APRENDIZAGEM BASEADA EM JOGOS NO ENSINO DE LÍNGUA INGLESA: JOGO DE TABULEIRO APLICADO A ALUNOS DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL

Abstract

This dissertation aimed to investigate the contributions of Game-Based Learning (GBL) to the teaching and learning process of English in an 8th-grade class at a public municipal school in Goiás, Brazil. Regarding the methodological procedures used, the research adopted a qualitative, exploratory, and applied approach, structured in a multi-paper format. The first chapter presents a bibliographic review that revealed a lack of systematic studies on GBL in the form of analog (unplugged) games in the context of public schools. The second chapter analyzes institutional documents, such as the Political Pedagogical Project (PPP) and the textbook adopted by the school, revealing that GBL is still manifested implicitly, depending on teacher autonomy and student demands. The third chapter describes the development and application of the Educational Product (EP) entitled KnowGame: Learning English by Playing, an unplugged board game based on four language skills. The research results, based on Gee's (2025) design principles, revealed that the game acts as an integrated teaching-learning-assessment system, promoting student empowerment, problem-solving, and social engagement. It is concluded that the use of board games, when pedagogically planned, is an effective didactic resource to enhance meaningful learning and reduce the anxiety common to learning English.