Exploring the Effect of Using Wordwall as Digital Gamification on Students’ Speaking Skills at MTs PP Mujahidin Pangkep (A Quasi-Experimental Research)

Abstract

This research investigates the effect of using Wordwall as a digital gamification tool on students’ speaking skills at MTs PP Mujahidin Pangkep. Speaking proficiency is a critical skill for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners; however, traditional teaching methods often fail to adequately develop fluency, accuracy, and active student participation. Digital gamification is expected to enhance learner engagement and promote interactive learning, thereby improving oral communication skills. A quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent control group was employed, involving 32 eighth-grade students divided into an experimental class (n = 16) taught using Wordwall and a control class (n = 16) taught using conventional teaching methods. Data were collected through speaking performance pre-tests and post-tests, as well as a student perception questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS. The findings revealed that the experimental class achieved a significant improvement in mean scores, increasing from 55.31 to 77.19 (a 40% increase), which surpassed the improvement observed in the control class, from 55.31 to 68.62 (a 24% increase). Notably, fluency and accuracy demonstrated more substantial improvements in the experimental group. The questionnaire results indicated highly positive student perceptions of Wordwall, with mean responses ranging from 3.56 to 4.50, categorized from Agree to Strongly Agree. This study concludes that Wordwall effectively enhances students’ speaking fluency, accuracy, and engagement compared with traditional instruction, supporting its implementation as an innovative digital tool for English language teaching.