GAMIFICATION IN SPECIALISED SECONDARY EDUCATION: ENHANCING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO LEARN ENGLISH

Abstract

The article examines the potential of gamification in the educational process as an effective tool for enhancing the motivation to learn among high school students. The psychological and pedagogical potential of gamification in foreign language teaching and its impact on fostering a positive attitude toward learning are substantiated. The main factors influencing students’ motivation levels, as well as the specific features of implementing gamified elements in the educational process, are identified.

The purpose of the article is to study the feasibility of gamification as a means of developing the motivation of specialized secondary school students to learn English.

The research methodology is based on the analysis of scientific and methodological literature on gamification in education, the generalization of contemporary pedagogical experience, and empirical methods, including surveys of 10th–11th grade students and English language teachers in order to identify motivation levels and the specifics of using gamification in the educational process.

The scientific novelty lies in identifying and theoretically substantiating the psychological and pedagogical mechanisms underlying gamification's impact on the motivation of specialized secondary school students, as well as in developing a stage-based model for implementing gamification in English language teaching that includes motivational-stimulating, activity-based gamified, and reflective stages.

The conclusions indicate that motivation is a key factor in successful foreign language learning, as it determines the intensity, duration, and quality of material acquisition and influences students’ ability to engage in independent and conscious learning. The analysis of student and teacher surveys has shown that high school students require more interactive, dynamic, and personalized learning formats, and that gamification is one of the most effective tools for enhancing their motivation. The study summarizes current research on gamification, which has enabled identification of its psychological and pedagogical mechanisms, including the enhancement of intrinsic motivation, the development of a sense of progress, and the satisfaction of needs for autonomy, competence, and social interaction.