The use of games to enhance reading comprehension in a EFL class

Abstract

Reading comprehension is not only important as a skill that demonstrates competency in learning a foreign language but it is also a tool that is needed for life. After assessing third grade middle school groups, I found out that reading was one of their weakest skills and thus representing a need in their language learning, thus deriving the main reason for this research. Another factor that influenced the selection of this topic was my previous experience working as a soccer coach where I observed similarities between teaching English and coaching soccer. What inspired me was how games in soccer transformed a task into a very competitive, rewarding and motivating activity. With that in mind my aim was to match aspects of a game into reading tasks in order to improve their reading competency. The lessons used in this researched were designed on Presentation, Practice, Production Approach (PPP), incorporating readings with the use of games. I tried my best to enhance reading through three different games with the characteristics that Lindemans et. al. (2019) suggests. Each lesson analysis was based on Burn´s Framework for reflection which allowed me to derive to the following results. Many students were not attentive to the games, therefore not participating. The evidences that these gamified tasks gave hints of development in reading comprehension from the students within controlled activities in reference to the sub-skill; reading for detail. Lastly, some students continued to rely on the use of Spanish within the class in order to confirm comprehension.