Game based learning through Web 2.0 in developing speaking skills

Speaking is very important for human in terms of expressing himself or herself. Speaking skill has been one of the most important skills that human beings up to today. In formal education institutes speaking education consists of learning outcomes that students will use in their whole lives. The aim of this study is to state the effect of web-based game workshop process on the fifth-grade students' speaking skills. In the study mixed method was preferred in which both qualitative and quantitive data are used together. In the scope of the research 14 game-based workshops were developed. The application of the workshops was handled in the second term of the 2020-2021 distance education year by using Web 2.0 tools. The study group consists 10 fifth grade students who study at a secondary school in İstanbul. The study was conducted with one group. The data of the study was collected by observation, prepared speaking evaluation form, unprepared speaking evaluation form, dialog evaluation form, researcher practice evaluation form, student interview form and teacher interview form. In order to determine the effect of the game-based learning process literature review has been done and related syllabi have been investigated before the application. As a result of the analyses, observations and expert opinions speaking outcomes have been determined and game-based workshops have been prepared by the researcher. The application process went on for 14 weeks. Before the application the speaking level of the students was identified. In the application process research memoirs was kept by the researcher. At the end of the each workshop self-evaluation form was filled out by the students and researcher application evaluation form was filled out by the researcher. After the application, in order to determine the effect of the game-based workshops on the speaking skill, post-test was applied. At the same time after the application semi-structured interviews were done with the study group students and the branch teachers of the students. As the results of the tests which were applied in order to determine the speaking skills and to analysing the development of the study group, the mean of the prepared speaking pre-test was :32,5000, posttest mean was found out as :63,000; the mean of the unprepared speaking pre-test was : 36,3000, posttest mean was found out as :54,5000; the mean of the dialogue pre-test was :43,0000, posttest mean was found out as :64,4000. Being meaninly more successful in the posttes shows us that game-based learning workshops develop students speaking skills. Except the first workshop, meaningful relationships were determined between the self-evaluation forms, which were filled out at the end of the workshop by the students, and the researcher application observation forms. Researcher memoirs and students' opinions also support this data. On the other hand, students stated that they found game-based workshop funny and they would like to play the games again in the future. When the opinions of the students in the study group were analysed, it was seen that all the students stated that workshop process contributed their speaking skills. The opinions of the branch teachers, who are giving lessons to the students in the study group, aso supports the results of the study. As a result the game-based worksop applications, which were applied during the research process, it can be said that applications contribute and develop the speaking skills of the students.