Play and Learn: The Role of Student-Designed Games in Language Skills and Motivation

Resumen

This quasi-experimental investigation examines the obstacles encountered by Iranian junior high school students in their pursuit of English language proficiency and the subsequent effects of these challenges on their skills by the time they graduate. The primary difficulties identified include classroom anxiety, insufficient motivation, limited opportunities for practice, & an overreliance on traditional pedagogical approaches. Restricted access to language resources and minimal interaction with English outside the classroom intensify these challenges and hinder effective skill acquisition. In response to these issues, the study introduced an innovative strategy that involved students in creating and participating in gamified learning activities. A purposive sampling method was employed to choose 210 ninth-grade students, who were subsequently allocated into experimental and control groups. Data collection involved pre- & post-tests, as well as questionnaires. The results indicated that gamification significantly enhanced language proficiency & student motivation. Furthermore, interviews conducted with five participants from the experimental group highlighted the beneficial effects of gamified methodologies on enriching their educational experiences. This research offers important insights for educators, indicating that gamification can effectively mitigate the challenges faced by Iranian junior high school students when learning English, thereby promoting more engaging & productive educational environments.