Effectiveness of Employing the Elements of Gamification as Educational Approach in Minimizing English Language Anxiety of the Students in the New Normal

This research study aimed to determine the interrelationship existing between the respondents' extent of Englishspeaking anxiety and their perception towards the effectiveness of gamification in developing English language proficiency specifically for Purposive Communication subject of students from Occidental Mindoro State College- Mamburao Campus. The respondents of the study were the students who took Purposive Communication subject under College of Teacher Education and College of Business, Administration and Management last 2nd Semester of Academic Year 2020 – 2021. Those were the students who took the subject under the subject teachers who used gamification in developing English proficiency as well as minimizing their English language anxiety and in achieving the subject learning outcomes. The researchers used mixed of descriptive, comparative, and correlational research designs to determine, measure and assess the respondents' demographic profile, extent of English-speaking anxiety, and perception in the effectiveness of gamification in minimizing such anxiety under the new normal as well as to test the significant differences and relationships between the variables. The researchers adapted the survey questionnaire from the study of Wan Iman Wan Salim, Vijayaletchumy Subramaniam, and Arbaayah Ali Termizi (2017) entitled, “Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) in English Language Classroom” for the English speaking anxiety of the respondents, while the questions for the effectiveness of the gamification was adapted from the study of Saovapa Wichadee and Fasawang Pattanapichet (Year) entitled, “Enhancement of Performance and Motivation through Application of Digital Games”. The survey questionnaire is composed of three parts: part 1 for the demographic profile; part 2 for the extent of English-speaking anxiety; and part 3 for the effectiveness of gamification in minimizing English language anxiety as perceived by the respondents. For the scoring, 4-Point Likert scale was used. While for the validity testing of the survey instrument, we can consider that the instrument is valid for it was adapted from standard questionnaires of published research studies. On the other hand, pilot testing was conducted to other students of English subjects of College of Teacher Education and College of Business, Administration and Management to test the reliability of the possible results. The study revealed that Majority of the students belonged to the age group of 18-20 years old