UDC 373.2
PhD student of Mozyr State Pedagogical University;
PhD, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Childhood,
Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno
Educational process gamification in language teaching
In the moral education of students, in strengthening unity between people in a multinational society, the leading role is given to the education system. One of the possible ways to develop the education system in this direction is to study the native language, history, culture of the people; preservation and expansion of the communication environment in the native language; development of a respectful attitude towards the spiritual values of other ethnic groupsin students through the comprehension of the system of their values.
The ethno-cultural context in school is most fully implemented through the creation of an educational national-cultural environment. In this regard, there is a need to practically solve the problem of developing the student’s motivation to study the native language, using technologies that allow them to effectively address it.
This problem can be solved with gamification. Gamification is the incorporation of game elements into non-game activities, such as teaching/learning. This approach allows teachers to increase the motivation in students, engaging them in the learning process. As R. Smiderle puts it: “Stimulated by the effects that game elements can produce, many researchers have looked into the influence of gamification in an educational context, getting favourable results, such as the increase of engagement, user retention, knowledge, and cooperation” [2]. F. A. Nieto-Escamez and M. D. Roldan-Tapia say that gamified activities are linked to enhancing students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Moreover, gamification procedures allowed to monitor students learning progress in a non-invasive way [1].
Modern apologists of gamification proceed from the analysis of person’s motivation and behavioural stimuli. They describe 8 needs that drive the person’s motivation: the need to feel self-importance; the need for success; the need to develop creativity; the need for possession, a sense of control; the need for public influence and social connections; the need to meet the resulting impatience; the need for engagement, satisfaction of curiosity; a desire to avoid losses.The idea is that the personcan satisfy these needs in the learning process if teachers correctly insert gaming mechanisms into education.
Ideally, gamification should extend throughout the academic year, starting with the first lessons. One of the tools of gamification is the introduction of a clear storyline, when the final victory over the «forces of evil» can only be achieved at the end of the academic year. Or not achieved– depending on students’ personal efforts.
The teacher can create a gamified learning plot by adhering to the classical three-act structure with some additions.
The first act is the beginning of the story, the exposition. The task of this act is to immerse students in the context, introduce the main character and indicate the emerging conflict.
On the border between the first and second acts, the first turning point must be placed. It is that what launches the adventures of the hero, changing their reality and forcing them to take the path of change.
The second act is the adventure itself. The hero takes decisive action, overcomes obstacles on the way to their goal.In the first half of the second act, a midpoint is introduced – an event that changes the original position of the hero, turning them towards the second turning point. At the end of the second act, the second turning point appears, which aggravates the conflict as much as possible and leads to the final confrontation.
The third act is the completion of the story. Conflicts culminate and all questions are answered.
Psychologists also recognize the need for such turning points in the plot of learning. It is to maintain students’ interest that plot twists must be introduced.
To activate students during the course of the plot, it is worth introducing a reward system that students can understand. Awards can be group and individual.
To sum up, gamification allows teachers to take into account the interests and features of the perception of students (variability, interactivity, visual presentation of information), making learning language more engaging. Gamification helps build communication in the classroom through quick feedback and group interaction, and develops team skills. The introduction of game elements increases educational motivation and simulates preferred behaviour based on the development of universal educational skills.
Bibliographic list
- Nieto-Escamez, A. Gamification as Online Teaching Strategy During COVID-19 /F. A. Nieto-Escamez, M. D. Roldán-Tapia // Frontiers in Psychology [Electronic source]. – The date of access: 19.02.2023. – The mode of access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648552.
- Smiderle, The impact of gamification on students’ learning, engagement and behavior based on their personality traits / R. Smiderle, S. J. Rigo, L. B. Marques, et al. // Smart Learning Environment [Electronic source]. – 2020. – № 7. – The date of access: 17.02.2023. – The mode of access: https://slejournal.springeropen.com/ articles/10.1186/s40561-019-0098-x.
