The role of educational electronic games in developing oral production Among non-speaking Arabic language learners

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the role of educational electronic games in developing oral production among non-native learners of Arabic through the implementation of an educational program based on electronic games using the A B T Educational Platform. The study was motivated by the need to employ modern instructional strategies that capitalize on digital technologies to enhance Arabic language learning and provide interactive learning environments that foster learners' engagement and active participation in oral communication. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. The sample consisted of 60 beginner-level sixth-grade learners enrolled in a public school in Newark, New Jersey, United States. The participants were randomly assigned to two equivalent groups: an experimental group that received instruction through the educational program based on electronic games and a control group that was taught using conventional instructional methods. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher employed a questionnaire to identify the major challenges learners encountered in oral communication, as well as a pre-test and post-test to assess their oral production before and after the implementation of the program. The findings revealed statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the experimental group in favor of the post-test. The results also showed statistically significant differences between the mean post-test scores of the experimental and control groups in favor of the experimental group. These findings indicate that the educational program based on electronic games effectively enhanced learners' oral production, increased their participation in classroom activities, and strengthened their confidence in using Arabic in communicative situations. The study recommends expanding the integration of educational electronic games into Arabic language programs for non-native speakers, providing professional development programs for teachers on designing interactive digital learning activities, and encouraging educational institutions to incorporate game-based learning strategies into Arabic language curricula.

Keywords: Educational Electronic Games; Oral Production; Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language; Game-Based Learning; Digital Learning.