On the Improvement of EFL Students' Virtual Interaction via Game-Based Tasks

The role of games in improving EFL students’ motivation to participate in interactive practices has been highly emphasized in the past research. Notwithstanding, the students in Iranian schools fail to interact effectively in online language classes due to their reluctance to get involved in interactive activities. Given this, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of using game-based tasks on the improvement of Iranian students' virtual interaction in EFL classes. The subjects included ۳۵ female students in the seventh grade of a junior high school in Tabriz, Iran. The research was conducted through Classroom Action Research in four steps: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Innovative game-based activities designed to improve the interaction between students were applied, including Roleplay, This or That, Café owner, and Let's make a salad. The data were collected and triangulated using interviews, tests, and class observation. The findings revealed that the use of games could improve students’ interaction in online language classes. The results can yield useful implications for language teachers and materials developers.

کلیدواژه ها:

Action Research ، Virtual Interaction ، Game-Based Tasks ، EFL Students