Effects of Differentiated Instruction and Gamification on Iranian EFL Learners’ Willingness to Communicate, and Speaking Motivation
Subject Areas :
Hamed Taghizadeh
1
,
Mahnaz Saeidi
2
*
,
Saeideh Ahanghari
3
1 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch. Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
2 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
3 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Keywords: Willingness to Communicate, Speaking Motivation, Differentiated Instruction, Gamification, Iranian EFL Learners,
Abstract :
The ability to communicate effectively in English is crucial for Iranian EFL learners, yet many struggle with low Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and speaking motivation due to anxiety, lack of practice, and rigid teaching methods. This study explores the impact of Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Gamification (G) on improving WTC and speaking motivation among Iranian EFL learners. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 108 B2-level learners at Safir Language Institute in Iran, divided into three groups: one receiving DI, another experiencing G-based instruction, and a control group following conventional teaching. Participants were assessed using validated WTC and speaking motivation scales before and after a 10-week intervention. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and t-tests, revealed significant improvements in both WTC and motivation in the experimental groups, with Gamification showing the highest gains. Qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews indicated that learners in both DI and G groups reported increased confidence, engagement, and a more positive attitude toward speaking. The study concludes that interactive, learner-centered strategies like DI and Gamification can effectively address communication barriers in Iranian EFL classrooms. These findings have implications for EFL pedagogy, suggesting a shift toward more engaging and personalized teaching approaches.
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2019). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining gamification. Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference, 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies. Oxford University Press.
Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2021). Teaching and researching motivation (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Farhady, H., & Tavassoli, K. (2020). EFL teachers’ perceptions of innovative teaching strategies in Iran. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Re-search, 8(2), 1-18.
Geranpayeh, A. (2003). A quick review of the English Quick Placement Test. Re-search Notes, 12, 8–10.
Guilloteaux, M. J., & Dörnyei, Z. (2018). Motivating language learners: A classroom-oriented investigation of the effects of motivational strategies on student motivation. TESOL Quarterly, 52(2), 275-297. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.393.
Kapp, K. M., Blair, L., & Mesch, R. (2019). The gamification of learning and in-struction fieldbook: Ideas into practice. Wiley.
Khajavy, G. H., MacIntyre, P. D., & Barabadi, E. (2018). Willingness to communicate in English: A microsystem model in the Iranian EFL classroom context. TESOL Quarterly, 52(1), 154-177. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.363.
Krystalli, P., & Arvanitis, P. (2024). Serious games and gamification in foreign language learning: Trends and challenges (2015-2024). European Journal of Education, 7(2), 143-158.
MacIntyre, P. D., Baker, S. C., Clément, R., & Conrod, S. (2001). Willingness to communicate, social support, and language-
learning orientations of immersion students. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 23(3), 369-388.
MacIntyre, P. D., Burns, C., & Jessome, A. (2019). Ambivalence about communicating in a second language: A qualitative study of French immersion students’ willingness to communicate. The Modern Language Journal, 103(1), 259-278. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12546.
Namaziandost, E., Hashemifardnia, A., & Shafiee, S. (2020). The impact of differentiated instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 16(2), 856-867.
Namaziandost, E., Neisi, L., & Mahdavirad, F. (2021). The effect of gamified instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ motivation and vocabulary learning. Education and Information Technologies, 26(5), 5893-5910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10523-8
Pattapong, K. (2015). Complex interactions of factors influencing willingness to communicate in English in the Thai EFL context. PASAA: Journal of Lan-guage Teaching and Learning in Thailand, 50, 1-30.
Peng, J. E. (2019). The roles of multimodal pedagogic effects and classroom en-vironment in willingness to communi-cate in English. System, 82, 161-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system. 2019.02.008.
Richards, J. C. (2015). Key issues in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860.
Sailer, M., & Homner, L. (2020). The gamification of learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 77-112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w.
Santangelo, T., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2021). Differentiated instruction: A research-based approach to enhancing student rresults. Theory Into Practice, 60(3), 234-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2021.1901234.
Sapan, B., & Mede, E. (2024). Investigating the role of differentiated instruction in foreign language learning: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Language Education Research, 17(1), 33-55.
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. SAGE Publications.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2017). How to differentiate instruction in academically diverse classrooms (3rd ed.). ASCD.
Valiandes, S., & Neophytou, L. (2018). Dif-ferentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms: Impact on student achievement. European Journal of Education, 53(3), 387-401. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12291
Wang, A. I., & Tahir, R. (2020). The effect of using Kahoot! for learning – A literature review. Computers & Education, 149, 103818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103818.
Yashima, T., MacIntyre, P. D., & Ikeda, M. (2018). Situated willingness to com-municate in an L2: Interplay of individual characteristics and context. Language Teaching Research, 22(1), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168816657851.
Yeşilyurt, S. (2008). A self-determination approach to teaching writing in pre-service EFL teacher education. Un-published Ph.D. Dissertation, the Institute of Social Sciences, Atatürk University, Turkey.