GAMIFICATION AND VOCABULARY TO ENHANCE SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH INTERACTIVE MULTIPLAYER GAMING EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The investigation of this research focused on using gamification methods for vocabulary acquisition and enhancement of EFL university students’ speaking mastery. The following objectives of this research were to analyze and describe EFL students’ perceptions and how they optimized the learning potentials based on gamification and vocabulary to enhance Speaking Skills through multiplayer gaming experience on an online gaming platform, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Online. The data findings of this research were collected using the narrative inquiry method through open-ended questions and online interviews on Discord alongside thematic analysis. As expected from digital online games, the EFL university students who are also research participants of this study have years of experience in this multiplayer game and they expressed how often they interact with foreign players from other countries whether inside the game and off the game (e.g. online forums and/or social media). Additionally, the gamification from this online gaming platform resulted in the rapid growth of vocabulary expansion and increased speaking skills for EFL university students. However, the students also stated how they encountered challenges during their online communications with foreign players due to language barriers, cultural differences, a variety of accents, anxiety, etc. Furthermore, despite the challenges they faced, the EFL university students had positive feedback as they mentioned how it also significantly boosted their language learning motivation and academic performance.