Ⅰ.2.1.

Gamification

Ⅰ.2.1.1. Definition

Steele (2013) stated that the term gamification is known since 2002, but it was reliable as

a strategy of learning in 2010. Gamification is considered a system of games related to rules

(Salen & Zimmerman, 2004, p.81). According to Kapp, gamification is games used for the

aim of enhancing the level of learning, having critical thinking and creative mind…etc (2012,

p.81). Byrne defined gamification by saying that there are entertaining games used for both

reasons of passing fun time and for academic purposes (1995). Additionally, Hadfield said

that games are like: “an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun” (1990). Overall,

scholars insisted on the fact that gamification is not only a tool of breaking routine, but also it

is a medium of beneficial learning.

Another definition stated by Bayatikilicaslan and Senturk (2014), Guler (2011) that

gamification is an educational technique that creates a kind of learning environment that

permits the educators to apply for the courses in a form that facilitates the transmission of

knowledge. According to the explanation of Werbach and Hunter, the idea of using games

inside an educational setting is discovered recently, they stated that every single detail that is

related to the theoretical framework on learning can be transformed into games (2012). Mora

et al. (2017) asserted that the concept of gamification can be used in a diversity of activities

such as business, medicine, computer studies, psychology, education…etc. It is not

constrained to only one specific field. The frequent definition of gamification is “the use of

game design elements in non-game context” (Deterding, Khaled et al., 2011). In other terms,

there are some domains in which the use of games might be unfamiliar, whereas time

development obliged the appearance and application of that method.

Games take an essential part in learning; they become a tool of information transmission.

As Hamari et al., (2014), Seaborn and Fels (2015) declared that the use of gamification spread

in the field of education. Scholars as Marti-Parreno and Segui-Mas made studies about the

teacher’s perspectives and opinions towards taking or using games as a part of their teaching

methods (2016). Sanchez-Mena and Marti-Parreno (2017) consulted a teacher who used to

enter the factor of gaming during his teaching sessions, he claimed that the use of games in

teaching/learning ameliorates learner’s thinking, raises learner’ awareness and motivation,

aids the teacher to transfer the information in an easy manner, unlike the traditional teaching

tools.

When the process of learning has the attitude of using gamification, the classroom roles

move from teacher-centered classroom to student-centered classroom and the teacher takes

the responsibility of controlling students’ behaviors (Johnson et al., 2013). Moreover, Lee and

Hammer encouraged the use of games in the educational environments that provide

autonomous and experienced learners. They were also encouraging gamification because they

summarized it in helping and enhancing student’s lack of motivation and engagement (2011).

While De-Marcos et al., (2017) observed that gamification plays a significant role among the

different learning stages from elementary to highest education. Another studies confirmed that

the application of games as a learning tool rather than the traditional ones promotes learner’s

self-efficacy to acquire developed language skills, encourages classroom interaction and

communication and enhances student’s achievements (Zicherman & Linder, 2013). Chapman

and Rich emphasized extracting the significant features of the lesson from the used games,

this latter will help to remedy students’ demotivation and disengagement. Consequently,

games are used for both learning and entertainment (2018).

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Ⅰ.2.1.3. Gamification in learning English as Foreign Language

Teaching English to old students differs from teaching youngsters, or in other words

beginners who face the foreign language for the first time. They need special care and

treatment because their period of learning is sensitive, especially if they do not have a

previous background about it. Foreign language teachers were wondering about a suitable

strategy that can help beginner English students and at the same time, they wanted a motivator

teaching and learning technique. One of the current studies found that entering elements of

entertainment help the learning process, this kind of entertainment tools presented in games.

Games-based activities become a teaching method that is helpful for both teachers and

learners (Frost, Wortham & Reifel, 2008, p.66). Bennett asserted that games promote learning

because their creation and usefulness need creativity which is an essential element in teaching

languages. They make students able to learn, play, enjoy, produce and participate by using FL

and enjoying in learning progresses the sense of motivation (2011).

Traditional teaching techniques are beneficial, but sometimes they could not convince all

learners because of the lack of diversity, enjoyment and entertainment (Ersoz, 2000). Lindfors

(1980) shed lighted on the necessity of elements of self-proficiency and self-efficacy because

through these concepts, students have an ameliorated level on FL. Games are helpful in

creating an interactional educational atmosphere which is one of the recommended conditions

of learning because they produce a balance between social, cognitive and emotional states that

is reflected in the academic achievements (Cornelius-White, 2007). Macedonia confirmed the

information mentioned before and she added that games are a useful form of teaching FL

basics as grammar structures, language rules, vocabulary…etc (2005). The use of

gamification is beneficial in FLL when teachers select suitable types of games according to

the different learner’s styles that raise their learning awareness and choose activities that

promote classroom interaction (Orlick, 2006; Hussin & D’Cruz, 2001). The decision of the
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types of games is not done randomly, teachers should pay attention to this point; games-based

activities’ selection requires a number of features. These features are identified by Lengline

and Malarcher as:

choosing a game is not an easy task; it should be governed by some rules to

guarantee the success of them. Therefore, while planning games teachers

should take into consideration the following features: classroom space, noise,

materials necessary for the game; the amount of time needed for each game,

and the level, culture, interest and age of students. Furthermore a successful

teacher should be aware of the relevance of the game to the topic, structure

or function that is being used in the class (1997).

Selecting educational games needs patience and precision because there are types of games

which do not satisfy the learner’s needs and do not have a relation with the subject.

Gamification features decide the appropriate games for FLL and each foreign language

teacher has to take into consideration those conditions in order to guarantee the success of that

game in enriching student’s knowledge and raising their engagement.

According to Lengline and Malarcher, the effectiveness of gamification in foreign language

teaching and learning is related to series of rules (1997). These rules are as the following:

Learners need to feel satisfaction from the game.

The presence of the correlation between the game and the content of the subject.

Comprehensible and enjoyable games.

The appropriateness of the game to all the students who are inside the EFL classroom.

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The use of technology if it is necessary (Online games).

The creativity in games-based activities in order to create a competitive environment.

The game is chosen because of learners’ goals and objectives.

The game needs to be relevant to the course.

Games can be under teacher-centered classroom or student-centered classroom, the instructor

may give students the opportunity to perform and play freely.

Ⅰ.2.1.4. Gamification Elements

The elements of games are the responsible components which help in designing a certain

game for a specific purpose.

Ⅰ.2.1.4.1. Badges

Grant (2013) indicated that badges are related to the significance and the interest features of

the game in different educational settings, badges have an impact on learning represented in

raising student’s motivation (p.1). Badges of games measure learner’s success and

achievement levels (Richter et al., 2015).

Ⅰ.2.1.4.2. Leaderboards

Leadersboard used to identify the elements and steps of the game (Reeves & Read, 2009),

they enable the gamers to see their grades or their scores besides that they raise the student’s

sense of belonging towards the other members of the educational setting (O’Donovan, 2012).

Additionally, the results of the study clarified that leaderboards can preserve the long-term

performance of the game (Mekler et al., 2013).

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Ⅰ.2.1.4.3. Points and levels

Gaining points is related to motivation comes from rewarding which encourages students’

level to master the learning skills. Reaching points need from the students to pre-decide their

games purposes to increase the success opportunities (Nicholson, 2015; Robertson, 2010).

Ⅰ.2.1.4.4. Progress Tracking

Scepanovic defined progress tracking as a crucial part of any type of game, it provides

learners with feedback because they need to know their levels and develop their weaknesses

(2015). Raymer (2011) clarified that the measurement of the educational progress is necessary

for each subject or activity.

Ⅰ.2.1. Effects of Gamification on Student’s Motivation, Engagement and Academic

Achievements

Fan and Wolters (2014), Yang et al., (2013) stated that the first reason behind student’s

unsatisfactory academic performance in learning languages is the lack of motivation and

engagement towards the TL. This idea is confirmed by Hsin-Yaum and Soman who insisted

on the fact that gamification affects learner’s attitudes and motivation, through this affection

the learning skills and background information will be ameliorated (2013). Games-based

activities enable learners to be engaged in the subject that they are learning and they raise

student’s concentration and interest (Munteau, 2011). Lee and Hammer said that gamification

enhances self-confidence because it permits the learner to learn and play without disturbance,

fear of judgment, or criticism when they make mistakes. They asserted that it is a suitable

technique that helps for raising both learning and engagement (2011). As the researchers

mentioned that games make the students interact with others, they are also learning and

playing with creativity and productivity through the games-experiences (Kimy, 2012).

27
Traditional learning tools can cause boredom, failure, or demotivation, Prensky emphasized

that the mixture between learning and gamification provides a positive attitude and creates a

creative educational environment (2001).

Dornyei and Ushido (2011) claimed that both motivation and engagement are two

presented processes used interchangeably. Although motivation definition is unlike

engagement meaning, their combination creates successful learners and a learning atmosphere

(Davis & Mc partland, 2012). Csikszentmihalyi et al. proved that gamification transmits to

students an entertaining feeling which will be reflected in their learning capacities, thinking

and academic performance (1993). The different features of attentiveness, carelessness and

enjoyment are related to increasing the level of engagement (Hamari et al., 2016). De Sousa

Borges, et al claimed that grasping the information is the significant purpose of using

gamification technique, this latter encourages teachers to create a suitable teaching-learning

environment (2014). Banas and Polly (2016) said that the participation of students in the

creation of educational games permits the consideration of gamification to be a modern tool

of education. According to Kim (2015), there are precedent steps that FL teachers should take

into consideration before the application of games. The identification of the lesson’s content

and the learner’s styles is necessary because teachers need to be familiar with the game in

order to manipulate the student’s engagement towards the FL. Educators should realize the

equivalence between the concept of the game and the students’ level to make them play in a

creative and proficient way.

At the end of each game, students will absorb the desired knowledge of the lesson. When

students participate in games-based activities means that they are taking part in the

educational program. Consequently, students will be intrinsically motivated (Dorling & Mc

Caffery, 2012). The application of gamification provides students with feedback that enables

them to measure their level and progress or to avoid committing the same mistakes, correct

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their errors, raise student’s self-assessment and help students to indicate their weaknesses and

gaps when playing each game. Measuring student’s progress could be done through the use of

badges as a symbol of rewarding which will increase student’s engagement and competition

(Dorling & Mc Caffery, 2012). Rewarding is not only assigned for successful and winners,

but also for students who made efforts because rewarding efforts of participation, interaction

and learning experiences may highly promote student’s achievements and language

performance.

Dorling and Mc Caffery summarized his study with the idea that gamification provides

chances to ameliorate students’ engagement, develops the learning circumstances and

enhances students’ level by permanent feedback. Consequently, these effects encourage the

use of gamification as a modern teaching-learning strategy. Gamification appears to be the

key for effective classroom interactions, it controls both motivation and engagement

according to the teaching materials and the program of the subject (2015). Games-based

activities are a group of activities that have a direct relationship with the content of the course,

but they are provided in a funny and enjoyable manner. Hazne and Berger focused on the link

between playing in groups and academic achievements. He emphasized the point that

cooperative learning aids students to achieve their objectives in the FL because learning with

other students facilitates the comprehension of the information. They mentioned in their study

that if students play in a classroom that contains around fifteen students, the interaction will

be beneficial and represented through their performances (2007). Acikgoz (2000) said that

within small groups, learners help each other to work and study cooperatively and succeed

together. Cooperative learning ensures activities for students to develop their language skills,

being able to comprehend and produce language effectively (Tannenberg, 1995).

Using games as an educational method contributes to the amelioration of motivation,

engagement and academic performance development, this fact is declared by Lee and

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Hammer who stated that games have effectiveness among different aspects, such as cognitive,

emotional and social (2011):

Ⅰ.2.2.1. Educational context areas

Gamification technique needs to serve different educational areas that affect the students’

learning.

Ⅰ.2.2.1.1. The cognitive area: It is concerned with the rules of gamification technique, this

system helps learners to acquire the rules through practice and it is going to provide a learning

process that aids students to grasp the knowledge (Gee, 2003).

Ⅰ .2.2.1.2. The emotional area: Dominguez et al. (2003) and Csikszentmihalyi (2008)

emphasized the point that the activities should be equal for all learners in order to have the

balanced status of feelings because the psychology of students decides their success and

failure in that specific task. Through the games’ rewards and lack of punishment, students will

construct their personalities without stress, fear, or anxiety because psychological status is

reflected on the student’s performance and practice.

Ⅰ.2.2.1.3. The social area: Dominguez et al. highlighted the significant role of games in

enhancing classroom interaction. Through continuous practice, students reformulate their

identities. In games-based activities, students interact with each other, for example, when

playing in pairs they will exchange their ideas, gain experience from the winners and these

behaviors are helpful in achieving success (2013).

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 Affect Behavior Cognition

Figure 01: The ABC model of game design (Ifentthaler, in press)

The three educational areas are combined and interrelated to affect each other. One

concept plays a role to achieve the success of the other concept and all of them are beneficial

in building personal motivation and engagement towards learning. The emotional area is

affected by the cognitive process because the learner’s capacity of acquiring the rules or the

game system maintains his emotional state through success and this latter is achieved through

interacting with other classmates.

Ⅰ.2.2.2. The Correlation between Gamification and Student’s Motivation-Engagement

In the realms of intrinsic motivation and cognitive engagement, motivation and

engagement are two complementary notions that frequently interact (Dornyei & Ushido,

2011; Guthrie, Willinger & You, 2012). Although there is a relationship between motivation

and engagement, they are still distinguished and each one of them has a role and an effect on

learner’s success. Brooks and Goldstein said that motivation has a link with psychological

aspects in which the students feel, act, react and behave (2012). Engagement is a source of

energy that tied to various behaviors and undertakings (Russel, Ainley & Frydenberg, 2005).

The three types of engagement which are cognitive, social and emotional have developed to

incorporate psychological inner processes and their expression in an individual’s behavior

31
(Griffiths, Lilles, Furlong & Sidhwa, 2012). Willms focused on the significant relationship

between student’s psychology and classroom interaction that is represented in participation

(2003). Task engagement and enhanced involvement can be influenced by integrative

motivation and past views. David and Mc Partland claimed that successful learning

experiences were promoted by a combination of developed task engagement and motivation

(2012).

Whitton stated that games-based activities have elements and features provoke students to

act, they are containing challenged rules and system, this system raises student’s capacity to

be curious, has the spirit of competition, has critical and creative thinking (2015). Kingesley

and Grabner (2015), Kovisito and Hamari (2014) said that researchers who have done

empirical research on the use of games-based activities features believe that feedback and

collaboration have an influence on learner’s engagement, motivation and academic

achievements. Dominguez et al argued that each different type of games improve a specific

skill regarding the preservation of motivation and participation level (2013). Researchers

proved that there is a connection between motivation and gamification as an instrument used

inside an educational context, and there are outcomes indicating a level of likeability with the

gamification features (Attali, 2015).

Nicholson said that games’ designers need to take into consideration the importance of

adding the element of challenge in the concept of the game in order to enhance the student’s

competition and interaction between each other, but challenges should be at the medium level

to do not unmotivate the students by difficult games, Nicholson has subcategorized

engagement into a special engagement which gathers between the players when they are

playing, and engagement of a social-interactional relationship between gamers (2015, p.13).

The idea of Nicholson was adopted firstly by Malone who stated that the complexity of the

game and the difficulty of challenges would destroy a student’s self-esteem and make him

32
stressed in replaying the game again (1980). Educational games are designed for the purpose

of learning, but still called games which contain the element of fun, this latter plays a

significant role not only in enhancing students’ motivation but also in gaining their

engagement.

Ⅰ.2.2.3. Conditions of Educational Games

Games-based activities necessitate the presence of two main components which can be

mentioned as the following:

Ⅰ.2.2.3.1. Fun

Investigations proved that educational games should have the concept of fun because it

affects students’ attitudes towards learning languages. Fun helps in creating relaxed, energetic

and powerful performance in the classroom (Prensky, 2001). Swanson-Ferguson (2014)

argued that one of the crucial reasons behind gamification use is entertainment. Zicherman

(2010) added that games winning, rewards, sense of self-belonging and scores have been

created by funny games. From the students’ perspectives, they observe fun as safer because,

through their learning experiences, fun finds solutions to the problems that occur during the

games, or even lessen from the gravity of obstacles that may derive from the game’s

challenge (Yue & Bjork, 2013, p.266). Playing educational games is a way of learning

because student’s psychological attitude is relaxed, they show interest and games promote the

learner’s consciousness of comprehension (Lacy, 2016, p.14).

Ⅰ.2.2.3.2. Competitive Interaction

Competition is not all the time a source of stress, fight and difficulties. It is one of the

elements that contribute to classroom success, it is defined by Rich as “full use of one’s

abilities, ensures that benefits and burdens are more fairly allocated, dispels apathy and

33
stagnation, leads to higher standards...[and] promotes progress, and stimulates advancements

in science and other fields” (p.1).

The reliance on one’s skills guarantees the rewards; it encourages the students to be at the

highest levels and improves the academic achievements in multiple domains.

Competition in gamification has a positive role which represented through promoting

relationships between students by working in groups, they are focusing on winning the game

rather than fighting each other. Games’ competition enhances student’s sense of belonging,

each student feels that he is taking a significant part in the game and they are convinced with

the idea of all students complete one another through their playing experiences, knowledge

and comprehension of the game rule besides to sharing motivation among unmotivated

students and affect them (personal communication, May 22, 2017). Some students have

encouraged the presence of competition during games. Maya is one of the English students

who like the competition factor, she said:

I really like competing against other teams because it motivates us to work harder.

If two or more people work together, they can kind of reason their way through it.

I like competing and winning. (personal communication, May 22, 2017)

David is another student who prefers a competitive classroom, he mentioned:

I am a competitive person, and with the gamified activities, I wanted to do well.

I wanted my team to do the best that we could and beat the other teams during the

battle with the boss that we were going against. What helped me learn was the fun

and competition. (personal communication, May 18, 2017)

34
According to the students’ comments, learners prefer competitive games that include features

of fun and challenge because they believe that these aspects improve their motivation to learn

and encourage their engagement to succeed.

The integration of games’ components in foreign language classrooms created a competitive

environment for students, which encourages teamwork and fueled a desire to give it one’s all.

Ⅰ.2.2.4. The integration of Gamification in English Foreign Language Activities

The process of transforming theoretical framework lessons and activities into practice in FL

teaching and learning needs to follow steps which have made by Huang and Soman (2013).

That idea of integrating gamified activities into FL learning was asserted by Goethe (2019)

who focused on the significance of using games as a technique of answering activities.

Examine characteristics

APPLYING
GAMIFIED
THINKING TO A
Develop content Define goals
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE

Figure 02: Applying Gamified Thinking to A Learning Experience

Foreign language teachers need to choose educational games that fulfill all the students’

objectives; the selected games need to be related to the lesson’s content, increase the core of

the subject and ameliorate it besides to identifying a specific purpose behind the game that

might be reflected on the amelioration of learners’ achievement, interest, or motivation.

35
Ⅰ.2.2.4.1. Steps of Educational Games

The application of gamification in the teaching/learning processes requires teachers to follow

series of steps. These steps are represented in the model of Huang and Soman (2013).

Figure 03: Educational Gamification Five-Step Model (Adapted from Huang and Soman,

2013)

Understanding the Target Audience and the Context: Foreign language teacher needs to

analyze the classroom to identify his student’ s learning styles, skills, capacities, motivation,

emotional components towards the TL. These points help the teacher to understand the

classroom context and facilitate the application of games.

Defining Learning Objectives: The teacher assumes the responsibility of specifying the

learning aims and objectives of the students in order to have a successful learning atmosphere.

Structuring the Experience: The teacher analyzes and identifies the students’ needs in order

to prepare an educational game program that satisfies learners’ goals and increases their

motivation and engagement.

Identifying Resources: When the teacher reaches this stage, he can apply the educational

games in his classroom regarding the consideration of the rules, feedback and student’s level.

Applying Gamification Elements: The teacher selects the games-based activities that are

beneficial for his students. This type of activities share among students cooperation,

competition and challenge.

36
Huang and Soman argued that FL teachers who follow the step model mentioned above could

have a creative and interactive educational setting. They might use online activities, digital

games and create even platform for applying the educational games.

Ⅰ.2.2.5 Types of Educational Games

The diversification of educational games in foreign language teaching is necessary to

enhance the student’s knowledge, fulfill the different learners’ styles that are available in the

classroom. The use of different types of games creates an interactional sense between teacher-

student and student-student. Hadfield (1984), as it is cited in Aiche (2018) classified games

like the following:

Ⅰ.2.2.5.1. Speaking Games

The speaking skill decides the student’s level of proficiency in a foreign language. One of the

difficulties that face beginners or foreign language students, in general, is communication.

Due to that problem, foreign language teachers try to choose specific educational games that

achieve the success of interaction inside the classroom.

Ⅰ.2.2.5.2. Kinetic Games

Foreign language learning requires the use of movements and actions inside the classroom in

order to avoid the feeling of boredom or misunderstanding of the lesson. Students need to feel

comfortable when using their body language in answering the activities and playing the

games.

37
Ⅰ.2.2.5.3. Listening Games

This type encourages the use of listening skill because the four language learning skills have

an effect on one another. The use of audio-visual materials as the data show, smart-phones or

audio-head phones facilitates the use of listening games.

Ⅰ.2.2.5.4. Experiential Games

These games help students to learn from their learning experiences. It helps them to identify

their weaknesses and enhances them to fulfill the learning gaps. Experiential games have been

divided into two categories, the first category has a relation with the games which encourages

the spirit of cooperation between students while the second is categorized as the following

(Hadfield, 1984, p.4):

Games of guessing: these games allow students to use their mental and creative thinking to

guess the required objective.

Games of searching: they are known as word-locate games used by students to define new

terms. Throughout the process of searching for new words, students will automatically

memorize additional terms in which enrich their vocabulary about the language.

Information gap game: this type of game enables students to share information with each

other by helping the one who has gaps in his activity and when a student completes his task,

he can provide the others with some information to fulfill their needs.

Exchanging and collecting games: students exchange the needed materials for a certain

game to promote their interaction.

Games of combining: students play in an ordered and organized form without any features of

random.

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Role-playing: students can act in different roles that they could not be in their real lives, for

instance, they take a role-play of teacher with his students.

Games of sharing: students share their opinions and ideas with other classmates. This

discussion increases the sense of belonging and acceptance by others.

Ⅰ.2.2.6. Forms of Gamification in Foreign Language Classroom

The application of games in the FL classroom is related to factors such as the student’s

number, timing and the available teaching materials. When selecting the types of games,

teachers should consider these factors in order to achieve the games’ effectiveness on EFL

students (Sigrioun, 2010). The following are the different forms of gamified activities

(Wright, 2006, p.3), as cited in Zemmit (2015):

Pair work: The opportunities of ameliorating the English language are raised especially when

a learner works with his peer. It is considered as a motivator element because studying, or

playing with a peer reduces the level of stress and anxiety. Students feel comfortable to

communicate using FL. Playing a game in pairs promotes learners’ speaking skill because

they imitate each other.

Group work: Working in some specific games in groups is required in games-based activities

because if a group contains four students, they will discuss the game instructions and answers

by using the TL, their discussion is beneficial because they exchange their thoughts and each

one complete the other by different information. Playing in groups increases the cooperation

between students.

Individual work: Playing individually raises the sense of self-efficacy because students are

obliged to work alone. Students concentrate on reaching that goal of winning, which raises the

challenge of the game and encourages competition between students.

39
Ⅰ.2.2.7. Examples of Games-based Activities

There are several educational games that increase student’s satisfaction, motivation and

engagement help in ameliorating the student’s academic performance in foreign language

learning. Some of these games and activities are as the following:

Board Race: It is enjoyable and at the same time beneficial for students. It is helpful in

learning new items about the FL and enriches students’ vocabulary. This activity can be used

at the beginning or the end of the lesson in order to observe the student’s comprehension and

memorization.

Word Jumble Race: This game raises the students’ competition, interaction and encourages

working in groups. It is beneficial for grammar, writing, syntax and spelling.

Hangman: This activity is used at the beginning of the lesson as a warm-up to make the

students attached and interested to think about the content of the lesson besides that, it can be

used at the end of the session if there is available time to provide learners with the opportunity

to know the next lesson and prepare themselves for it.

Puzzle: It makes students able to think critically, recognizes items and supports cooperation

with other students. It enhances creative minds.

Charades: This game encourages movements and actions inside the classroom. It motivates

students because it is challenging to see to what extent students are engaging in the lesson

especially when it needs only body language and gestures to share the information with the

whole classroom.

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Ⅰ.2.3. Advantages of Gamification in Foreign Language Learning

Gamification supporters argued that games-based activities have advantages on learning

(Connolly, Boyle, Mac Arthur & Hainey, 2012). Kapp declared that these advantages can be

noticed in inspiring learner’s behaviors, improving their learning and promoting their

classroom engagement (2012). Learners engage in games-based activities through playing

games which have a direct relation with the subject content (Keeler, 2014). Gamification in

education is a continuous process that collects engaging game elements and uses them to

boost student motivation inside the classroom. Besides to that, it has a long-term impact on

students learning during the game (Simoes et al., 2013). Gamification relies on utilizing

games to achieve learning objectives, it works by introducing aspects inspired by games to the

classroom setting in order to improve lack of motivation and encourages learner’s behaviors.

Games-based activities depend on applying games to fulfill the learning objectives and help in

making them easier by playing games (Folusar, 2015).

Educational games are combining formal learning with features of entertainment which

convince students’ needs (Zichermann, 2010). Mc Gonigal proposed a gamified approach to

teach and learn FL as a way to increase and maintain students’ academic performance (2011).

Games are considered as a learning tool, if they are used and manipulated by the TL and

mainly if they are increasing student’s collaboration and motivation (2000). While Richard-

Amato said that games-based activities can be used pedagogically as a way of teaching

because it reduces student’s anxiety and provide them with chances to practice different

learning skills as reading and speaking (1996). Avedon (1971) stated that the use of games

can be effective rather than the use of other teaching methods because students prefer to learn

in an environment that enables them to show their abilities and capacities in the language, it

helps them in absorbing the content of the course. Foreign language classrooms are stressful

for students, specifically when they are facing a target language which differs from their
41
culture and mother tongue for the first time; this anxiety came from facing unfamiliar rules,

unidentified syntactical patterns and being insecure and nervous which impact their capacities

of learning. Using games to transmit FL knowledge can be helpful to decrease the level of

students’ stress and they can relax the atmosphere because of the element of fun (Schultz,

1988).

Games are considered as an instrument of unconscious learning because through games

students could not identify that it is a part of the lesson or the lesson in itself and when they

are playing, they do not give attention to grammatical mistakes or language rules in general,

their spontaneous feeling enables them to learn differently unlike using the traditional

strategies where the teacher is the centered-classroom (Schultz, 1988). Using gamification in

the EFL classroom can be one of the crucial reasons that raise the student’s ability in

communication and participation through the use of TL because games open the door for

opportunities for students to practice and make errors, they do not feel by the language

complexity. Games-based activities can be suitable for shy students who were afraid of the

teacher’s attitude and classmates’ reactions (Hadfield, 1990). There is a widespread belief that

teaching and learning processes should be serious and strict and if a classroom contains

elements of fun and challenge is not truly accurate; however, it is a misunderstanding and it is

possible to teach/learn a language in an entertaining educational environment; games are one

method to accomplish this process.

Overall, there are several benefits in employing games in the classroom, these advantages can

be as the following:

Games inspired students to speak and connect with one another.

Games-based activities provide a relevant environment to use TL.

They raise student’s energy, motivation and challenge towards learning.

Learning a FL takes work; games assist students in making and maintaining that effort.

Games allow students to develop speaking, writing, listening and reading skills.

Ⅰ.2.3.1. Teacher’s Role in Gamified Foreign Language Classroom

During the gamification technique, teachers need to transform the classroom from a

teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom. He gives them the responsibility

to interact inside the academic setting. At the beginning of the game, teachers explain only the

game’s instructions and inform them about the required timing. When the students are playing

and engaged with the content of the game, the educators stay alone and do not participate in

the game; they take a passive role, but they manage the classroom in a manner that does not

interrupt the students’ interaction and movements. While teachers can intervene in the game

when there is a misunderstanding of the rules, or disorganization between students’ behaviors.

In the use of games-based activities, the instructor needs to be able to manage the general

atmosphere of the classroom as timing and sitting, relates between the game and lesson’s

content and facilitates the games’ conditions to make them effective and beneficial for

students (El-Shamy, 2001).

Ojeda argued that teachers need to determine the types of games used inside their

classrooms, they need to connect these games with the content of the language syllabus to

achieve parallelism. The variation of games-based activities benefits students’ performances,

language achievements and enhances their motivation. Successful educational games should

be clearly defined, enjoyable and meaningful in FLL (2004).

Foreign language teachers should be aware when selecting the educational games that suit

their students’ level. Games-based activities need to be as the following:

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A game has to be both beneficial in learning and entertainment.

The competition in a game should be friendly.

A game needs to attract student’s attention and concentration.

A game should inspire students to focus on the use of language rather than focusing on the

language in itself.

The game needs to encourage motivation.

The game is interactive and makes students participate actively.

Karaslan (2013) and Prensky (2001) argued that educational games should have a direct

relationship with FL learners in order to encourage their academic achievements. It is

presented as:

Students learn from the results and comments of the game.

Games-based activities give the gamers’ chances to gain improved grades in FL.

Teachers select games that involve students in problem-solving scenarios and these types of

situations aid in the development of their individual thinking capabilities.

Games facilitate communication between players, in which helps in the construction of social

interaction and has an effect on language learning skills.

Ⅰ.2.3.2. The Effectiveness of Gamification in Grammar and Vocabulary

Ⅰ.2.3.2.1. Grammar

Games that are played in everyday life can appear inside the classroom as educational

games because they can increase the learner’s engagement and encourage them. Educational

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games of grammar give students the opportunities to participate and practice different

activities, they are considered as a helpful method for lessons’ revision in an entertainment

form (Harmer, 2015).

Ⅰ.2.3.2.2. Vocabulary

Educational games are effective to learn the vocabulary of the language especially in the

types of games that are composed of vocabulary lists or activities that develop writing and

reading skills. In other words, games attract students’ attention to the form and word meaning.

Consequently, games are a learning strategy that motivates students to learn academically, but

with an enjoyable touch (Harmer, 2015).

Conclusion

This chapter has provided a literature review about motivation as a process and its

importance on FLL. It presented the necessity of engagement and classroom interaction inside

an educational setting. Moreover, it shed lighted the problem of lack of motivation especially

in learning English as FL. It mentioned the factors that cause student’s lack of motivation,

shows the relationship that combines learning, motivation, language performance and

academic achievement. The same literature shows that gamification is adopted as a teaching-

learning strategy which raises students’ motivation, enhances their engagement and

encourages classroom interaction. For this, it was defined in this chapter, then its types and

forms besides to its advantages in FLL academic success and performance. It shows the

relationship between gamification, motivation and learning. The literature expressed the

importance of the presence of different features in learning English as a foreign language such

as motivation, classroom interaction, entertainment and fun. The research study and its

effectiveness will be shed lighted in the second chapter.

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