Integrating indigenous Semai folktales into millennials' lives through gamification: students' feedback and participation / Sharina Saad and Nur Syazwanie Mansor

The Semai oral traditions, rich in morals and practices, symbolize significant elements of their cultural and spiritual lifestyle. These traditions serve as crucial teaching tools for younger generations, with parents modelling cultural practices inherited from their ancestors. Semai folktales, imbued with ancestral values and good deeds, are at risk of extinction. Thus, there is a need to connect the folktale genre with modern media to promote and sustain it within the younger indigenous community. The project of gamifying Semai folktales aims to preserve the Semai cultural heritage and values in the 21st century. This approach aligns with the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia's emphasis on integrating gamification in teaching and learning. The project explores how gamification can encourage ESL students to read diverse short stories, helping them retain knowledge and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Additionally, the project reveals the impact of language gamification in ESL teaching, particularly through Malaysian short stories. By incorporating several Orang Asli Semai folktales, the project aims to raise awareness of Semai culture and heritage in Malaysia. Animated movies, accompanied by online quizzes, aid language learners in understanding these folktales, facilitating comprehension and analysis of story elements. Gamification enhances student engagement and prepares educators to adapt to evolving teaching methods and technology. The engaging nature of gamification offers commercialization opportunities, with potential videos on platforms like YouTube attracting followers and quizzes on platforms like Quizzes being accessible to ESL learners. Overall, the findings indicate that learners prefer language activities incorporating gamification, meeting the needs of 21st-century learners.