. Sleep deprivation

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Video Activity 2

Group Work: Open a Google Document, copy and paste the positive effects of playing video
games listed below. While watching the video, try to make notes of minor supports or details
for each effect.

The video is titled “Can Video Games Make You Smarter?” (Duration: 4: 13)

Please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOsqkQytHOs

Note to the Teacher: If your students have difficulty in catching up with the pace of
video, you may open the subtitles and/or set the playback speed to “0.75”.

• Increases cognitive functions: _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Increases attention to the detail in individuals: ________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Video games can be educational: ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Helps kids who suffer from dyslexia: __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Improves the eyesight: _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Improves memory and focus even in elderly: __________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• Increases the success of the doctors: _________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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STEP 4: OUTLINING & WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY

You have brainstormed for ideas about video games, read a text and watched videos about
the good and bad effects of video games, written explanations for these effects and shared
ideas with your class. Now, you are going to write an opinion essay answering the question
below.

“Playing video games is harmful for children.” Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Write
an opinion essay of at least 250 words explaining why you agree or disagree.

Note to the teacher: Since this is the last essay writing practice before In-class
Writing 1, students can prepare their outline in groups but should write their whole
essay individually and get individual feedback.

* Activity Sheets for outlining and individual writing are available on Moodle.

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