ISSN : 2476-9789 (Print) 2581-0413 (Online)

Vol. 9, No. 1, APRIL 2023

DEVELOPING STUDENT’S SELF-ESTEEM IN SPEAK-

ING USING GAMIFICATION APPROACH OF KINDER-
GARTEN STUDENT IN ESL CLASS
Anita Anggraeni 1 , Anggy Pradita 2*
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, IKIP Siliwangi
Germanistik-Anglistik Science, University of Münster

Abstract
Children interact with other children, their parents, and other adults as they acquire language. A
child can readily acquire two or more languages at once as long as they are conversing with
speakers of those languages on a regular basis.. The purpose of this study is to investigate the
connection between the use of offline games and young students' self-esteem in speaking English.
The researchers' interpretation of the children's written material served as the foundation for the
majority of this study's conclusions. In terms of enhancing self-esteem, the data analysis showed
numerous evident benefits for all students. The students were free to exercise their independence
and display qualities about themselves. ESL students had the same opportunity to compete with
their classmates for the limited time that they took part in these activities. This study used a
qualitative approach and conducted a pilot test on pre-school students. This research was con-
ducted at Learning Tots Kindergarten located on Sri pohaci Street, Bandung, Indonesia. The study
was conducted on 19 students of Learning Tots Kindergarten. The students were given time to
play for 30-60 minutes every day for 2 weeks. The games included matching, bingo, and cha-
rades. The study was distinctive in that the students produced written summaries of the game
events. The basis of this study's data gathering is qualitative information obtained from observa-
tions and conducted interviews. This research was conducted using qualitative methods. Where
data analysis is based on interviews with research subjects regarding the impression they feel after
playing the game. Furthermore, the researcher also saw and analyzed the students' behavior
through observation techniques.

Keywords: esl student, game,self-esteem

🖂 Corresponding author :
Email Address : Anggy.pradita@uni-muenster.de

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INTRODUCTION
English language instruction in ESL classes is designed to help students develop their
communicative skills so that they can produce written and oral language in social contexts. The
importance of vocabulary development cannot be overstated because comprehension is the
primary goal of reading. A large vocabulary improves all aspects of communication, including
speaking, reading, listening, and writing. It can be both highly thrilling and tough to learn English
as a second language (ESL). It has been demonstrated that students with higher levels of
motivation and self-assurance do better in English classes. ( Melani, B. Z., Roberts, S., & Taylor,
J. (2020).
Teachers and scholars have long focused their attention on students' motivation and
confidence as they learn English. New technologies are continually being developed in today's
world. One of these techniques for enhancing the teaching-learning process is the use of online
games in ESL classes. Games are enjoyable activities that encourage curiosity, interaction, and
problem-solving.
Based on previous research, it was found that sensation seeking has a significant effect
on online game addiction. This may be because sensation seeking is a way for individuals to
overcome their boredom, and online games provide psychological or physiological stimulation
and rewards for thrill seekers (Mehroof & Griffiths, 2010 in Idriyani, 2022). Research conducted
by Idriyani ( 2022) states that there is a link between the game a child chooses and the
development of their self-esteem. Low self-esteem is a common trait in people who are addicted
to online games.
This study aims to determine whether offline games can boost students' self-confidence
in this respect. The contested game is one that encourages interplay between a number of students
in a straightforward manner. Children learn language by interacting with other children, as well
as their parents and other adults. All typical children raised in typical homes and exposed to
language will learn the language spoken there. And, as long as they are constantly interacting
with speakers of those languages, a child can easily learn two or more languages at the same time.
Gaming with others is an excellent medium for increasing children's vocabulary.
Children learn language quickly, easily, and without any formal instruction.Even if
parents or other caregivers do not teach their children to speak, they play an important role in
their development by conversing with them. Children who are never spoken to will never learn
to speak. Furthermore, interaction with the child must take place in that language.
In this era of accountability, standardized testing, and outcomes-based education, it
appears that there is little room for games in an kindergarten curriculum. Even during the years
when child-centered education was heralded as a model for schools, there was little to no time set
aside for games, especially student in kindergarten. Erozkan (2013) investigated that early
childhood programs encourage game because it is a fundamental part of their guiding philosophy.
Kindergarten s avoid it because their primary focus is on academic achievement. According to
her, the decision to exclude the game is a philosophical one that represents the ethos of the school.
As she says,
“Game's omission stems from a philosophical choice that reflects the importance of
achievement in schools. On the other hand, the predominance of game and constructive activity
in conventional classrooms for young children is a reflection of the respect for child growth and
the importance of individuality, personal competence, and learner” activity. (p. 195)
As instructors, teacher still clearly recall the exceptional ones who Teachers and parents
may both stimulate and support a child's development of self-esteem. The attitude and behavior
of the teenager at home and school are reflections of their level of self-esteem (Mogonea and
Mogonea, 2014). Teenagers who have high levels of self-esteem exhibit the following traits: they
can positively influence others' opinions and behaviors; they approach unfamiliar situations
positively and confidently; they have a high level of tolerance for frustration; they take on early

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responsibilities; they assess situations correctly; they express positive feelings about themselves;
they succeed in exercising good self-control and the conviction that the things they do are right
(Basabas, M. C., & Sibley, C. G. 2020)

METHODOLOGY
This research uses a qualitative approach with an experimental research type. According to
Livingstone at al. (2014), experimental research methods can be interpreted as research methods
used to determine the effect of certain treatments on other treatments under controlled conditions.
Based on this view, it can be understood that experimental research is always carried out by treat-
ing research subjects and then seeing the effects of the treatment. The research design used was a
pre- experimental design with a pre-test-post-test design model set. The reason for this design is
the pre-test before treatment, which can provide a more accurate picture of the treatment results
because it can be compared with before treatment. Researchers conducted a trial of 2 times. Then
the researcher conducted a post-test to compare the results of the treatment with the pretest that
had been done at the beginning.
This study was carried out at the Learning Tots Kindergarten in Bandung, Indonesia, which
is located on Sri Pohaci Street. 19 Learning Tots Kindergarten 10 students participated in the
study. For two weeks, the students were allowed to play for 30 to 60 minutes each day. Matching,
bingo, and charades were among the games. The study was unique in that the students summa-
rized the game's events in writing. The qualitative data used in this study's data collection were
gathered through observations and interviews. Qualitative research methodologies were used to
carry out this study. a situation when data analysis is based on interviews with research partici-
pants about their impressions following the game. Also, the researcher used observational tech-
niques to observe and assess the behavior of the students.
The study initiated a research to investigate the effects of providing game opportunities of
19 kindergarten students from various ethnic backgrounds in one of kindergarten in Bandung
Indonesia. Students were given 30 to 60 minutes to play games such as pictionary races,bingo,
charades, and matching games. Those games were provided for a junior division class was ex-
tremely unusual in and of itself. The study was unique in that the children make a writing report
after the game events. This study's findings were primarily based on how the researchers inter-
preted the children's written documentation. The conclusion of this study is thus much more
closely aligned with the children's written documentation, which was largely interpreted by the
researchers.
The information in this research was gathered from a qualitative study intended to uncover
the effects of giving students offline games. Games that require students to actively interact with
other students. The writer believe that game had a big impact on ESL children by promoting
communication and socializing while also fostering independence and self-esteem, which was
one of the main themes the researcher identified. Therefore, this research (a) justifies the use of
game in classrooms for kindergarten children ; (b) defines game; and (c) discusses the specific
effects of game on ESL students,

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. RESULTS

The researcher used entertaining games like "who is she?" and "landmark" in speaking
lesson at the site of my research. The students appeared to be really engaged in the enjoyable
games the entire time. Their level of interest in the class was rising. The pupils are more interested
and make an effort to speak English as much as they can. The pupils were more at ease to convey

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their ideas without worrying about making grammatical mistakes thanks to the use of games. For
instance, the students could openly express their ideas by using English in the games "Who is
she?" "Who is he?" and "Who am I," even though they occasionally made pronunciation mistakes.
The students were encouraged to speak up by using entertaining activities because they had
to compete with each other to win. For instance, in the small class activity "Hit and Run," the
children were really engaged, asking the teacher questions and attempting to hit the flashcard as
quickly as they could to win. The classroom sprung to life, instantly easing their boredom and
fatigue.
For some games, students must form groups to work together. The students were able to
talk to one another through this approach. the "Landmarks" video game
The material must be provided collaboratively to students. Before explaining the picture
to others, the students in groups should share their insights pertaining to what they know about it.
The games can also be used to combine two or more different languages. The game "Run
and Hit," for instance, encourages students to practice their speaking and listening skills. Prior to
sprinting in front of the class and hitting one of the flash cards during the game, the two students
in the corner must pay attention to the other players' queries. That indicates that they should work
on their listening skills. The other students naturally work on their oral communication skills by
posing questions to the teacher based on the flashcard's image. It has also been proven that utiliz-
ing games to learn a language helps students develop their listening and other language skills in
addition to their speaking abilities.

2. DISCUSSIONS
Accrording to Powell (2017), games have the following characteristics,
1. internal drive;
2. attention to the process rather than product;
3. kid-controlled activity;
4. lack of externally imposed rules; and
5. active involvement.

The first attribute supports the children's perception of game enjoyment. A child will be
intrinsically motivated to continue with an activity if it is enjoyable, not because it will bring them
praise or good grades, but simply because it will make them happy. As a result, Baquedano-
López (2013) observes that "the enjoyment factor eventually emerges as the most important dis-
tinguishing feature separating work experiences from game experiences" (p. 145). Abazaoğlu
(2015) reached a similar conclusion, stating that "game is primarily an enjoyable activity that is
driven by internal desires and occurs for no other reason than that" (p. 59).
Motivation is seen as a motivator for reaching a particular goal. The hypothesis of Gardner
(in Ahmadi, 2017) states that motivation is a type of primary mental engine or energy-center that
combines effort, wish or will (cognition), and task enjoyment (affect). Motivation is the major
force behind starting L2 learning, and it is a prerequisite for all other L2 acquisition elements to
some degree. Andrade at al ( 2020) stated that even those with the most extraordinary ability
cannot attain long-term goals without sufficient motivation, and suitable curricula and effective
instruction are insufficient on their own to guarantee student achievement.
Learner confidence is another factor in good ESL instruction. Self-confidence and studying
foreign languages are positively correlated, according to researchers. Self-confidence is men-
tioned as a crucial construct in the context of learner-centered learning and curriculum reform.
(Livingstone at al, 2014). Self-confidence typically results from prior experiences with either
good or negative language. Learning new languages might suffer from low self-confidence, which
can also result in mental illnesses like insecurity, fear, anxiety, and antisocial behavior. Strong

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self-confidence motivates language learners to advance their skills, which produces favorable
outcomes (Huang, C. L., Yang, S. C., & Chen, A. S. 2015)
Being able to utilize English in many social and business contexts and with persons from
various cultural and professional backgrounds is a sign of a confident language No matter their
level, confident language learners are happier, more successful, and more willing to participate in
English-language conversations. According to Gardner in Ahmadi (2017) the learning environ-
ment and language learner confidence are related. Therefore, fostering learner confidence is
closely associated with teachers' behavior and the activities that students are forced to participate
in (Dörnyei, Z., & Chan, L. 2013).
Second, the game is about the activity rather than the outcome. In almost every situation at
school, children are evaluated based on how well they perform on a specific task. However, when
gaming, participants only have to please themselves, so they don't have to worry about the end
result (Bishop, J. C. (2016). The level of internal satisfaction that the children feel after complet-
ing the activity determines whether or not they choose to continue gaming. When the students say
"relax a little" and "having fun without pressure," they may be implying this aspect of the game.
The enjoyment a child feels while gaming stems from both the activity and the sense. When
a child plays a game, she is satisfied by the game itself as well as the happiness she derives from
"doing" rather than "achieving." The employed child, on the other hand, is focused on producing.
The emphasis on individual differences has practically ignored some possibly significant areas of
research into creativity (Amabile, 2018).
Baquedano-López (2013) describes improvisatory game as "programs conducted by the
teacher," yet older primary school students refer to these activities as game if they find them
enjoyable. She asserts that "Children like gaming instruments for a variety of reasons. These
games may provide physical exercise; they may be undemanding and need little work; they might
enable social contact between, foster personal expression, or include attractive content" (p.146).
She also makes it clear that this instrumental game is not the spontaneous, child-controlled, pro-
cess-oriented game that was the focus of the study that served as the foundation for this piece.
Although students in upper kindergarten s refer to these activities as game, instrumental
game activities differ greatly from the spontaneous game activities typically associated with stu-
dents. Most fundamentally, instrumental actions are neither autonomous or voluntary and they
further objectives other than those of the participants. Teachers plan these events to incorporate
amusing components, but they keep control of the setting and don't allow the gameful parts to
overshadow the academic contents. (p. 146)
Games are typically not included in research on game since they are linked to externally
imposed rules. However, in spontaneous game, children are free to direct their own game without
being restricted by the boundaries established by a structured set of procedures. I think it's possi-
ble to incorporate games as a game characteristic based on my observations of children at game.
(Bana, S., Sajedi, F., Mirzaie, H., & Rezasoltani, P. 2017).
Finally, game necessitates the participants' active participation. The students will be ac-
tively involved in the game for however long it lasts on an intellectual, physical, emotional, and,
depending on the activity, social level. This is the reason why a study participant's youngster
stated that "game is to perform things in an active way." The idea that game gamers are actively
involved is further supported by Saracho's (2013) perspectives on game. He explains: "Children
learn through game, which is a hands-on activity. Children who are gaming are actively moving,
manipulating, and exploring their surroundings rather than being passive spectators ".
As previously said, the researcher conducted this research largely using the children's own
written recollections of their game. The researcher instructed these students—especially the ESL
students—who had trouble expressing themselves in writing to do what they could and, if they
liked, to draw images of what they were doing. When there was time, the researcher asked the
students what they thought about their sketc hand then records what they had to say. Additionally,

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the researcher would confirm what one child had reported about the game by comparing it with
the testimonies of her/his game mates and with the researcher’s field notes for those game epi-
sodes where an ESL child was socially involved.
According to this research, game helps ESL students in the following ways. First, children
who had trouble communicating in English were able to form friendships through game. This data
linear with De Wilde, V., Brysbaert, M., & Eyckmans, J. (2020) stated, that ESL students were
observed gaming alone while creating or gaming cut-and-paste with trash.
Second, via game, children who are unable to socialize with others due to linguistic barriers
can function independently and experience achievement. One kid illustrated his reports by using
examples to show how he made good use of the game time (Getty, 2020). The student was able
to show independence during all of the game times, whether it was by building with honing string
skills, or creating with garbage.
In the researcher’s observations, the researcher noted that three students who had recently
transferred from another school and who also had limited English proficiency, temporarily be-
came perplexed by the game's rules. Those students actually kept their characters in a designated
area of the classroom so they could add to his collection on a weekly basis.
A different student, who had recently transferred from a rural school, devoted hours of
continuous game to creating the game's rules and ensuring that it had to be gamed three times.
However, every student makes an effort to mentor their friends. In all three situations, the students
would show me what they had completed and smile as a way of expressing their joy with their
friends.
Third, the ESL student could not be on an equal footing with the other students in the class
other than during these game times. Typically, ESL students, rely heavily on their peers to model
things for them and assist them with their homework. But while they were gaming in class, ESL
students showed a level of independence and assurance that was unusual. In fact, other students
would frequently approach ESL students who were perceived as being good at a specific game
activity for assistance. Hoang, (2021) sated that ESL students are typically paired with a class-
mate who can explain the purpose of the task whenever there is a reading assignment that involves
reading, whether it be from a textbook or activity cards. A sense of inferiority, a noticeable lack
of confidence, and perhaps hatred can come from this dependence in particular situations. In order
to develop self-esteem, it was crucial that ESL children be able to exhibit independence and skill
via game.
Last, game helps shy, insecure ESL students develop confidence. Some students struggled
with learning the language and performing well academically overall to the point that psychoedu-
cational testing had been suggested. Some students were unable to write by hand; some of them
could only print words; their spelling were creative, example (ai and Irma pleying very heppy. [I
and Irma Playing very happy]); their paintings were basic, underdeveloped, and lacking in detail;
and they would only whisper. But when they play a game bit by bit they can reduce their timid
character into more cheerful.

CONCLUSION
In a study that looked at how game is used with students in upper kindergarten , the impacts
of game on ESL students were researched. Due to their focus on academic accomplishment, pri-
mary schools usually avoid the use of game, in contrast to early childhood programs that are
founded on child development concepts. For the sake of this study, "game" has been defined as
an engaging, unplanned, enjoyable activity that frequently including components of pretend game
and can also involve games, provided that students are allowed to change the rules as they see fit.
The analysis of the data revealed that there were numerous, obvious advantages for all the
students, and for ESL students in particular, in terms of boosting self-assurance and self-esteem.
These students were able to be independent and show personal strengths during game that might

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not necessarily emerge during regular school activities. For the brief time that ESL students par-
ticipated in these events, they had an equal opportunity to compete with their classmates.
The best method for teaching English is through games. Students love to have fun, and
employing games makes classes more enjoyable and speeds up learning. The advantages of using
games to teach children are endless, such as, they cooperate and share, like competitions and
games, seek out friends, open up to peers about their emotions, and place more emphasis on col-
laboration as their social skills grow.
The ideal method to take advantage of all these changing behaviors is to teach English
through engaging games. Your classes become more engaging as a result, and your pupils pick
up English as a second language with no trouble.
Playing an ESL game has a goal and a result. Instead of just aimlessly repeating things
back, pupils have a purpose for communicating when they play. Additionally, students desire to
interact with their peers. My communication activities, which are intended to give everyone lots
of speaking chances without forsaking spelling, reading, and writing, always involve the language
in use by the students. Children are excited and motivated by ESL games. They won't be able to
play the games properly, though, if they do not pay attention and make an attempt to memorize
the target language. As a result, they will disappoint both themselves and their team. They work
harder to participate and soak up as much information as they can to avoid this.
The level of effort each individual puts forth is ultimately up to them, but you can influence
others by supporting students and giving them the best chance for success. The value of these
activities in your classroom may be seen in what they can do for you, your students, and your
sense of accomplishment. Using them will give you precious benefits, like happy memories, en-
joyment, a sense of accomplishment, and affection for your students—emotions that make life
worthwhile. As teachers, we can still clearly recall the exceptional few professors we had who
pushed us intellectually rather than simply spoon-feeding us information to get us through exam-
inations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The writer would like to thank all those who have helped carry out this research. Especially the
students, teachers, and parents of students od Learning Tots Kindergarten Bandung who have
enthusiastically participated in this research process from beginning to end

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