The implementation of the student response system (SRS) Kahoot! in EFL classes and its effects on reading comprehension

Abstract

The use of game-based response systems for enhancing language skills inside an EFL classroom has reported benefits mainly for certain particular skills like grammar and sentence structuring. In this study, the online gaming platform Kahoot! was used specifically for enhancing the reading comprehension skill through a period of nearly three months on students of A2 level from Universidad de Cuenca in Ecuador. The computer lab facilities of this institution were used on a weekly basis to approach the students to the digital methodology which encompassed the reading of true short stories in English and the intervention of the Kahoot! website focused on the comprehension and remembering of their specific details by means of quizzes. The treatment was documented through a journal in which the researcher made entries about each session as well as keeping significant material of the process in his cellphone. The research design of this study used a mixed method based on the Hypothetico-Deductive Approach to research techniques and data collection instruments, as well as their further analysis. Pre and posttests were taken in order to compare the results before and after the methodology. The outcomes revealed a statistical improvement with favorable effects concerning the pre and posttests and also a general acceptance towards the mentioned methodology. Further research is suggested on the use of Kahoot! for reading comprehension improvement purposes and its continuous use as a supporting tool for remembering specific details of texts, as well as other subskills which could possibly be benefitted from this methodology in the field of EFL instruction.