Gamified Learning Revolution: How Educational Apps Boosted Indonesian Students' English Mastery
JAMBI – English language instruction at the secondary school level in Indonesia often faces steep hurdles, particularly as many students enter seventh grade with minimal prior exposure to the language. Conventional, teacher-centered teaching methods frequently fail to spark student interest, leaving many disengaged from building foundational language skills.
However, a breakthrough study published in SALEE: Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education reveals that integrating a suite of popular educational game apps can dramatically transform student engagement and English language proficiency.
The study, titled "Enhancing Students' English Engagement and Competence Through Educative Games," was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers: Aryawira Pratama, Melli Kusmaningrum, Masita Arianie, and Khoirunnisa from Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Curup, alongside Retno Wulan from Universitas Bangka Belitung.
Moving Beyond Single-App Solutions
While previous educational studies have often evaluated the impact of a single app over short periods, this research implemented a holistic, semester-long intervention combining four distinct educational applications: Duolingo, Quizlet, ABCmouse, and Kahoot!.
According to the researchers, each app served a targeted pedagogical purpose:
Duolingo: Used to strengthen structural language skills, grammar, and speaking practice.
Quizlet: Utilized digital flashcards and games to boost vocabulary acquisition and retention.
ABCmouse: Helped lower-performing students grasp foundational English reading concepts interactively.
Kahoot!: Delivered competitive, real-time quizzes that boosted classroom participation and active engagement.
Measurable Academic Breakthroughs
The research utilized a quantitative experimental design involving 58 seventh-grade students at a public junior high school in Jambi City. The participants were divided equally into an experimental group ($n = 29$), which received game-integrated instruction across 16 sessions, and a control group ($n = 29$), which was taught using conventional methods under the standard curriculum.
At the start of the semester, baseline tests confirmed that both groups had virtually identical English proficiency, with average pre-test scores around $60$ ($t = 0.45$, $p = 0.65$).
After one full semester of intervention, the results demonstrated a major divergence:
Experimental Group (Gamified Learning): Post-test scores jumped significantly to an average of 73 ($SD = 4$).
Control Group (Conventional Learning): Post-test scores rose modestly to an average of 65 ($SD = 6$).
Statistical analysis confirmed that the difference between the two groups was highly significant ($t = -6.334$, $p < 0.001$), yielding a large effect size ($d = 1.63$). This proves that multi-app gamification offers a substantial, measurable advantage over traditional instruction.
Fostering Autonomy and Inclusivity in the Classroom
Beyond higher test scores, the researchers highlighted how gamification elements—such as real-time feedback, leaderboards, points, and digital badges—boosted students' intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning.
By allowing students to track their progress visually and learn according to their personal styles, gamification created a more inclusive, energetic, and supportive classroom environment.
The authors recommend that educators and curriculum designers across Indonesian secondary schools actively adopt multi-platform gamification strategies to fulfill the goals of technology-integrated learning under the national curriculum.
Source: Pratama, A., Wulan, R., Kusmaningrum, M., Arianie, M., & Khoirunnisa. (2026). Enhancing students’ English engagement and competence through educative games. SALEE: Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education, 7(1), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v7i1.2500
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