Volume 1 Number 3, November 2021

e-ISSN 2798-6543
p-ISSN 2798-5164
Pages: 109-122

GAME-BASED ENGLISH LEARNING FOR YOUNG LEARNERS:

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Alfi Diotama Saputra1, Livia Septiani2, Rezki Adriani3, Hanna Sundari4

Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
1,2,3,4

Jl. Nangka 58 C Tanjung Barat, Jakarta Selatan, 12530, Indonesia

Corresponding Author(S): alfidsptr@gmail.com

Abstract: Keywords:
Games has been extensively known to increase students' motivation Game-based English
and interest in learning English. However, its main findings and the Learning, TEYL,
trends in English teaching and learning for young learners are still Young Learners,
unknown. To fill the gap, the aim of this study was to examine the systematic review.
application of games-based English learning for young learners. A
literature analysis was conducted to several databases including
Garuda, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Research Gate, Taylor and
Francis, Eric, and Jour. System, and a total of 30 journals were
analyzed through systematic review was used as the research
methodology. The journals were analyzed utilizing a content analysis
method and the data are presented in systematic diagrams and tables.
The result of the study revealed that game-based English learning was
very popular among Indonesian English young learners between the
years 2011-2021. In 2020, the popularity of games based on English
learning was very high. In addition, the most used research method in
game-based English learning studies was quantitative method.
Moreover, game-based English learning was most implemented at the
elementary school levels, and the most learned language skill was to
increase vocabulary. Further analysis of challenges, advantages and
effectiveness related to the use of game- based English learning for
young learners was also illustrated.

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

INTRODUCTION
In the 21st century, we live in a digital world where everyone, from adults to children,
can master technology in the form of gadgets and computers. We are no stranger to
technology, or anything related to the internet. Rapid development and innovation make
the technology very helpful for human activities, it can even be said that humans today
cannot be separated from technology and the internet. Where adults use technology to
make their work easier while children are used to playing games, not only that, almost
everyone loves games. Nowadays, almost all modern technologies use English and
students at elementary schools belong to those who make use of the technology.

109
 11 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

Along with the development of games, not only as games, but now games innovate into
a place where we can learn while playing. Many teachers or schools use games as part
of the learning process, one of which is learning English. According to Hans Daeng (in
Ismail, 2009: 17), game can be “an absolute activity of a child's life and is an integral
part of the process of forming a child's personality”. Educational games can create
children who have good character. Children in general really like games, play activities
are carried out by children at school as a learning process, which requires techniques or
ways to teach early childhood children to learn with characters who like to play.

Haycraft (1978) argues that games are an agreeable way of getting a class to use their
action in English. According to Wright, Betteridge, and Buckby (1984), games foster
students to direct their potential towards language learning by providing relevant
contexts. Games are very important for students and English teachers not only to
provide fun and relaxation but also to encourage students to use their language
creatively and communicatively. Although some English teachers see language games
as spending a lot of time or just for fun, games also have a tremendous role in any
foreign language teaching program because teachers facilitate foreign language
learning, especially for young learners. According to Chang, Kuo, Chen and Hirose
(2009), games are important activities in the learning environment because they can
enhance memorable learning experiences, elevate mood, and make learning effective
and pleasant.

Games provide many advantages for language teachers when used in the classroom.
One of the advantages is that students are motivated to learn the language when they are
in the game. Games motivate and absorb students into the competitive aspects of the
game and try to be more active in the game than in other subjects. In other words,
games stimulate students' interest in classroom activities and as a result, students
become motivated and willing to learn (Avedon, 1971; Quoted in Deesri, 2002). A good
teacher must know it so that they can consider how best to teach them. Moreover,
Usman (2016) said that young learners of English are young learners who learn English.
They are elementary school- age children who receive English lessons as local content
in their schools. Before applying games-based learning in English lessons, Teachers
must be aware of what interests and motivates them. Teachers can develop interesting
and motivational English classes by understanding what interests our pupils (Lastari,
Mustafa & Nur’Aini, 2020).

In the field of teaching English as a foreign language, creative teachers use games as a
method to get students excited about learning, especially for young learners. Bakhsh
(2016) in his journal entitled “Using Games as a Tool in Teaching Vocabulary to Young
Learners” said that young students refer to those who are 5 years old and have just
entered kindergarten until 12 years old and attend elementary school. However, this
opinion cannot be used as a benchmark, because of the influence of their environment,
culture, and genetics. Ana (2018) argues that young students are students who learn
English as a foreign language for the first six to seven years of elementary school level.
Bakhsh (2016) described the younger generation of students as having difficulties in
their virtual environment. They have imaginations that their teacher might misinterpret.
They prefer to work in teams as well as in play. The younger generation likes to speak
first without knowing the meaning. They learn not only from theory but through
behavioral observations. Praise becomes motivation for those who make it very

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 11
important in their development. These characteristics of young learners force English
teachers to be more

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 11 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

creative in designing instructions to keep them interested. Wright, Betteridge, and

Buckby (2006) believe that games can help and encourage students to maintain their
interest, assist English teachers in creating practical and meaningful language situations,
and assist learners in understanding rather than learning the language in a one-way
manner. So, the game is one of the strategies that can be used for motivating young
learners to learn.

In the world of education, teachers are greatly helped by the existence of technology,
especially teachers who teach young learners. Not surprisingly, now English teachers in
Indonesia and other countries use game-based learning in teaching English to young
learners. Several factors need to be considered when teaching English as a foreign
language to young learners. For example, learning should be fun and natural. When
teaching English as a foreign language to young learners, several considerations should
be made, including learning fun and natural, using sounds before written symbols in the
first stage of teaching the language, and starting with what the students already
recognize to inspire association (Septida, 2020). Therefore, the use of game-based
learning is suitable for use in the conditions of the digital generation like today.

Game-based learning is a learning method that uses game applications that have been
specifically designed to assist in the learning process. Game-based learning
development can create an environment that is motivating, fun and enhances creativity.
Game-based learning can be an attractive solution for students because the development
of game-based learning applications has been widely applied. There are many
educational games that we can find on smartphone devices, even many are web-based
applications. The teacher only needs to choose one game that is adapted to the material
that we will provide. The studies of game-based learning for young learners in ELT
have been extensively conducted. However, none of them focused on the main findings
and trends specifically in ELT context. For this purpose of the study, the following
research question were formulated, as follow:

Research Question 1 (RQ 1). What are the trends in game-based English Learning for
young learners?
Research Question 2 (RQ 2). What are the main findings from the available literature?

METHOD
This study used a systematic review method, which is a literature review. Literature
review contains a description of the theory, conclusion, and other research materials
obtained from reference materials to be used as the ground for research activities. The
findings of previous research can be checked for consistency and generalizability to
various scopes or samples using systematic reviews. We have collected and read
numerous articles and have analyzed 30 articles out of them focusing on game-based
English learning for young learners.

Data Collection
On 19 Mei 2021, we search and navigated numerous articles from the selected national
and international journals. A systematic search was conducted in the databases, such as
Web of Science, Sciencedirect, ERIC, Taylor & Francis, Garuda, Google Scholar,
ResearchGate, and Jour system. These databases were selected since they contain the
highest number of education-related studies. The search terms used included ‘Games

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Pages 109-122, Volume 1, Number 3, November
 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 11

based learning for young learners’, ‘Game based learning for young learners in EFL’,
‘Games based learning for ELT young learners’, ‘Games based learning for ESL young
learners’, ‘Games for young learners’, ‘Digital games based learning’, ‘Digital-game
based learning for young learners in EFL’, ‘Digital-games based learning to young
learners’, ‘Digital games based learning in EFL/ESL for young learners’. Only research
studies were included among the results.

Data Analysis

Table 1 Subcategories of research questions

Research Question Sub-categories

 Year Distribution of the studies

(RQ 1) What are the
 Used research method (quantitative, qualitative, mixed,
trends in game-based
etc.)
English learning for
 Education levels
young learners?
 Countries

Studied basic language skills (speaking, reading, listening,

(RQ 2) What are the writing)
main findings from the Advantages
available literature? Challenges
Effectiveness
Source: analyzing journal

All the studies examined in this paper were analyzed and made a matrix reference by
researchers. The researchers employed the content analysis approach for the study,
which is commonly used for textual analyses and enables for data comparison, contrast,
and categorization (Frankael & Wallen, 2000). Microsoft Word was used to construct
the analysis’ results. Each item was summarized, and potential arguments relevant to the
research question were identified and classified. The classification was based on
characteristics such as the goals and research questions, the year, the method, the
countries, the findings, and the conclusion. The form was filled with related information
after a careful reading of each article. After completing the form for each study, also
Microsoft word was used for making a matrix references. As seen in Table 1, the first
research question (RQ1) and related subcategories included descriptive information
which is directly stated in the reviewed articles. The second research question (RQ2)
and related subcategories, on the other hand, sought detailed information about the
reviewed articles. To define the advantages and challenges, the first step was to read all
the studies after which the codes and categories were identified.

Our search for articles to be reviewed returned 85 articles from different databases.
Upon removing the duplicates, there were 65 articles to be reviewed. After an
examination of the titles and abstracts, 30 of those 65 articles were removed since they
were not relevant to ELT and the games-based English learning for young learners.

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 11 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

ERIC (n=10) Taylor & Francis

Garuda Research Gate Jour. System
Google Scholar
Science (n=28) (n=6) (n=3)
(n=15)
direct
(n=5)
(n=18)
Search

Studies after duplicates removed (n=85)

Studies excluded by tittle and abstract (n=35)

Not related to ELT (n=20)
Not related to games based learning (n=15)
Screening
and Eligibility
Studies screened by tittle and abstract (n=85)

Studies excluded by the evaluation of full texts (n=10)

Not related to ELT (n=3)
Explanation (n=4)
Full texts of studies reviewed for egligibility (n=50)
Evaluati Games based learning is presented, but not the core focus (n=3)
on

Included Final studies included (n=30)

Figure 1 Diagram of systematic review process (adapted from Liberati et al., 2009)

Another three were excluded from the study since they were not written in English. The
remaining 50 articles were reviewed for eligibility, and the results showed that three of
the studies were not related to ELT. In addition, other six articles included only
descriptive information about games-based learning method and were not scientific
research studies. In three of the articles, the games-based learning was not the focus of
the research, and thus they were removed from the present study. After the above-
mentioned process, there finally remained a total of 30 studies to be reviewed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results
The Trends in Game Based English Learning

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 11

For the purpose of answering RQ1, the following subcategories were defined and
examined by the researchers: Distribution of the studies by years, Research methods
used in articles, Education levels of samples, and Countries of articles. In the following
section, the subcategories are described in detail.
Year distribution of the studies
The distribution of the studies referring to the game-based learning by years is shown in
Figure 3. The first research into area was published in 2011 (n=3), After which there
was a decrease and an increase in the number of the studies during the 2013 until 2021
period. Meanwhile, the most research on game-based learning is in 2020 (n= 10).
12

10
8
6
4
2

0
2011 2013 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Series 1

Figure 2 The number of articles by year

Research methods used in articles

As shown in Figure 2, the most used research method was
the Quantitative (n = 15). Followed by The Qualitative method (n = 8) and The Mixed
method (n=3). The least commonly used methods were The Research and Development
method (n = 1), The Applied Research method (n = 1), The Prototype method (n = 1),
and The Literature method (n = 1).

Method

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Figure 3 Research methods used in the reviewed article

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 11 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

Education levels of samples

Figure 4 reveals that the vast majority of articles (77%) selected Elementary/Primary
School as the sample, and the remaining group is Pre-School (23%).

EDUCATION LEVELS
Pre-School 23%

Primary/Elementar y School
77%

Figure 4 The education levels of the samples of the reviewed articles

Countries of articles
As shown in Figure 5, the country that mostly applies game-based English Learning
method is Indonesia (n = 17). And, followed by countries that apply Game-Based
English Learning method quite a lot are Iran (n = 4) and China (n = 3). Meanwhile, the
countries that apply game-based learning the least are Poland (n = 1), Turkey (n = 1),
Taiwan (n = 1), India (n = 1), Uzbekistan (n = 1), and Spain (n = 1).

Countries
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Figure 5 The articles by countries.

The main findings from the available literature

In response to RQ2, the subcategories examined by the authors included the studied
basic language skills, advantages and challenges of game-based English Learning,
and

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 11

effectiveness of game-based English learning. The following section covers descriptions

of each category.
Studied basic language skills
As shown in Figure 6 Of the 30 articles, almost every journal contains several skills,
not just one skill in each article. The most learned skill in game based English learning
is Vocabulary (n = 21). Then followed by Speaking skill (n = 5), Grammar skill (n = 4),
Reading skill (n = 4), and the least is Listening skill (n = 2).

5 Speaking Listening Grammar Vocabulary

Writing Reading
2
4
21
3
4

0 5 10 15 20 25

Figure 6 Studied basic language skills of reviewed articles

Advantages of Game-based English Learning

Table 2 reveals the advantages of game-based English learning. The most mentioned
include increasing students’ motivation (n = 13), more entertaining (n = 7), decreasing
studying anxiety (n = 5), improving speaking ability (n = 5), and improving students’
vocabulary (n = 4).
Table 2 The Advantages of Game Based English Learning
Advantages f Sample articles

Increasing students’ Kurniati (2020), Ana (2018), Sukenasa, Shih & Surjono (2020), Aslanabadi &
motivation 13
Rasouli (2013), Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), Halim, Hashim, & Yunus (2020),
Fachriyani & Syafe'i (2018), Bahari (2020), Mahayanti, Kusuma & Wibawa
(2020), Yang, Quadir & Chen (2019), Prasetya, & Patmanthara (2014), Nur,
Ardita, & Oliviera (2020), dan Wulanjani (2016).

Decreasing studying
anxiety
Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), Lastari, Mustafa, & Nur’Aini (2020), Jafarian &
5 Shoari (2017), Mukmin & Sabata (2017), dan Aslanabadi & Rasouli (2013)

More entertaining 7
Gruss (2016), Septida (2020), Dewi & Listiowarni (2019), Muhammad, Rohayati
& Hairi (2020), Jafarian & Shoari (2017), Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), dan
Aslanabadi & Rasouli (2013)

Improving speaking
ability
Aghlara & Tamjid (2011), Rusiana & Nuraeningsih (2016), Halim, Hashim &
5 Yunus (2020), Casas i Faig (2020), Wang & Han (2021)

Improving their learning process and performance

Improving students’
vocabulary

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11 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

4
Kurniat
i
(2020),
Ana
(2018),
Sukena
sa,
Shih, &
Surjono
(2020),
dan
Rusiana
&
Nuraeni
ngsih
(2016)

Yang,
3 Quadir
& Chen
(2019),
Aslanab
adi &
Rasouli
(2013),
dan
Fachriy
ani &
Syafe'i
(2018)

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 11

Increasing their
english learning 2 Prilia, Ratminingsih, & Myartawan (2018) dan Kurniati (2020)
outcomes
(as) effective learning 2 Nur, Ardita & Oliviera (2020), Bakhsh (2016)
tools
Enhancing children’s 1 Aghlara & Tamjid (2011)
fine motor skills
Improving listening 1 Aghlara & Tamjid (2011)
comprehension
Enhancing students' 1 Mahayanti, Kusuma & Wibawa (2020)
interdependence
Enhancing 1 Wulanjani (2016)
unconscious
acquisition of inputs 1 Prasetya & Patmanthara (2014)
Making creative
environment 1 Aslanabadi & Rasouli (2013)
Improving self-
confidence

Challenges of Implementing Game Based English Learning

The process might not be as smooth as expected. Tabel 3 reveals the most commonly
reported challenges as the teacher pays less attention to the approach of student interests
(n = 2), limitations in explaining content and material (n = 1), students only behave
competitively without cooperative (n = 1), and inadequate facilities and technology or
support for the game (n = 1).
Table 3 Challenges of Game Based Learning
Challenges f Sampel article

The teacher pays less attention to the

approach of student interests Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), Zhang (2018,
2 March)
Limitations in explaining content
and material 1 Jafarian & Shoari (2017)

Students only behave competitively

without cooperative 1 Septida (2020)

Inadequate facilities and technology

or support for the game 1 Ana (2018)

The Effectiveness of Game-based English Learning effectiveness

As shown in Tabel 4, a total of 24 articles measured the effectiveness of the game based
english learning for young learners. 20 from 24 studies found out that game based
English learning is effective for young learners, one of the studies was inconclusive
since both positive and negative result were obtained, and three studies concluded that
no difference for young learners.
Tabel 4 Findings of the articles about the effectiveness of the Game Based Learning
Findings f Sampel article

More Effective 20
Wang & Han (2021), Wulanjani (2016), Andreani & Ying
(2019), Muhammad, Rohayati, & Hairi, (2020), Sultanova,
(2011), Prilia, Ratminingsih, & Myartawan, (2018), Aghlara &
Tamjid (2011), Kurniati (2020), Halim, Hashim & Yunus
(2020), Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), Rusiana & Nuraeningsih

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12 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna
(2016), Ana (2018), Rasouli (2013), Jafarian & Shoari (2017), Mahayanti, Kusuma
Gruss. (2016), & Wibawa (2020), Sukenasa, Shih & Surjono, (2020), Casas i
Aslanabadi & Faig (2020), Bahari

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 12

(2020), Lastari, Mustafa, & Nur’Aini (2020), Fachriyani &

Syafe'i. (2018).

More effective
and
1 Yang, Quadir & Chen (2019)
/ or makes no
difference

Bakhsh (2016), Prasetya & Patmanthara (2014), Mahayanti &

No Difference 3 Wibawa (2020)

Discussion
In this study, 30 articles reviewed from web of sciencedirect, ERIC, Taylor & Francis,
Garuda, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Jour system were analyzed in terms of the
main findings and the trends. Based on the research that we have researched; it can be
concluded that game-based learning is very helpful for teachers in the learning process
for young learners in learning English.

The analysis shows that after experiencing ups and downs in the number of articles
about game based English learning for young learners, a rapid increase occurred in
2020. And the perceived benefits after using this method may be one of the reasons for
the increase in the number of studies. It can be seen that there is a strong interest in this
topic especially in 2020, which shows an increase in popularity in the coming years but
unfortunately this method is experiencing a very rapid decline in 2021. This maybe the
game based English learning method is difficult to implement due to the pandemic. In
the articles analyzed, the most commonly used research method is the quantitative
method, which may be due to the urge to statistically examine the relationship between
the use of game-based learning in English learning to young learners. Despite the high
proportion of quantitative study methods, such studies are rare in the literature, research
and development, applied research, and prototypes. For example, our search retrieved
30 studies that met the criteria for study in the current study. However, empirical data
relating to the effects of games- based learning for young learners 24 of the 30 studies
reviewed indicate that there is still a lack of research in the field.

In the study studied, the sample group that was most widely applied was elementary
school students, and preschool students that used game-based English learning. At last,
a review study in the literature shows that in research on educational technology, game-
based learning is widely chosen by teachers to teach young learners. They prefer young
learners because they are easier to give input through games as learning aids.

This systematic review reveals a number of studies on games-based learning for young
learners in various countries, with Indonesia hosting the highest number of studies.
Conducting more research on the use of classroom methods for young learners in
countries with different cultures and educational trends could offer broad and useful
insights into the topic. By preparing the media you want to use, then paying attention to
extra time to control facilities, applications and interactions in the classroom. Thus, this
can lead to a greater opportunity to increase unconscious inputs (Wulanjani, 2016).
Systematically from the articles reviewed in this study, the most common vocabulary
was investigated. The lowest language skill is listening. Studies for those language
skills, however, are still rather scarce in the literature. Future research may be able to
provide
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 12 Alfi Diotama Saputra, Livia Septiani, Rezki Adriani, Hanna

deep insights into the effective use of games-based learning methods for young learners
by reporting improvements in language skills.

This article states the various benefits provided by the games-based learning method in
the field of learning and teaching English. The benefits that are most often obtained are
motivating students, decreasing anxiety and entertaining to complete their tasks in
learning English. Therefore, Games can provide a stimulating and motivating learning
environment in the classroom by providing an engaging, exciting, and intriguing
environment (Fachriyani & Syafe’i, 2018).

According to Jafarian & Shoari (2017), games make learning materials more interesting
for students, i.e., they make uninteresting materials more exciting for them. It allows to
make it easier for teachers to carry out learning activities so that students get good
learning outcomes. Therefore, effective and significant results are not impossible. The
articles reviewed in this study confirm that games based learning for young learners
show that this method helps students improve their speaking ability, vocabulary
mastery, their performance and increasing English learning outcomes. However, the
research results differ from Yang, et. al. (2019) which states that the high-trait EI
students, there was no significant association between gaming performance and learning
performance. More specifically, the result show that the greater the gaming
performance, the better the learning performance in the game for students with low
characteristic EI. This may not be a big problem because the results of research with this
method have stated a lot of significant results. However, the games based learning
method for young learners may also cause difficulties for some teachers or students.

In the reviewed studies, the challenges encountered are the teacher pays less attention to
the approach of student interests (Yolageldili & Arikan, 2011). Furthermore, Jafarian &
Shoari (2017) states the challenges that limitations in explaining content and material.
Also, students only behave competitively without cooperative (Septida, 2020). Other
challenges and disadvantages found are facilities and technology that do not support
(Ana, 2018) maybe something like this happened because the teacher wanted a games
based learning method for young learners through digital media but was hampered
because the facilities did not exist at the school, but such an event could be done with
traditional games without involving technology. Teachers should also pay attention to
whether the facilities support or not before implementing digital games.

The findings of this study can help teachers and researchers develop ideas about reverse
classroom practice in education. A ubiquitous game-based English learning system,
according to Liu and Chu (in Yang, J. C. et al., 2019), could boost learning motivation
and performance, as well as learning effectiveness and satisfaction, so that it can
provide benefits in increasing student involvement in the classroom when learning
activities take place. Young learners have a higher chance of developing their ideas or
ideas because they have a sense of enjoyment and pleasure when learning English.
Games-based learning for young learners also pave the way for better education,
especially in learning English because this method is suitable for young learners to
provide comfort for students such as learning while playing. Zhang (2018) argued that
the focus of a games-based approach should be on the students' interests. Therefore, the
English teacher must use the right game in teaching because usually the teacher
spends more time just to prepare,

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 Game-Based English Learning for Young Learners: A Systematic 12

explain and play without paying attention to the time to study or practice, so that there is
less time to do the exercises. However, the insertion of character values in games-based
learning is the right step to instill character values for early childhood (Prasetya, et.al.,
2014). Maybe this can be applied to produce students with good character. Furthermore,
teachers who introduce games-based learning for young learners should know how this
method works and what must be achieved before starting learning to get the best
learning outcomes.

CONCLUSION
Game-based English learning has proven to be very helpful for teachers and students in
learning activities as described in the discussion above. However, just as other methods
have their drawbacks, so too is this method. Based on the research we found that there
are still things that need further research. Beside the advantages of using games as a
learning tool, it still has some disadvantages which need to be concerned. Game based
learning makes student have more anxiety because there is a pressure to choose the right
answer among the group of learning. In the group of learning, students may over-active
that makes a crowd while learning. Moreover, some games maybe not entertaining
students anymore because the frequency of using the game. Suggestions for the future
researchers might research to find solutions regarding the drawbacks of using games in
learning English. And the research should not be limited to the level of young learners
but can be raised to the higher level of education.

1. Recommendations for future research

- There need to be more studies into implementing game-based English learning
for junior high school, senior high school, and university
2. Recommendations for practitioners
Educators must be able to adjust the conditions of students and teaching materials in
the use of this method to have a positive impact on learning

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