Literacy development through game-based learning and gamification in EFL in primary education: a comparative study A comparative study
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This paper explores the integration of games into foreign language teaching through Game-Based Learning (GBL) and Gamification within the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom at a public Primary School in Valencia, Spain. The study analyses the benefits of these approaches, emphasizing their unique contributions to language learning. To this end, both methodologies were implemented separately in two parallel classrooms using the same curricular contents and following the tenets of the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies (New London group, 1996). The primary objective was to foster students’ literacy development and empower them as meaning-makers in a second language through engaging game-based activities. Employing a qualitative approach, the study observed significant positive impacts on literacy development across conceptual, personal, sociocultural and aesthetic dimensions. A complementary quantitative analysis revealed a marked increase in student motivation, with most participants expressing high levels of excitement and satisfaction averages in both classes. The findings suggest that GBL and Gamification not only enhance student motivation and engagement in EFL but also promote cooperative learning through group activities. However, the results caution that these methodologies should not be seen as standalone solutions for effective teaching and learning. Rather than being opposing strategies, GBL and Gamification are complementary, each serving distinct purposes that can be harmoniously integrated within the classroom. Consequently, educators are encouraged to integrate both methodologies concurrently to optimize language learning outcomes.
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