THE IMPACT OF GAMIFICATION AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION ON ENGAGEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstract

This article analyzes the impact of integrating gamification and Physical Education in English language teaching, considering their contributions to student engagement and meaningful learning among high school students. The research, qualitative in nature and reflective in character, is grounded in authors such as Deterding et al. (2011), Gee (2003), Kapp (2012), and Freire (1996), as well as the guidelines of the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). The study aimed to understand how the use of game elements, challenges, and physical practices in a foreign language can make learning more dynamic, participatory, and contextualized. The reflections were based on pedagogical observations of gamified activities developed in joint Physical Education and English classes, in which students participated in physical games with commands and interactions in English, such as Simon Says and Treasure Hunt. The results showed that gamification promotes motivation, collaboration, and the reduction of language anxiety, in addition to encouraging student protagonism and strengthening linguistic, cognitive, and socioemotional competencies. A positive shift in the teacher’s role was also observed, as teachers increasingly acted as mediators and facilitators of learning experiences. It is concluded that the integration of gamification and Physical Education represents an innovative and interdisciplinary pedagogical practice capable of transforming language teaching into a meaningful, enjoyable experience that fosters critical, creative, and autonomous learners.