Assessing the impacts of individual and collaborative educational games on english spelling skills among young learners

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of individual versus collaborative game-based learning on spelling skills among young English language learners in Iran. Fifty male students, ages 9–11, were randomly assigned to three groups: collaborative game-based learning, individual game-based learning, and a control group using traditional methods. A pre-test/post-test control group design was employed, using the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) to ensure homogeneity. The intervention involved two interactive spelling games, “Word Scramble” and “Writing Race,” while the control group followed traditional spelling exercises. Results from ANCOVA indicated a significant effect of group type on post-test spelling scores, with the collaborative group achieving the highest scores (η²p =.792). Post hoc comparisons further highlighted the collaborative group’s superior performance over both individual and control groups, with large effect sizes. These findings suggest that collaborative gaming may offer a more effective approach to enhancing spelling skills in young learners compared to individual gaming or traditional methods, highlighting the educational value of peer interaction in language learning.