The English language, with its complex grammar rules and extensive vocabulary, poses a considerable challenge for learners, particularly those acquiring it as a second language. For Filipino students, this challenge is further compounded by a limited vocabulary, which often becomes a major barrier to achieving proficiency. Such constraints hinder their ability to read, write, listen, and speak effectively in English, thereby underscoring the urgent need for innovative and effective learning strategies.
One promising approach is game-based learning, which has been widely applied across grade levels to enhance engagement and improve specific learning outcomes. Educational games provide meaningful opportunities for learners to understand course content more deeply while actively participating in the learning process. Prodigy (2021) highlights that game-based learning leverages the motivational features of games to shape learning outcomes, while Alotaibi (2024) demonstrates that students exhibit improved comprehension and participation when exposed to educational games. Similarly, Pratama and Setyaningrum (2018) present evidence that such games significantly enhance learning performance. This approach has further developed into gamification, wherein learners earn points, receive rewards, and climb leaderboards, making the learning experience both challenging and rewarding.
Despite these advancements, many schools continue to face persistent challenges in addressing learners’ reading and comprehension skills. Students’ written outputs and performance tasks in English often fall below expected standards, commonly exhibiting grammatical errors, poor sentence construction, and difficulty in writing coherent paragraphs with minimal mistakes. Furthermore, routine-based lessons tend to disengage students, who often lose interest quickly. In contrast, learners show greater motivation and participation when lessons incorporate dynamic and interactive strategies such as group activities, quiz bees, and educational games.
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