The use of gamification to improve oral communicative skills in students of English as a foreign language.

Abstract

Abstract: The present research focused on the use of Gamification to improve oral communicative skills in students of English as a foreign language. This research was carried out in El Quinche in a private high school. The sample consisted of fifty students that belong to eight grade EGB, from ages between 13 and 14. A quasi experimental method that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches was used; thus, in orderto collect information, a pre test,apost test, surveys,class observations sheetsand a questionnaire were applied. The findings showed that the application of gamification effectively provided meaningful support to enhance the students oral communication skills. Furthermore,the typeof games that resulted more effective were interactive games, which propelled the enhancement of the communicative skills in EFL students. In addition, it was confirmed that a variety of games, in fact provided reinforcement to the development of the four elements that belong to oral communication such as: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency, those aspects got a notorious improvement that endorses the application of gamification.