Using gamification to improve beninese primary pupils’ oral proficiency: Case study of the experimental school of attakè

Abstract

One of the major trends in today’s EFL teaching-learning process is the focus on integrating learners' natural tendencies and goals into the learning process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of gamification in improving oral proficiency among primary pupils in Benin. The methodology adopted is a mixed one (quantitative and qualitative) and quasiexperimental. The investigation consisted in collecting information from a sample of four (04) primary English teachers and fifty (50) pupils from the experimental School of Attakè. An experiment has been held with a sample of fifty (50) pupils split into two groups of twenty-five (25) students, with the Experimental Group (EG) receiving gamified language instruction and the Control Group (CG) receiving the traditional EFL language instruction. The results showed that the gamified group had significantly higher levels of oral proficiency compared to the traditional group. These findings show that gamification is an effective method for improving oral proficiency and can lead to more positive learning experiences for pupils. Future research should examine the long-term effects of gamification on language learning and explore its use in other subject areas.