Does gamification improve reading outcomes, learning attitude, linguistic self-confidence, and reduce classroom anxiety? A quasi-experiment

This study examined the effects of an 8-week gamified morphological awareness intervention on English reading outcomes (i.e., morphological awareness and word reading) and language learning motivation (i.e., attitude towards English course, linguistic self-confidence, and classroom anxiety) in a sample of 104 junior secondary school students. A quasi-experimental design was adopted with two classes randomly assigned into either a gamified morphology course (n = 52) or a non-gamified morphology course (n= 52). Community of inquiry model was adopted as theoretical. Results showed the gamified group had higher performance on morphological awareness, greater linguistic self-confidence, and lower levels of classroom anxiety compared to the control group. The findings supported beneficial impact of gamification in increasing reading achievement and language learning motivation. Copyright © 2024 AERA.