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ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)

ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXII October 2025

Inonat All the Time: My Daily Routine

Ong Elly, *

Nazirul Mubin Mohd Noor,

Muhammad Khairul Ahmad,

Mohamad Safwat Ashahri

Mohd Salim,

Muhd Syahir Abdul Rani

Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak Branch Seri Iskandar Campus

2,3,4,5

Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak Branch Tapah Campus

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.922ILEIID0022

Received: 22 September 2025; Accepted: 30 September 2025; Published: 22 October 2025

"InOnAt All the Time: My Daily Routine" is an educative board game, designed using the theme of daily

routine to offer structured playful real-life communication in applying prepositions of time which aligns with

Task-Based Language Teaching that proposes assigning meaningful task using authentic materials in real

world situation. According to Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, an enjoyable language game reduces the

affective filter as it brings comprehensible input in a positive and low-stress environment. The learners are

engaged with improved confidence in authentic language use which shows the dual role of the gamification

concept in enhancing linguistic accuracy and communicative fluency in classroom observation. The

effectiveness of the game is surveyed by 51 purposefully selected first-semester diploma students before and

after two weeks of grammar instruction. The results illustrate that learners' comprehension of chosen

grammatical components was statistically significant as the visual and contextualized cues on the board game

helped learners internalize grammar rules more naturally than through drills alone. The participants also

unanimously approved the inexpensive and efficient board game as a supplementary material to complement

traditional grammar teaching for other English language learners.

Keywords: gamification, Task-Based Language Teaching, Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, preposition

of time

INTRODUCTION

English proficiency level learners face difficulty in applying the correct use of prepositions of time “in”, “on”

and “at”. One needs to use prepositions of time in their daily routine whether they are in work or in study.

Traditional grammar practice which consists of monotonous drill can discourage learners from learning the use

of prepositions of time. “InOnAt All the Time: My Daily Routine”, is an educational board game, designed

and developed to aid learners in practising the application of prepositions of time. Learning prepositions of

time through a board game offers multiple benefits for learners. It simplifies complex, abstract grammar rules

into appealing hands-on activities, motivating students to be confident to actively engage using “in,” “on,” and

“at” in real life contexts which assists learning with visual and kinesthetics elements, encouraging teamwork

and support among peers, and prompting problem-solving skills with variety structures repetition to help

language learning.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Gamification in Language Learning

Turning to broader applications, empirical investigations in classroom settings regarding both digital and

physical grammar board games consistently reveal enhanced post-test grammar scores. At the same time, they

also show significantly favourable student evaluations of enjoyment and increased motivation to pursue further

practice (Ash’ari et al., 2024; Zhang & Hasim, 2023). The gamification elements such as rewards, goals, and

turn-taking reduce performance anxiety and promote risk-taking in language production as the learners have a

sense of achievement in a competition progression system. Learners are motivated intrinsically to engage in

language learning through the gratification of solving the given problems. Beyond language learning,

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analogue game-based interventions likewise enhance attention, engagement, and performance across

disciplines, thus affirming the generalisability of board-game advantages to grammar instruction (Hamden

Hamid et al., 2022).

Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis in Language Learning

Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis highlights the function of psychology elements in language learning

which is a core in Second Language Acquisition Theory. It is hypothesized that learners’ motivation,

confidence, anxiety and attitude may notably affect the amount of input to be processed. A high level of

affective filter which could be caused by fear of making mistakes or anxiety may stop or limit the process of

input can impede skill mastery. In contrary, when there are positive supports in the learning surrounding which

enhances positive emotions such as high motivation, the affective filter is low allows learners to be more

receptive that supports the progress towards language acquisition. Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis

brings the attention to the affective process in language learning which was thought only comprises of

cognitive process. It is important to promote an encouraging, low anxiety environment with engaging

activities for confidence in learning. This is helpful for non-native learners mastering language proficiency

within a limited exposure.

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) prioritises language acquisition through pertinent duties, as opposed to

exclusively emphasising grammar instruction. The facilitation of discourse and collaboration enhances

students' linguistic proficiency and engages them. The purposeful development of students' skills is facilitated

by the TBLT technique, which employs engaging, pertinent scenarios and authentic materials (Fan et al., 2024;

Septiyana, 2019). Students enhance their language abilities by engaging in activities that emulate genuine

communication contexts and receiving explicit instruction, as per the theoretical underpinnings of TBLT. This

training method enhances engagement and facilitates comprehension by linking language use with language

acquisition (Quilambaqui & Parra, 2023; Robinson, 2011).

METHODOLOGY

This is a two-week experiment to assess the students’ learning of the prepositions of time "in," "on," and "at"

with two weekly classes in physical English language classrooms. The 51 first semester diploma students were

guided to complete a pre-test survey regarding their opinion of prepositions of time prior to joining the class.

Then, the participants were given a post-test survey to evaluate their comprehension of prepositions of time

after their engagement with “InOnAt All the Time: My Daily Routine”.

There were two sessions of a one-hour classroom observation of 51 students playing the board game.

This board game is carefully designed with the elements of gamification, and with the reference to Krashen’s

Affective Filter Hypothesis, which emphasizes that language acquisition occurs more effectively when learners

experience a low level of anxiety. This hypothesis states that negative emotions such as fear, nervousness, or

stress can create a psychological barrier that prevents knowledge input from being fully processed. The

engaging and enjoyable elements of gamification allow the board game to minimize these affective barriers by

creating a positive and relaxed environment for learning. From a theoretical standpoint, the gamification

elements in learning English language environments aligns with Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis.

Specifically, gamification consistently yields improvements in affective outcomes, particularly when games

promote the usage of grammar rather than explicit error correction which are congruent with the low-anxiety

classroom environment that was proposed by Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis that language is more

effectively acquired under low-filter conditions (Zhang & Hasim, 2023; Pai et al., 2024). Task-Based

Language Teaching (TBLT) assigns tasks in genuine situations which encourage active participation.

Grammar components, particularly the prepositions of time, often regarded as one of the most intimidating

aspects of language learning which can trigger frustration and apprehension among students. The contextual

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tasks not only prepare students but also sustains enthusiasm, motivating students to focus on flow and the

communication while enjoying meaningful practice.

The board game is designed for two to four players which begins with each placing their counters at the

START. Players take turns rolling the dice conforming to the Dice Roll Rules to decide how far their counters

move across the board. As the counters advance, certain spaces on the board serve as checkpoints for grammar

practice activities. Specifically, whenever a counter lands on a red circle, the player must draw one Question

Card. The cards contain practice items related to the use of prepositions of time. Upon drawing a question

card, the player is to read the item on the card aloud before providing an oral response. The answer given is

validated according to the rules stated on the Question Card. The player is rewarded or penalized based on his

or her oral response. A correct oral response allows the counter to be moved two spaces forward on the board

game, as opposed to an incorrect oral response that results in the counter moving backward one space. Then, it

is the next player’s turn to play. The game continues in this manner until a player successfully moves his or her

counter to the END, which signifies the end of the game.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Board Game Is Effective

Based on the perspective of the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) theoretical framework, the findings of

this study show that the board game “InOnAt All the Time: My Daily Routine” acted as a complete task rather

than just a grammar activity. In TBLT, tasks are goal focused activities where language forms are used to

achieve an outcome. In this study, each turn on the board, and every Question Card required learners to

produce time expressions aloud to move their counters forward, making the correct use of in, on and at

essential to progressing in the game. This reflects the task stage in which meaning and form are combined

within an authentic communicative context. The results revealed that most of the participants strongly agreed

on the effectiveness of this board game, with 96.1% of the 51 respondents acknowledging the board game

being a useful and enjoyable medium for learning prepositions of time. This immensely positive response

suggests that incorporating board games into language instruction can significantly enhance students’

motivation and comprehension of content. By turning complex grammar rules into interactive and playful

experiences, learners were able to apply prepositions of time more confidently and accurately.

Board Game Is Fun

The participants expressed that their overall experience with the board game “InOnAt All the Time: My Daily

Routine” as highly positive and rewarding. The participants believed that the game not only supported them

learning prepositions of time but also provided an enjoyable and engaging atmosphere for their practice.

Quantitative results reinforced these perceptions, as the participants gave consistently high mean scores across

several dimensions of positive affect. They specifically strongly agreed that the game was enjoyable (M =

4.31, SD = 0.735), fun (M = 4.27, SD = 0.723), and engaging (M = 4.20, SD = 0.860). Furthermore, the

highest mean score recorded was for the game’s ability to make them happy while learning (M = 4.37, SD =

0.662). These findings suggest that the board game successfully combined meaningful learning opportunities

with elements of enjoyment, which are essential in lowering anxiety and sustaining motivation in language

classrooms. To further validate these positive outcomes, participants’ responses to negatively phrased

statements revealed strong disagreement, suggesting that the game was not perceived as unhelpful or

frustrating. For example, they disagreed with the idea that playing the game was a waste of time (M = 1.35, SD

= 0.716). Similarly, they reported very low agreement with statements suggesting that the activity caused a bad

mood (M = 1.71, SD = 0.965) or feelings of frustration (M = 1.86, SD = 1.000). These low mean scores

demonstrate that the game avoided common pitfalls which are often associated with classroom activities, such

as boredom, stress, or disengagement. The findings of this study provide valid evidence that “InOnAt All the

Time: My Daily Routine” was not only an effective learning tool for practicing prepositions of time but also a

pedagogical approach that enhanced learners’ enjoyment, motivation, and emotional well-being in the process.

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Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXII October 2025

Classroom Observation

51 students were noted to be actively engaged and motivated in playing the board game. Moreover, the

students observed were less anxious while speaking and playing the board game.

CONCLUSION

“InOnAt All the Time: My Daily Routine” is feasible and beneficial for learning prepositions of time. The

positive experiences during gameplay suggest that the board game encourages autonomous learning by self-

progress monitoring using the immediate feedback and self-correction which can contribute towards language

competency in long term language learning.

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