
Why do videogames captivate so many learners across the world? In Who is afraid of videogames? (2008), French psychoanalyst Serge Tisseron argues that games resonate because they tap into universal human impulses: the desire to transform, to explore, and to experience the thrill of immersion. These impulses cross borders, making videogames one of today’s most dynamic spaces for storytelling, identity formation, cultural exchange, and language learning.
Game On! Using Videogames to Learn Languages and Explore Cultures invites contributors to explore how digital play can support multilingualism, encourage cultural awareness, and open doors to global communication. This book aims to illuminate the pedagogical, cultural, and narrative potential of videogames in fostering language acquisition and intercultural dialogue around the world.
In keeping with CALEC’s mission, this volume seeks writing that is accessible, engaging, and relevant to a wide audience—including educators, parents, policymakers, students, and community members.
Objectives of the Volume
• Highlight the pedagogical potential of videogames in language learning across diverse global contexts
• Examine cultural, narrative, and linguistic dimensions of games and gaming communities
• Showcase practical approaches for integrating videogames into language teaching and learning
• Reflect on ethical and social challenges, including misinformation, representation, and digital citizenship
• Encourage comparative, multilingual, and cross-cultural perspectives, including North–South dialogue
• Explore the convergence between videogames and cinema, and its implications for storytelling and education
Scope of Contributions
We welcome proposals from scholars, teachers, game designers, practitioners, gamers, language aficionados, community educators, and first-time authors. CALEC strongly encourages contributions from all regions of the world, including voices from the Global South, as well as authors working with minoritized, heritage, Indigenous, endangered, and less-commonly taught languages. Contributions representing diverse linguistic, cultural, and educational environments are welcome.
Chapters may examine videogame use in:
• Primary and elementary schools
• Secondary schools
• Higher education and college classrooms
• Distance learning and online education
• Homeschooling and self-directed learning
• Bilingual, immersion, and dual-language programs
• Special education and inclusive learning environments
• Informal or community-based settings
Possible areas of focus include:
• Case studies of videogame-based language teaching
• Analyses of cultural, narrative, or linguistic elements in games
• Explorations of multilingual gaming communities
• Comparative studies across linguistic or regional contexts
• Ethical considerations (misinformation, conspiracy theories, digital safety)
• Representations of violence, risk, and identity in games
• Intersections of videogames and cinema in worldbuilding and storytelling
Authors are encouraged to adopt a story-driven, reader-friendly approach, minimizing jargon and using footnotes for citations.
Submission Guidelines
• Language of submission: English, French
• Length: Full chapters (6,000–8,000 words) or shorter contributions (3,000–4,000 words)
• Abstract: 300–500 words
• Style: Clear, accessible, and engaging; suitable for a general audience
• Citations: Use footnotes; full APA reference list at the end
• Peer Review: Developmental peer review available upon request
Timeline
• Abstracts due: March 1st, 2026
• Notification of acceptance: March 25, 2026
• Full manuscripts due: September 15, 2026
Submission & Contact
Please send abstracts and manuscripts to: editors-game@calec.org
Subject line: Game On! – Submission
Learn more at: www.calec.org
Why Contribute?
By participating in this volume, you join a global conversation about language, culture, creativity, and the power of play. Your contribution will help teachers, families, and learners explore how videogames can open doors—not only to new worlds, but to new words, new cultures, and new ways of understanding one another.
Game On! Using Videogames to Learn Languages and Explore Cultures
Edited by Emmanuel Buzay and Fabrice Jaumont
Published by TBR Books / The Center for the Advancement of Languages, Education, and Communities (CALEC)






































