The Effects of Digital Game-Based Learning on Early English Literacy Task for Non-Native Speakers

Despite the growing evidence for the benefits of digital game-based learning (DGBL) in promoting learning in various contexts, the effects of DGBL on early English literacy learning for non-native speakers remains unknown. The present study examined the effectiveness of using DGBL in enhancing student learning in an early English literacy task for non-native speakers. In the experiment, 66 Malay pre-school students who were identified as having low literacy in English (determined using a prior-conducted pre-test) were instructed to learn the English alphabet and words using either digital game-based or traditional flash card methods. The results from the independent t-test conducted on the post-test scores showed that the digital game-based group performed significantly better than the traditional flash card group, indicating that learning through digital game-based activities was more effective than traditional flash card methods in enhancing the students’ learning on the early literacy task. The present findings provide empirical evidence for the effectiveness of DGBL in facilitating an English literacy task among the non-native speakers.