153
TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG CHILDREN: GAMIFICATION IN EARLY
LANGUAGE LEARNING
Azieva Tumaris, Student of KSU
Scientific adviser: associate prof. Khadjieva Dilbar
Abstract:
Teaching foreign languages at an early age is one of the most effective strategies for
fostering linguistic skills and cognitive development. Gamification has emerged as an innovative
and engaging approach to achieve this. Incorporating game elements such as apps, badges, and
rewards creates an interactive learning environment that captivates children’s attention and
sustains their interest. This method not only improves the effectiveness of teaching English but
also motivates young learners, fostering enthusiasm and curiosity.
Key words:
Gamification, young learners, language teaching, gamification elements, steps,
platforms.
The teaching and learning process is necessary to be understood as a base for L2 learning
and interaction.
20
Research consistently demonstrates that gamification enhances cognitive
abilities, supports social-emotional learning, and encourages collaboration among children. By
using tools such as digital games and classroom-based activities, teachers can create dynamic
lessons that align with pedagogical goals. These activities also promote teamwork and problem-
solving skills, making learning a shared and enjoyable experience.
However, keeping the attention of young learners can be challenging, and gamification
offers a solution by combining education with fun. The incorporation of rewards, levels, and
progress tracking makes children feel accomplished and motivated to learn more. This interactive
approach not only reinforces language acquisition but also fosters creativity and critical thinking
skills in children.
This article delves into the role of gamification in the teaching process, its benefits, and its
challenges. With this exploration, educators can gain valuable insights into designing lessons that
are not only impactful but also enjoyable for young learners, paving the way for a more engaging
and fruitful learning experience in the early stages of language development.
Playing is one of important activities that human being does in their lives. To increase
encouragement and motivation in children who are learning their second language using various
games activities and modern tools will be effective method and it is getting common. In addition
games help teachers to achieve their learning objectives. Using games in teaching and learning not
only have the potential to enhance motivation and performance, but also promote the key
competencies of learners, such as problem solving, collaborative communication, and strategic
thinking.
21
From early childhood, young individuals begin to develop their own personality, self-
concept, and role in their social environment. In the process, different interests, skills,
1.
20
Jorge Francisco Figueroa Flores “Using Gamification to Enhance Second Language Learning” digital EDUCATION
Review Number 27 June 2015
21
Huei-Tse Hou “Diverse Development and Future Challenges of Game-Based Learning and Gamified Teaching
Research”
154
competencies, and talents emerge, as well as values, strengths, and limitations.
22
By paying
attention to these changes, for teachers it is crucial to select suitable activities.
Gamification is the integration of game elements like point systems, leaderboards, badges,
or other elements related to games into “conventional” learning activities in order to increase
engagement and motivation.
23
Gamification involves the use of game-based mechanics, aesthetics,
and playful thinking to engage people, motivate action, and promote learning.
24
Most games
feature elements such as rules, goals, interaction, feedback, problem solving, competition, story,
and fun.
25
The main objectives focuses on increasing the participation of a person, which most of
the time is called or mentioned as an “user”, and motivate him/her by incorporating game elements
and techniques, like leaderboards and immediate feedback.
26
The term game is usually understood to imply the following situational components:
* a goal, which has to be achieved;
* limiting rules which determine how to reach the goal;
* a feedback system which provides information about progress towards the goal;
* and the fact that participation is voluntary.
The term element helps to distinguish the concept of gamification from serious games,
which describe full-fledged games for non-entertainment purposes. Gamification on the other hand
refers to the explicit use of particular elements of games in non-gaming contexts. The term design
refers to the use of game design instead of game-based technologies or practices of the wider game
ecology. As stated before, the area of application of gamification is very broad. To take account
of that and to prevent limiting the definition to certain contexts, the area of application is just
described by the term non-game-contexts.
27
The usage of gamification as we understood is very
wide. The main task that gamification does is making entertaining environment for students to
teach the language. We use variety patterns known as components to design games such as: badges,
leader charts, points, progress charts. All of these elements have their own purpose and in the table
given below has brief definition of each element:
Points
Numeric accumulation based on certain activities.
Badges
Visual representation of achievements for the use shown online.
Leaderboards
How the players are ranked based on success.
Progress
bars/Progression
Shows the status of a player.
Performance graph
Shows player performance.
Quests
Some of the tasks players have to fulfill in a game.
Levels
A section or part of the game
Avatars
Visual representation of a player or alter ego.
Social elements
Relationships with other user through the game.
22
Savickas, M.L. Career Construction Theory and Practice. In Career Development and Counseling: Putting Theory
and Research to Work; Brown, S.D., Lent, R.W., Eds.; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2013; pp. 147–183
23
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo “Gamification and Game-Based Learning”
24
K. Kapp, The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-Based, One Montgomery Street: Pfeiffer, 2018.
25
Vandercruysse, S., Vandewaetere, M., & Clarebout, G. (2012). Game-based learning: A review on the
effectiveness of educational games
26
Jorge Francisco, Figueroa Flores “Using Gamification to Enhance Second Language Learning”
27
Sailer, M., Hense, J.,Mandl, H.,Klevers, M. (2013). Phsycological Perspectives on Motivation through
Gamification. Interaction Design and Architecture(s) Journal - IxD&A, N.19, pp. 28-37
155
Understand
ing the
Target
Audience
and the
Context
Rewards/reward
system
System to motivate players that accomplish a quest.
28
Table 1
Each element in Gamification helps to enhance teaching and learning process of L2. In
order to apply gamification into lesson, there are series of steps that should be followed. This is
called five-step model which is represented by Huan and Soman.
Educational Gamification Five Step Model
29
1-step
To achieve a success in education it is important to know who we are going to teach
combined with the program that we are teaching. Well designed program helps students to achieve
objective of the program. While analyzing, teachers should take consider of age, level, group size,
skills, learning abilities.
2-step
What do we want to achieve at the end of the lesson? What does the student accomplish by
completing the course? Every instructor should have their own aim and objective of the lesson that
must be achieved at the end of the lesson. It can be general, specific and behavioral goals for
example: when the student finishes the course he or she will be able to know the differences
between tenses, complete an assignment, concentrate in class for long hours. At the same time,
There may be 2 or 3 objectives in a lesson.
3-step
Staging one of the main parts of the lesson. Without structuring teacher can not achieve
good results and objectives. Well planned staging helps instructors explain the topic step by step,
manage the time.
4 – step
What kind of resources are needed to gamify the lesson? After staging the lesson, finding
suitable resources will be easier. In addition teacher should think about tracking mechanism,
currency, level, rules and feedback.
Definitions of used terms:
30
Tracking Mechanism
A tool to measure the student's progress in the learning
program/stage.
28
Jorge Francisco, Figueroa Flores “Using Gamification to Enhance Second Language Learning”
29
Huang Hsin Yuan, W. and Somon, D. (2013). A Practitioner’s Guide to Gamification of Education. Research
Report Series: Behavioral Economics in Action. University of Toronto –Rotman School of Management.
30
Wendy Hsin-Yuan Huang and Dilip Soman.” A Practitioner’s Guide To Gamification Of Education” 2013
Defining
Learning
Objective
s
Structurin
g the
Experienc
e
Identifying
Resources
Applying
Gamfication
Elements
156
Currency
The unit of measure, which could be points, time, money, etc. E.g.
If assignments are to be completed by a certain deadline, the
tracking mechanism's currency is time.
Level
A specific amount of a currency used to accomplish an objective.
E.g. Once the student has completed the assignment s/he has
completed the task for that level and can move to the next level.
Rules
Boundaries for what a student can or cannot do in their learning
program, to ensure it is a fair learning environment for everyone.
E.g. The rule for completing the first level is not only to finish it
by the deadline but also, to answer all the questions correctly.
Feedback
A mechanism the instructor and/or student can use to learn about
the progress being made. E.g. Students learn better from tests than
studying, because they can see what they did wrong and fix gaps
in their understanding.
When designing the section being gamified, a currency can help determine levels within a
stage and it is possible for a level to be a whole stage in the education program. It also gives the
instructor the opportunity to use currency-based levels and rules to receive and give feedback.
Feedback is an important ally, as studies show that students do better when given more
opportunities to complete a task.
31
5-step
What elements do we need? As mentioned earlier there ere several types of elements that
ca
be
used
during
the
lesson
and
we
can
divide
them
into
2
groups:
1. Self elements: can be achievement badges, points, levels and restrictions. With this elements
students
can
focus
on
themselves
and
do
self-achievement.
2. Social-achievement: on the other hand, it can be group work, cooperation like leaderboards.
These elements helps students to make a community and achieve success by being a group.
Technology is widely being integrated with teaching and learning environment. Game –
based student response systems have been used. To make lessons more interesting and attract
children there are useful platforms like Kahoot!, World of Classcraft (WoC). Kahoot and World
of Classcraft (WoC) are online gamification and interactive learning platforms. They allow
educators to create quizzes and educational activities in a game format to engage students in the
learning process in a fun and participatory way. Students can answer questions in real time using
their mobile devices or computers and receive instant feedback on their responses. These tools
encourage friendly competition among students and provide an effective way to assess students’
knowledge and progress.
32
Kahoot is an internet platform which includes various games, multiple choice quizzes,
survey questions. In classroom, this platform can be projected on a large display and students also
can participate using their own devices such as phones, laptops. They can engage in activities
individually and collaboratively in groups. Kahoot! (https://create.kahoot.it/ (accessed on 12 June
31
Evans, C. (2011, July 31). Game designer Jane McGonigal interviewed by Cameron Evans, U.S. Education CTO,
Microsoft. (J. McGonigal, Interviewer) Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-mc9Rr
32
C. Plump and L. Julia, “Using Kahoot! in the classroom to foster engagement and active learning: A game-based
technology solution for E-learning beginners,” SAGE Journals, pp. 2–9, 2017.
157
2023)) stands as an interactive educational platform, empowering educators to craft and deploy
engaging learning games for their students. Its design revolves around fostering an enjoyable and
immersive learning experience. Through Kahoot!, instructors can formulate quizzes, facilitate
discussions, and conduct surveys on diverse subject matters. Students can partake in these
activities through their personal devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers. Kahoot!
offers customizable features, enabling educators to tailor content and format to suit their teaching
objectives. During a Kahoot! session, students engage in real-time competition, responding to
questions and amassing points. At the conclusion of each activity, teachers receive a
comprehensive summary of results, furnishing valuable insights into student performance. By
promoting active learning, collaboration, and the cultivation of critical thinking skills, Kahoot!
serves as a versatile tool that metamorphoses traditional education into an interactive and
pleasurable encounter. Refer to Figure 1 for a screenshot showcasing the Kahoot! website
33
Figure 1
World of Classcraft (WoC) is a classroom-based game designed to solve the
schoolchildren's
dilemma:
choosing
between
classroom
and
computer
games.
34
It is a gamified educational platform designed to engage students and enhance learning experience
by incorporating elements of role-playing games. It allows teachers to create a game-like
environment where students collaborate, compete, and earn rewards for their academic
achievements.
There are many key features of the game such as:
1. Students can choose roles (warrior, mage, healer) each with unique abilities and create
customized avatars.
2. Experience points and health points. Students can earn XP points for positive behavior and
task complement and lose HP for negative behavior.
3. Teamwork. Students can work in teams encouraging collaboration and peer support.
4. Gamified rewards. Teachers can customize rewards like bonuses for achieving task.
5. Quests and missions. Educators can design curriculum – based quests where students progress
through challenges related to learning objectives.
33
Baraa Rayan and Abeer Watted “ Enhancing Education in Elementary Schools through Gamified Learning:
Exploring the Impact of Kahoot! on the Learning Process” Journal “Education sciences” 2024
34
Nazokat Fayzullayevna Khaitova “History of Gamification and Its Role in the Educational Process” Journal
“International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding” May 2021
158
6. Real time engagement. Features like boss battles, random events, and leaderboards keep
students motivated and involved.
Refer
to
Figure
to
the
screenshot
to
Classcraft
is
given
Figure 2
Conclusion
Gamification has transformed traditional educational approaches by blending interactive
game elements with teaching methodologies, making learning a more engaging and effective
process. By fostering enthusiasm and motivation in young learners, gamification has demonstrated
its potential to enhance second-language acquisition significantly. Tools such as Kahoot! and
World of Classcraft provide dynamic and immersive platforms where students can actively
participate in their learning journey, whether individually or collaboratively.
Incorporating game mechanics such as rewards, progress tracking, and teamwork not only
reinforces language skills but also develops critical soft skills like problem-solving, collaboration,
and strategic thinking. These elements address the diverse needs and interests of young learners,
ensuring that the teaching process remains inclusive and adaptive. By fostering a sense of
achievement and competition, gamification builds students’ confidence and enthusiasm, enabling
them to overcome challenges and excel in their learning endeavors.
Moreover, the structured integration of gamification aligns well with modern educational
objectives, offering opportunities for personalized learning and immediate feedback. Teachers can
utilize its components, such as points systems, leaderboards, and performance graphs, to create
measurable and targeted learning experiences. By doing so, educators not only meet pedagogical
goals but also cultivate an environment that balances academic rigor with enjoyment.
In conclusion, gamification is not just a trend but a sustainable approach to enriching early
language learning. It bridges the gap between traditional methods and modern educational needs,
making learning a fun and fulfilling experience. As the field of education continues to evolve,
gamification stands out as a powerful tool for shaping the future of teaching and inspiring a lifelong
love for learning in students.
References
1.
Baraa Rayan and Abeer Watted “ Enhancing Education in Elementary Schools through
Gamified Learning: Exploring the Impact of Kahoot! on the Learning Process” Journal
“Education sciences” 2024
159
2.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo “Gamification and Game-Based
Learning”
3.
C. Plump and L. Julia, “Using Kahoot! in the classroom to foster engagement and active
learning: A game-based technology solution for E-learning beginners,” SAGE Journals, pp. 2–9,
2017.
4.
Evans, C. (2011, July 31). Game designer Jane McGonigal interviewed by Cameron Evans,
U.S.
Education
CTO,
Microsoft.
(J.
McGonigal,
Interviewer)
Retrieved
from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-mc9Rr
5.
Huang Hsin Yuan, W. and Somon, D. (2013). A Practitioner’s Guide to Gamification of
Education. Research Report Series: Behavioral Economics in Action. University of Toronto –
Rotman School of Management.
6.
Huei-Tse Hou “Diverse Development and Future Challenges of Game-Based Learning and
Gamified Teaching Research”
7.
Jorge Francisco, Figueroa Flores “Using Gamification to Enhance Second Language
Learning” digital EDUCATION Review Number 27 June 2015
8.
K. Kapp, The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-Based, One Montgomery
Street: Pfeiffer, 2018.
9.
Nazokat Fayzullayevna Khaitova “History of Gamification and Its Role in the Educational
Process” Journal “International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding” May
2021
10.
Savickas, M.L. Career Construction Theory and Practice. In Career Development and
Counseling: Putting Theory and Research to Work; Brown, S.D., Lent, R.W., Eds.; John Wiley &
Sons: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2013; pp. 147–183
11.
Sailer, M., Hense, J.,Mandl, H.,Klevers, M. (2013). Phsycological Perspectives on
Motivation through Gamification. Interaction Design and Architecture(s) Journal - IxD&A, N.19,
pp. 28-37
12.
Vandercruysse, S., Vandewaetere, M., & Clarebout, G. (2012). Game-based learning: A
review on the effectiveness of educational games
13.
Wendy Hsin-Yuan Huang and Dilip Soman.” A Practitioner’s Guide To Gamification Of
Education” 2013
EFEMIZM TERMININIŃ ÚYRENILIW TÁRIYXI
Babaniyazova Nursulıw Konısbayevna
Ájiniyaz atındaǵı NMPI tayanısh doktorantı
Annotaciya
: Bul maqalada efemizm termininiń úyreniliw táriyxı hám olardı kimler úyrengenligi
haqqında maǵlıwmatlar keltirilgen. Házirgi rawajlanip baratirǵan dáwirde efemizmlerdi tilde
ádep-ikramlılıq normaların saqlawǵa, til iliminde "efemizm" túsiniginiń áhimiyeti, efemizmniń
xalqtiń sotsiallıq turmısı hám mentalitet penen baylanıslı halda payda bolıwı haqqındaǵı pikirler
bildiriledi.
Tayanısh sózler:
efemizm túsinigi, sóylew mádeniyatı, efemizmlerdiń qollanılıw sebepleri.
Insanlar kóbinese unamsız kóringen temalardı tuwrıdan tuwrı talqılawdı qolaylı dep bilmeydi.
Olar ádep-ikramlılıqtı saqlawdı qálegenligi sebepli, aqiretlew sózlerdiń ornın ádebiy hám
