Focus on

GAMIFICATION
1. What is ‘gamification’ and how is it different from
game‑based learning?
Gamification has taken off in recent years with many organizations implementing
game-like mechanisms or systems to non-game activities. Teachers can include some
of these elements to increase engagement and improve the classroom experience for
learners.

Gamification, in short, means adding a game-like experience to the usual learning

activities in a lesson: primarily badges, points and levels or tiers. Mostly, these
replicate elements in videogames, online spaces and apps. In contrast, game-based
learning (GBL) is the use of actual physical games as a teaching tool in a class. While
both approaches help engagement, GBL creates learning outcomes through play.
Gamification, on the other hand, fits game elements around learning.

As an example of the difference between the two, using Minecraft to learn about
sustainable ecosystems is GBL. With gamification, however, students could earn
points for identifying reliable sources of information on sustainable ecosystems and
summarizing their findings.

2. Why use gamification?

Adding game-like elements to the classroom sets a fun tone, boosting trust and
confidence which, in turn, helps to open students up to learning new language, as well
as aiding cognition and long-term retention (Krashen, 1986)1. In contrast to GBL, these
elements may be more easily embedded within a lesson and some teachers may even
find that techniques described here are not too removed from what they already do.

Many teachers are already using gamification in their lessons. Below are some
examples:

• For teachers wanting to introduce a points system, they could try the following:
Kahoot / Blooket / Baamboozle / Quizizz.
• To introduce positive reinforcement for specific actions, teachers could try using
ClassDojo.
• For younger learners, teachers could introduce badges or stickers for good
performance or effort.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Liam Bourret-Nyffeler has been an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher
to both young learners and adults since 2010. He has most recently been teaching
in Hong Kong, specialising in materials creation for lower-level learners and the
use of IT tools to increase peer assessment, as well as classroom engagement with
secondary students.

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Gamification

• Another useful form of gamification is ‘can-do’ checkboxes Achievements need to be set according to the learner’s level.
tied to recognition of learning achieved. Setting achievements at an unrealistically high level creates
• Teachers could try assigning classroom or group roles needless frustration; if too low, boredom and apathy might set
during project work. A project to make an infographic poster in. In games, this is called the ‘zone of flow’, but it applies to any
using student-generated data could include roles such as: endeavour (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014) 2. It is important
resources manager (distributes handouts to the group); to double-check that teachers and students are setting tasks at
interviewer (asks other groups questions); data collector (adds a realistically achievable level without also setting the bar too
data to the graphs) and designer (plans the poster layout). low.
The names of the roles should be tailored to fit the tasks and
So, do badges work? Learners will not find the badge
could be themed around the topic of the current unit.
meaningful if it does not fit the learning objective (Yunker,
We will discuss some of the most commonly implemented 2018)3. Additionally, the badges are a bonus for completing
gamification ideas below: badges, points and tiers. something that was already rewarding in itself. Daniel Ariely
(2010 4; 20115), Professor at Duke University, while researching
behavioural economics, notes that when intrinsically motivated
behaviour is rewarded by something extrinsic the motivation
can shift. The risk is that, for students who are already invested
in language learning, gamification may be detrimental.
However, a study into the longer-term effects of gamification
in educational contexts also found that, while a dip after
gamification stopped did exist, motivation remained higher
than before the study (Zhu et al., 20196).

Points and tiers

In the world beyond the classroom, some game genres award
points for different actions (e.g. solving a puzzle, reaching a
new zone of the game or defeating an opponent), with more
difficult tasks awarding more points. Players are promoted to
Badges a higher level or tier and may make more advanced moves.
One example of gamification used outside the English Depending on your teaching context, whoever has earned the
classroom is an audiobook app’s ‘achievement’ system. This is most points might get first pick of the role they take in group
like a sticker or badge that recognizes a specific feat you have project work (e.g. researcher or creator of visual aids / slides
accomplished, such as finishing a certain number of books in for a presentation). Using points and tiers has been found to
a year. create an engaging experience for people in other contexts,
for example in an airline’s frequent flyer programme (Iida et al.,
Teachers can adapt these achievement systems by creating 20187).
similar records or rewards. They could ask learners to create
their own system based on what they enjoy most about Decide on an aspect of behaviour you would like your class
language learning, or focusing on a difficulty they would like to focus on for the lesson. As an addition or alternative, poll
to overcome. A physical badge could reflect each individual students on what they feel they need support with. It can help
student’s achievements such as: to have a pre-agreed, student-created set of classroom rules or
a learning contract to refer to. Award points to those students
• ‘I have finished three writing tasks using the perfect tense (or groups for large classes) who conspicuously set the example
appropriately three times.’ for the rest. Some examples are:
• ‘I have used new words from the unit during group discussion
• raising a hand and waiting patiently to speak;
five lessons in a row.’
• keeping tables tidy;
• ‘I have caught ten of my errors by proofreading.’
• completing a task within a set time.
• ‘I have helped a classmate understand a grammar point
during every lesson in this unit.’ To give the points meaning, consider occasionally offering a
reward.
Two key benefits are senses of accomplishment and progress.
Students have a visual reminder of how far they have come. Some suggested options the winners could choose from are:
Highlighting evidence of new skills and language learned –
• a short video for the class to watch;
or improved – during a lesson makes their accomplishment
explicit and encourages engagement with future lessons. • an activity on Kahoot / Blooket / Baamboozle / Quizizz;
Retention is higher outside the classroom and in subsequent • a song appropriate for the group’s age and level.
lessons, especially when these achievements are generated by
the students at a level they are ready to push towards. ‘Can-
do’ checkboxes corresponding to the coursebook also aim to
achieve this, but without the layer of gamification.

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Gamification

Feedback, fairness and flexibility Learners can adopt a role or wear a particular ‘hat’ that leans
Giving students explicit and timely feedback on why they are into their preferences and strengths – something that can be
getting or missing out on points cements classroom routines linked to a unit or lesson topic. These roles can be renamed
and rewards positive behaviour. Rewards that feed back into to fit the topic as long as there is some logical connection. For
learning present further opportunities to engage in language. example, the teacher could allocate jobs to certain students as
For obvious reasons, being awarded first choice of a level- follows:
appropriate reader supports learning better than a smartphone
break.
Unit topic: Jobs
Points must be awarded consistently. If a point can be earned
every time a hand is raised, students will feel it is unfair if this Roles
rule is not respected. This might mean dedicating too much Postal worker: students with this role are responsible
time to adding up points after every question. Assigning points for handing out worksheets
to a table, group or team can reduce this. Also, a student can
Skill tree example:
be nominated as point scorer, rotating each lesson.
• Upgrade option A: the student is now also in
Flexibility might be needed if a rule becomes unworkable. The charge of gathering finished worksheets and
class can help in judgement calls to adapt the rules, working handing them to the teacher.
with you to respect the spirit of the game and the learning • Upgrade option B: once per lesson, the
environment. You can even award points to those helping to student can nominate a classmate to assist.
improve learning experiences.
Other hats the students could choose in this topic include:
Resetting the points system for every lesson prevents a
snowball effect and means everyone has a fresh chance to win • Teacher: for a part of a lesson the classroom can be flipped
each time. for a short period, with a student taking on the teaching role.
• Doctor: a stronger student in the group who others can ask
Some competition between groups where mutual trust has
for help if they are unsure of an answer
been built between learners can work well. Even so, this is a
barrier to many teachers’ willingness to use gamified learning. • Scientist: in project work, this student is in charge of looking
Students may focus efforts on maximizing points rather than up information to add to a poster / presentation.
the learning itself. This may create resentment if they lose These roles, when tied into other systems like points or levels,
(Landers & Landers, 2015 8). It should be noted, however, that give the gamification system a sense of cohesion. As the term
not all games need to be competitive. Students can earn points progresses, learners see their role develop as they are allowed
cooperatively, trying to outdo their previous record or reaching greater levels of control but within known constraints. Teachers
a set target. must ensure the student roles fit their teaching style and the
institution they work in; for example, some teachers might find
Character roles and skill trees student engagement increases when they assign the role of
In addition to badges, points and tiers, gamification can include teacher, but not all are comfortable with such a reversal.
more complex elements of gaming, such as ‘skill trees’. A skill
tree is a set of benefits that become available to the player in
sequence. These benefits are linked to a currently available
ability. In a gaming environment, players can choose to follow
different ‘branches’ of the tree, so there is an element of
choice. For example, if a character was a healer in a gaming
environment, they could spend 100 points on completely curing
a friend, or spend 100 points on partially curing several friends.
This cements the player’s role within the team and allows them
to fit the game around their preferences as a player. Recent
research has looked into how people approach gaming and
how they are motivated by different drivers (Sezgin, 2020 9).
To summarize, some players prefer interacting with the rules,
others enjoy mastering skills and some like playing with or
against other players.

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Gamification

The modularity of this approach means groups can set their

3. How can this be implemented? own path through a unit within an established framework
One way to introduce gamification into course materials is to outlined by the coursebook. Students may feel a lesson is more
create an immersive and interconnected world. The individual relevant to their needs at that moment since there is an element
lessons or units of the coursebook can be viewed as stages of a of choice for revisiting and practising. Though beneficial, this
game which can be linked and positioned on the map. much freedom could be beyond what a teacher is willing (or
even permitted) to allow. Consult any stakeholder expectations
For example, interactive maps create a more engaging way
and institutional requirements and policies.
to present information. Training consulting firms may use a
gamified map as part of a training program about health and
safety hazards. 4. What are the challenges?
Create or find a simple map related to the topic of your current Give your learners a voice
unit. Start by analyzing the lessons in the unit and the target Players need to ‘buy into’ the game and feel part of your
language. Label points of interest on the map with vocabulary gamification system. Gamification is manipulative in the sense
and the grammar points learners will use in the lesson. Print that the very purpose is to make people feel something. Make
out the map as a progress record and course content plan sure your learners have a voice in the systems you create and
(similar to the scope and sequence in the coursebook contents plan engaging tasks. If learners view this as ‘mandatory’ fun,
section). As an example: there could be a backlash and it may negatively affect their
view of the language learning experience.
Unit topic: Environment Another warning comes from Katherine Milkman, a professor
Create a diagram of the layers in a rainforest (canopy, at Pennsylvania University, who studied a sales team with no
undergrowth, perhaps a camp, jungle path etc.). say in the gamified system they were a part of. Their sales
The camp becomes the base: where people plan results were emailed around for all staff to see; performance
expeditions and do research on the surrounding area. results fell and employees were reported to feel demotivated
It is a thematically fitting choice for related vocabulary by the gamification system and the organization as a whole
such as plants and animals, geographical features and (Milkman, 202110).
survival equipment.
Embed learning objectives
Later in the course, the group could choose to return Research has shown that gamification is more likely to fail to
to that space again, for example a lesson on modals meet its intended goal if it is merely a tacked-on system with
offers: We should / must bring a tent. no connection to learning objectives. Ensuring systems reflect
learning aims is key to success. Sometimes students can feel
When language is recycled in another lesson, connect
burdened by learning a gaming system on top of their studies,
the associated locations on the map with a line to make
which disproportionately affects weaker students. At the same
it explicit that learners should reuse their previous
time, stronger students may have to adapt away from the
learning in the new context.
traditional learning environment which rewards them with the
Other examples of simple maps to use in this way are a high grades they have come to expect. Rather than being a
street plan or a metro map. genuine change in pedagogy, this risks being perceived as just
another type of grading system – but with less meaning since
One of the benefits of this type of gamification context is a there is no external recognition. (Moore-Russo et al., 201711).
cohesive course structure and a sense of progression, as well
as demonstrating the cyclical interconnectedness of language Mixing and matching
learning. Learners may answer questions correctly in one Teachers can combine any of the above ideas and craft a
lesson, yet not apply what they have learned afterwards. They combination that best suits their needs. Interlinking one or
may know a tense in theory but not use it once that particular more of these systems (e.g. badges and points) makes no one
lesson, or even language level, is over. Language learning can element too dominant and provides variety. However, complex
feel like a series of independent lessons, so this signposted systems are difficult to design. Teachers applying gamification
holistic approach can help clue learners in to how existing to learning might underestimate the time commitment involved.
knowledge is supportive and how everything fits together. Making small steps, and ‘playtesting’ each version should avoid
overloading students and teachers alike.
Looking to the future, learners will be able to see that there is
more to discover, and this visual signposting of future language
points can create intrigue. As an example, some upper- 5. Over to you
intermediate students may plateau once their abilities render It is important to create a system that meshes well with the
them communicatively competent and, after a time, many see personalities of your learners and the teaching context.
themselves as ‘not learning anything’. These learners may no Experiment with variations on whatever you introduce to your
longer perceive any improvement they are making. This map group, and try out the systems with different classes, levels and
allows them to look back on what has improved in their mastery age groups. This is essentially action research to fine tune your
of meaning, form and pronunciation.

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Gamification

gamification designs. Get feedback from learners to see what, if 6 Zhu, J., Li, X., Zhang, Y., Zainuddin, Z., Lee, S. Y. C., & Chu, S.
anything, they would like implemented. Also, bear in mind that K. W. (2019, January 3–4). Can gamification bring long-term
there is a time and a place for gamification. In cultures where effects for elementary students’ learning? [Conference
there is a more traditional ‘heads-down-and-crack-on’ attitude presentation]. The Association for Information Science and
towards learning, or if high-stakes exams are approaching, Technology (ASIS&T) Asia-Pacific Regional Conference:
learners (or parents) may feel this is not a particularly productive Effective Learning in Low-Tech Information Environments,
thing to do. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
7 Iida, H., Wang, Z., Xiong, S., & Zuo, L. (2018). An analysis of
Talking points gamification effect of frequent-flyer program. In D. Ding,
A. El Rhalibi, H. Jin, A. Navarro-Newball, Z. Pan, & Y. Wang
How can you create a cohesive gamification experience (Eds.), E-learning and games. Edutainment 2018. Lecture
that allows progression? Notes in Computer Science, 11462 (pp. 53–60). Springer.
What roles can you think of that reflect your learners doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23712-7_8
and your context?
8 Landers, R. N., & Landers, A. K. (2015). An empirical test of
In what ways do you already give your learners choice the theory of gamified learning: The effect of leaderboards
and a voice? on time-on-task and academic performance. Simulation &
Think of some gamification ideas. How can you connect Gaming, 45(6), 769–785.
these to your learning objectives?
9 Sezgin, S. (2020). Digital player typologies in gamification
Are there any ways in which you could adapt to your and game-based learning approaches: A meta-synthesis.
learners to make gamification work successfully? Bartın University Journal, 9(1), 49–68. doi.org/10.14686/
Are your institution’s policies and assessment a barrier buefad.610524
to introducing elements of gamification? How can you
10 Milkman, K. (2021). How to change: The science of getting
overcome these barriers?
from where you are to where you want to be. Portfolio.
11 Moore-Russo, D., Wiss, A., & Grabowski, J. (2017). Integration
of gamification into course design: A noble endeavor with
Endnotes potential pitfalls. College Teaching, 66(1), 3–5. doi.org/10.1
1 Krashen, S. D. (1986). Principles and practice in second 080/87567555.2017.1295016
language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
2 Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). The concept of 6. Further reading
flow. In Flow and the foundations of positive psychology
w ww.coursera.org/learn/gamification

(pp. 239–263). Springer.
education.minecraft.net/en-us/lessons/know-your-

3 Yunker, P. (2018). Gamification 101: What it is and how to get ecosystem
started! [Online lecture] https://www.lambdasolutions.net/
www.gamificationnation.com/blog/is-gamification-

resources/webinars/thanks-recording-gamification-what-is-
https://

good-or-bad
it-how-to-get-started-l1?utm_campaign=%5B18-07-25%5D+
Webinar%3A+Gamification+101+-+What+It+Is+and+How+t w ww.teacheracademy.eu/blog/game-based-learning/

o+Get+Started
4 Ariely, D. (2010). Predictably irrational: The hidden forces that
shape our decisions. Revised and expanded edition. Harper
Perennial.
5 Ariely, D. (2011). The upside of irrationality: The unexpected
benefits of defying logic. Harper Perennial.

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Acknowledgements
The publisher would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce
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