EFL Speaking Performance in a Universal Design for Learning-Based Gamified Framework: AQuasi-Experimental Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33152/Keywords:
Analytic speaking assessment, EFL, speaking performance, Gamified instruction, Quasi-experimental design, Universal Design for Learning, University EFL contextAbstract
This study examined whether a Universal Design for Learning (UDL)-based gamified framework was associated with differences in EFL speaking performance relative to conventional instruction. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was employed with 42 undergraduate EFL learners enrolled in two intact classes at a public university in Turkey, with one intact class assigned to each instructional condition. One class received UDL-based gamified speaking instruction for 14 weeks, while the comparison class followed conventional speaking instruction under the same syllabus, instructional time, and assessment requirements. We assessed speaking performance using an analytic rubric covering fluency, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary range, and pronunciation, along with an overall speaking score. Two independent raters evaluated all performances, with inter-rater reliability coefficients ranging from .81 to .88. Post-test outcomes were analyzed using ANCOVA with corresponding pre-test scores entered as covariates, and Holm adjustment was applied to the four component-level comparisons. The experimental group achieved a significantly higher adjusted overall speaking score than the control group, F(1, 39) = 26.88, p < .001, partial η² = .41. At the component level, grammatical accuracy remained significant after correction, p < .004, partial η² = .45, as did pronunciation, p = .042, partial η² = .15. Fluency and vocabulary range showed higher adjusted means in the experimental group but did not remain significant after multiplicity correction. The findings indicate that integrating UDL principles with gamified instructional organization is associated with stronger overall speaking performance, while component-level responses differ rather than remaining uniform. The study extends UDL and gamification research into performance-based EFL speaking assessment and supports closer attention to how instructional design relates to distinct dimensions of oral performance.
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