Gamification and Self-Determination Theory in Foreign Language Acquisition: A Conceptual Exploration

This concept paper explores the relationship between gamification and Self-Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan (1985) in the context of foreign language acquisition. Many studies indicated that foreign language learners often struggle with engagement and motivation during language acquisition. Gamification has the potential to improve learners’ engagement during foreign language acquisition and influence the learning outcomes by transforming traditional learning approaches into interactive learning environments. In other words, gamification can help students become more engaged in the language classroom. On the other hand, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) identifies three components that influence students’ motivation during the learning process. These three components, namely autonomy, competence and relatedness, have to be aligned with the game mechanics to be successful engagement tools and motivate learners. This paper inspects the literature review on gamification and SDT and discusses how gamification can be used to fulfil the three components of SDT during foreign language acquisition and thus increase students’ motivation and engagement.

gamification, Self-Determination Theory, Foreign Language Acquisition

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