The effectiveness of using games to motivate young Vietnamese students in English grammar learning

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the differences in classroom interaction between traditional and game-based classroom teaching through classroom observations. The focus group discussions were employed to explore students' attitudes towards grammar learning games as well as how they were motivated to learn grammar effectively by using games. The researcher also investigated classroom teachers' perceptions about incorporating games in grammar teaching with indepth interviews. This qualitative study was conducted where there was insufficient research on using games to teach grammar to Vietnamese secondary students. The study took place at Tran Quoc Toan Secondary School in Binh Tan District. The researcher was also the insider of this research site, so convenience sampling was chosen for collecting data easily and quickly. The participants in this study were 85 students from two different classes, 8.7 and 8.19 and two language teachers in charge of these classes. The study's findings revealed three demotivating factors affecting students' learning during traditional grammar teaching: inadequate interaction opportunities, depressing learning atmosphere, and monologue teaching method. On the contrary, several elements motivated students in game-based grammar teaching, including offering a break, enhancing learners' contact, promoting the teacher-student relationship, providing teachers' encouragement, receiving classmates' support, and improving learners' cognition. The results also stated that both teachers and students who participated in this study had positive attitudes towards grammar games. In the light of those findings, the teachers also supported the idea of integrating games strategy in teaching English grammar to motivate students.