GAMIFICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS: MOTIVATING OR DISTRACTING?

Аннотация

This study investigates the impact of gamification on student engagement and learning outcomes in English language classrooms. Gamification the use of game-like elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards has gained popularity as an innovative method to increase motivation and active participation. While many educators believe gamified learning environments make language acquisition more enjoyable and effective, others argue that these techniques may distract students from deeper cognitive engagement. This research explores students’ and teachers’ perceptions of gamification through surveys and classroom observations in upper-intermediate EFL classes. The findings reveal that, when implemented thoughtfully, gamification can enhance motivation, foster friendly competition, and support vocabulary retention. However, excessive or poorly structured gamified elements may lead to reduced focus on learning objectives. The study concludes with practical recommendations for integrating gamification in a balanced and pedagogically meaningful way. Keywords: Gamification, English language teaching (ELT), motivation, student engagement, language learning, educational technology, EFL classrooms, classroom interaction