Rock or Lock? Gamifying an online course management system for pronunciation instruction

Focus on English /r/ and /l/

Authors

  • Michael Barcomb Concordia University
  • Walcir Cardoso Concordia University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.36996

Keywords:

L2 pronunciation instruction, gamification, metaphonological awareness

Abstract

This one-group quasi-experimental study aimed to determine the effectiveness of using a gamified course management system with points, badges (and consequently competition) to facilitate the development of English phonology in a foreign language context in Japan. To implement this idea, we focused on the acquisition of English segments /r/ and /l/ in production (as in /r/ock and /l/ock respectively). During the study, participants were asked to engage in gamified pronunciation activities over a period of two weeks, using a popular learning site (Moodle). The data collection instruments included pre- and posttests to examine the production development of /r/ and /l/ (using controlled aural elicitation tasks), a written follow-up questionnaire, and user logs to investigate users' perceptions of the pedagogy utilized. The results indicate that participants benefited from the proposed gamified system for L2 pronunciation instruction, as they improved their production of the target English /r/ and /l/ segments. In addition, responses from the interviews and user logs revealed that participants perceived using the site as enjoyable, anxiety-reducing, and pedagogically useful. 

Author Biographies

  • Michael Barcomb, Concordia University

    Michael Barcomb is a PhD student in Education (specialization in Applied Linguistics) at Concordia University. His research interests include the use of games and gamification in L2 pedagogy and the role of teachers as CALL designers.

  • Walcir Cardoso, Concordia University

    Walcir Cardoso is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at Concordia University. He conducts research on the L2 acquisition of phonology, morphosyntax and vocabulary, and the effects of computer technology (e.g., clickers, text-to-speech synthesizers, automatic speech recognition) on L2 learning. 

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Published

2020-06-04

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How to Cite

Barcomb, M., & Cardoso, W. (2020). Rock or Lock? Gamifying an online course management system for pronunciation instruction: Focus on English /r/ and /l/. CALICO Journal, 37(2), 127-147. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.36996