The Effıcacy of a Dıgıtal Gamıfıed Assessment Tool in Teachıng Englısh to Young Learners

<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: &quot;Palatino Linotype&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Assessment is an essential and inextricable componentof the teaching process, regardless of the educational pedagogies employed. Althoughmany educators continue to rely on traditional assessment methods,technological advancements have significantly transformed teaching practices, providingaccess to diverse digital educational resources, including digital games. Anincreasing number of these games have been integrated not only as pedagogical toolsbut also within evaluative frameworks. This study aims to explore the role ofdigital games in supporting the formative assessment process for young learnersin comparison to traditional assessment methods. A mixed-method design wasemployed in the study. The study was conducted at a private educationalinstitution in İzmir with a sample comprising 62 fifth-grade pupils and 4instructors of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The participants werepurposefully assigned to the experimental and control groups from two differentproficiency levels, enabling a comparative analysis of digital and traditionalassessment approaches. Formative assessments conducted after two units ofteaching revealed there were no statistically significant differences insuccess between the experimental and control groups. Nevertheless, qualitativefindings from teacher interviews and student response papers indicated asignificant increase in the motivation, participation, and engagement ofstudents involved in digital gamified assessments compared to those involved intraditional paper-based assessments.&nbsp;</span>