The Impact of Web-based Gamification on Enhancing English Communication Skills among High School Students

Abstract

Digital technology has transformed educational practice by creating new opportunities for interactive and learner-centred language instruction. This study investigated the impact of web-based gamification on enhancing English communication skills among high school students, with specific attention to listening, speaking, reading, writing, and learner motivation. A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test control group design was adopted. The sample consisted of 100 government higher secondary school students from Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu, who were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to an experimental group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50). The experimental group received web-based gamified English instruction for eight weeks, while the control group received conventional classroom instruction. Data were collected using the English Communication Skills Test and the Student Motivation Questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, differential analysis, and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data. The results showed that students exposed to web-based gamification recorded higher post-test scores in overall English communication skills and in the individual skill areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. A strong positive relationship was also found between web-based gamification and students’ motivation towards learning English. The findings indicate that web-based gamification may support communication skill development when applied through structured, interactive, and pedagogically aligned classroom activities.