Introduction

English language learning in Colombian public schools represents an important educational

challenge, especially when students have limited opportunities to use the language for real
communication. In many EFL classrooms, students are exposed to vocabulary, grammar
structures, and written exercises, but they do not always feel confident when they are asked
to speak in English. Speaking is one of the most relevant skills in language learning
because it allows students to express ideas, interact with others, and use the language in
meaningful situations. For this reason, oral participation becomes an important aspect of
English learning, particularly in contexts where students may not have many opportunities
to practice the language outside the classroom.

This research study emerges from the pedagogical practicum experience carried out in a
public school in Córdoba, Colombia. During this practicum, it was possible to observe
different situations related to students’ participation in English classes. In particular, some
tenth-grade students showed difficulties when they were asked to participate in oral
activities, answer questions, read aloud, or express their opinions in English. Some students
remained silent, avoided eye contact, laughed nervously, or asked their classmates to
answer for them. Others preferred to use Spanish, even when they knew some words or
expressions in English. These classroom behaviors suggested that oral participation was not
only related to linguistic knowledge, but also to emotional factors such as insecurity, fear of
making mistakes, and anxiety.

The group involved in this study is composed of tenth-grade students who are learning
English as a foreign language. Although they have been exposed to different vocabulary
and grammar topics, many of them seem to feel insecure when using the language orally.
This situation is relevant because students’ willingness to speak may affect their
opportunities to practice pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, and interaction. If students
avoid speaking, they may have fewer chances to develop communicative confidence in the
English classroom. From a communicative perspective, language learning should not be
limited to memorizing grammar rules or vocabulary lists. It should also help students use
the language to interact, negotiate meaning, and communicate ideas in real situations.
Canale and Swain (1980) explain that communicative competence involves not only
grammatical knowledge, but also the ability to use language appropriately in social and
communicative contexts. Therefore, oral participation becomes an essential part of the
English learning process because it allows students to put the language into practice.

This concern is also connected to affective factors in second language learning. Krashen’s
affective filter hypothesis suggests that anxiety, low self-confidence, and lack of motivation
may limit students’ opportunities to acquire and use the language effectively (Krashen,
1982). In a similar way, MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) argue that foreign language anxiety
can affect different stages of language learning, including input, processing, and output.
This means that anxiety may not only influence how students feel, but also how they
understand, process, and produce the language. For this reason, understanding the factors
that limit students’ oral participation becomes important for improving English teaching
practices. In this sense, the study is connected to the educational need to create supportive
classroom environments where students feel encouraged to speak English, take risks, and
participate without fear of making mistakes.

The research problem identified in this study is the low oral participation of tenth-grade
students in English classes. During the pedagogical practicum, it was observed that several
students avoided speaking activities, remained silent when the teacher asked questions, or
preferred to answer in Spanish instead of English. This situation suggests that students may
experience feelings of anxiety, insecurity, or fear of making mistakes when they are
expected to speak in English. The problem was observed in different classroom moments.
For example, when students were invited to answer simple questions, only a few of them
participated voluntarily. When they were asked to work in pairs or groups, some students
used Spanish most of the time and avoided producing oral responses in English. In some
cases, students expressed that they did not want to speak because they were afraid of
pronouncing words incorrectly or being laughed at by their classmates.

This situation may affect students’ communicative development because oral participation
gives learners the opportunity to practice the language in meaningful ways. Speaking
activities can help students improve fluency, vocabulary use, pronunciation, confidence,
and interaction. However, when students avoid speaking, they reduce their opportunities to
use English in class. As a consequence, English may continue to be perceived as a difficult
subject instead of a language for communication. The problem may be related to different
factors. Some students may have limited vocabulary, while others may feel insecure about
their pronunciation. Classroom atmosphere may also play an important role, especially
when students fear negative comments or correction in front of their classmates. In
addition, traditional activities centered mainly on repetition, translation, or written exercises
may not always provide enough opportunities for students to speak in a safe and engaging
way.

Considering this problem, the purpose of this action case study is to explore how the
implementation of gamified speaking tasks may contribute to reducing tenth-grade
students’ speaking anxiety and promoting oral participation in an EFL classroom at a public
school in Córdoba, Colombia. This purpose responds to the need to understand and address
students’ difficulties when participating in oral activities. The implementation of gamified
speaking tasks is proposed as a pedagogical strategy to create a more engaging, supportive,
and less threatening classroom environment. Through these tasks, students may have
opportunities to practice English orally in a more dynamic and interactive way.

The study does not intend to measure students’ improvement only through scores or
numerical results. Instead, it seeks to explore the changes, experiences, and perceptions that
may emerge as students participate in gamified speaking activities. For this reason, the
study is framed within a qualitative perspective, since it focuses on understanding students’
experiences, classroom interactions, and possible changes in their participation. The
research question that was formulated for this study is: What changes emerge in tenth-grade
students’ oral participation and speaking anxiety as they participate in gamified speaking
tasks in an EFL classroom? This question focuses on students’ oral participation and
speaking anxiety, which are the central concerns identified during the pedagogical
practicum. It also includes the pedagogical strategy that will be implemented: gamified
speaking tasks.

This study is significant because it may contribute to a better understanding of the factors
that shape students’ oral participation in the English classroom. Speaking is an essential
skill in EFL learning, but many students feel anxious or insecure when they are asked to use
English orally. By exploring this issue, the study may provide useful insights into how
students experience speaking activities and what type of classroom strategies may help
them feel more confident. For students, this research may provide opportunities to
participate in speaking activities in a more supportive and meaningful way. Gamified
speaking tasks may help reduce fear, increase motivation, and promote interaction among
classmates. These activities may also allow students to understand that making mistakes is
a natural part of the language learning process.

For English teachers, this study may offer pedagogical ideas to design more interactive and
student-centered speaking activities. It may also help teachers reflect on the importance of
classroom atmosphere, emotional support, and meaningful communication in the English
learning process. Understanding students’ anxiety can help teachers make better decisions
when planning oral tasks and giving feedback. For the school context, this research may
contribute to improving English teaching practices by promoting students’ active
participation and communicative confidence. If students become more willing to speak
English, the classroom environment may become more participatory and dynamic. This can
support the development of a more positive attitude toward English learning.
 References
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second
language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47.
Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon
Press.
MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on
cognitive processing in the second language. Language Learning, 44(2), 283–305.