Irreplaceability of Gamification as a Pedagogical Strategy for Enhancing Simile Proficiency to Primary School Learners

Abstract

Despite existing research on improving simile proficiency, there remains a gap regarding gamification. This study examined the irreplaceability of gamification pedagogical strategy in enhancing simile proficiency at a South African primary school. The population of this study comprised 31 English First Additional Language educators. Following a 20% population sampling norm, six educators were purposively selected for participation in the study. A qualitative approach was employed to obtain an in-depth understanding of gamification strategy in enhancing simile proficiency, using lesson observations and semi-structured interviews for data collection. Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret the data due to its robustness in systematically organising large datasets into well-defined and coherent themes. The findings exhibited that while learners initially struggled with similes, incorporating gamification by educators significantly improved their understanding and engagement. The limitations of this study were the sample size and time constraints, since only 25 minutes were allocated to each lesson. The implication of this study is that the incorporation of gamification strategies in lessons benefits educators and learners. Future researchers can investigate the indispensability of gamification strategies in improving simile proficiency among primary school learners. The study recommends frequent integration of gamification pedagogical strategies to enhance simile proficiency.