Exploring a Teacher’s Strategies in Implementing Gamification in EFL Reading Classroom

Abstract

The integration of gamification in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading classrooms provides alternative avenues for interactive instruction and formative assessment. This qualitative case study explored a teacher’s strategies in implementing gamification in an EFL reading classroom and identified the challenges encountered during its implementation. The study focused on one experienced English teacher and a Grade XI class at a senior high school in Karawang, West Java. Data were collected through non-participant classroom observations, a semi-structured teacher interview, and instructional artifact analysis, and analyzed using the qualitative data condensation framework of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The findings revealed that gamification was implemented through distinct pedagogical phases to evaluate students' comprehension of narrative texts, focusing on literal recall, contextual vocabulary, and main ideas. The teacher deliberately differentiated digital platforms: Kahoot was preferred for structured formative assessment and immediate feedback, whereas Blooket served for engagement and review. Crucially, the teacher practiced assessment moderation by examining item-level response patterns rather than accepting platform leaderboards, recognizing that scores were frequently distorted by guessing behaviors and speed mechanics. Infrastructural challenges, including limited smartphone battery and unstable connectivity, were managed through contingency collaborative device-sharing. The study emphasizes that effective gamification in EFL reading depends fundamentally on the teacher's adaptive instructional strategies, critical assessment literacy, and technological readiness.