The impact of gamification and cooperative learning on the development of reading comprehension skills

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of gamification combined with cooperative learning on reading comprehension development amongst eighth-grade English as a Foreign Language learners in Ecuador. -Thirty-four students aged twelve to thirteen years participated in a four-week intervention comprising eight structured sessions incorporating gamified elements and cooperative learning structures. -Pre-test and post-test instruments assessed reading comprehension, -vocabulary recognition, -and detail recall capabilities. Quantitative findings revealed statistically significant improvements across all measured dimensions, -with particularly pronounced gains in remembering details (41.7% improvement) and comprehension (35.8% improvement). -Overall reading performance improved by 29.9%, demonstrating the pedagogical effectiveness of integrating game-based mechanics with cooperative learning structures. These results suggest that gamification and cooperative learning constitute complementary instructional approaches capable of enhancing reading engagement and comprehension development in EFL contexts characterised by limited learner motivation and traditional pedagogical methods.