GAMIFICATION AND ITS PEDAGOGICAL IMPACTS ON THE TEACHING OF THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study aims to discuss how gamification can serve as an educational strategy in the teaching of Portuguese Language, with emphasis on its application in basic education. The research was based on a systematic analysis of master's dissertations and doctoral theses available in the CAPES database, produced between 2020 and 2024. Filters for the broad area “Linguistics, Language and Arts” and the specific area “Languages” were applied, using the keyword “gamification.” The search identified eleven dissertations and two theses, of which only four dissertations addressed the teaching of Portuguese Language, while the others focused on the teaching of additional languages. The qualitative investigation analyzed the themes, theoretical frameworks, and findings of the four relevant dissertations, identifying that gamification has been used mainly to promote literary literacy, encourage textual production, and enhance student engagement. The results suggest that, although still underexplored, gamification holds significant pedagogical potential when integrated into well-planned and contextualized teaching practices. The conclusion reinforces the need to expand studies on gamification within the field of Language Studies and to integrate this approach more broadly into teacher training programs, aiming to promote more effective methodologies aligned with the digital culture.