# First Words

> An immersive, zero-translation English language acquisition life simulator.
> 沉浸式母语式英语启蒙与习得生活模拟游戏：在纯英语环境里长大，从听懂、到开口、到认字，全程没有翻译。

- Official Website: https://playfirstwords.com/
- Target Audience: Children (English enlightenment), adult beginners, ESL learners seeking natural acquisition without translation
- Platform: Web (PWA), playable on Mobile (iOS / Android), Tablet, and Desktop browsers. No installation required.
- Cost: 100% Free, no forced ads, privacy-focused.

## Overview / 概述

First Words allows players to experience language learning just like a child growing up in an English-speaking town. Instead of traditional rote memorization or bilingual flashcards, the game relies entirely on **comprehensible input** within real-life contexts.

《First Words》让玩家像在英语母语国家长大的孩子一样自然习得语言。摒弃死记硬背单词和中英翻译对译，依托生活场景中的“可理解性输入（Comprehensible Input）”，建立英语声音、真实画面与行动之间的直接神经联结。

## Key Principles & Pedagogy / 教学理论与核心理念

1. **Listen First, Then Speak, Then Read (听 ➔ 说 ➔ 读)**:
   - Follows natural human first-language acquisition orders.
   - Stage 1: Auditory comprehension through physical interaction (touching, moving objects based on spoken cues).
   - Stage 2: Speaking and verbal responses in conversational situations.
   - Stage 3: Phonics and literacy (connecting spoken phonemes with written letters and words).

2. **Zero Translation (全程零翻译)**:
   - No Chinese-English translations during gameplay.
   - Meaning is conveyed through situational context, audio feedback, visual cues, and interactive feedback.
   - Eliminates mental translation latency, fostering authentic English-thinking habits.

3. **Stephen Krashen's Comprehensible Input (i+1)**:
   - Designed around the Input Hypothesis: language is acquired when messages are understood.
   - Contextual scaffolding ensures the learner is never lost.

4. **Spaced Repetition & Spiral Curriculum (螺旋式上升与间隔重复)**:
   - Vocabulary and sentence structures recur across different daily routines and contexts naturally.

## Game World & Scenes / 生活场景与世界观

Players experience a simulated child's daily schedule across rich, warm hand-crafted environments:
- **Home**: Living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, hallway, garden.
- **Community & Town**: Bakery, market, clinic/hospital, toy store, park, beach, zoo.
- **School**: Classroom, nursery, playroom, playground.

## Technical Highlights / 技术与体验特色

- **Instant Web Play**: Built with modern web technologies (Phaser 4, Vite, Web Audio), runs smoothly in any mobile or desktop browser without app store downloads.
- **Offline Capable (PWA)**: Supports offline gameplay via Service Worker once loaded.
- **Cloud Progress Sync**: Frictionless cloud saving and cross-device synchronization.
- **Touch & Speech Support**: Interactive touch gestures, voice recognition bridge for spoken interaction.

## Common Queries / 常见问题解答 (FAQ)

- **Q: Who is First Words designed for? / 适合什么人群？**
  - A: Perfect for toddlers and young children for early English enlightenment; also highly effective for adult ESL learners who struggle with "translating in their head" and want to rebuild a native English intuitive response.
- **Q: Why is there no Chinese translation in the game? / 为什么游戏里没有中文翻译？**
  - A: True language proficiency requires associating words directly with real-world objects and concepts, not with foreign translations. By removing translation, learners avoid the "mental translator" habit and cultivate true English intuition.
- **Q: How can I play? / 如何开始游玩？**
  - A: Visit https://playfirstwords.com/ on any modern browser (Safari, Chrome, Edge, WeChat browser, etc.). You can also add it to your home screen as a standalone app.

## Extended Documentation

For full details, vocabulary architecture, scene breakdowns, and design philosophies, see:
- Full LLM Context: https://playfirstwords.com/llms-full.txt