Work

Supporting early years L1 and L2 grammar acquisition through an e-learning game: A case study of Estonian go + destination construction

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The article describes a pilot Estonian grammar game developed for young learners' L1 and L2 acquisition of the Estonian go + destination 'minema + kohasõna' construction created on the ALPA Kids platform and explores the general possibilities of supporting the acquisition of grammar through a digital game environment.In the development of the game, the Octalysis Framework (Chou 2019) and the options of grammar acquisition tasks introduced by Doughty (2003) are combined.The data collection method is gamified crowdsourcing, and data collected through the application are used to investigate which factors contribute to success rates of the grammar game and what differences can be found among Estonian and Russian native speakers in the support of the acquisition.In the study, implicit grammar teaching is integrated into an e-learning game by embedding grammar rules within engaging tasks.The results showed that repeated gameplay improved performance, leading to the conclusion that gamification can effectively support grammar acquisition, although personalised approaches are needed to address specific challenges.

Source: Eesti Rakenduslingvistika Ühingu aastaraamat Estonian Papers in Applied Linguistics

DOI: 10.5128/erya21.08

Author: Kelly Lilles

Institutions: Institute of the Estonian Language, Tallinn University

Language: English

Topic: Educational Games and Gamification

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Eesti Teadusagentuur, Tallinna Tehnikaülikool