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Abstract
In recent years, foreign languages have faced several challenges. Teachers must constantly prepare themselves to respond to students’ needs, maintain students’ motivation, and implement innovative pedagogical strategies. One of the main challenges in this field is the use of effective strategies that positively influence the learning process. Therefore, this study aims to explore how game-based oral activities promote functional oral interaction among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in elementary education at Unidad Educativa Salinas. To achieve this, a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental design was adopted, and data were collected through direct classroom observations using a structured observation rubric administered before and after the intervention. The participants were twenty-six fourth-grade students. During the first phase, an initial diagnostic observation was conducted for two weeks, in which students participated in activities focused on functional oral interaction. Subsequently, the intervention consisted of implementing game-based oral activities over a 1-month period. Finally, a second observation was conducted for one week to analyze the changes after the implementation of the strategy. This study contributed to the understanding of the impact of game-based strategies on the development of functional oral interaction among EFL learners.
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