【嶺南英教匯】「多鄰國」如何讓人對學語言「上癮」？
作為英語教育工作者，筆者發現不少學生難以持續保持學習動機，故一直探索不同教學方法，希望令學習過程變得更有趣，而遊戲化正是近年備受關注的策略之一。所謂遊戲化（Gamification），是指把遊戲元素應用於非遊戲情境中。現時不少應用程式都利用遊戲化協助學生學習英語。不過，遊戲真的能促進英語學習，抑或只是提供娛樂？事實上，遊戲與應用程式的成效，很大程度上取決於當中的遊戲元素（game elements）。接下來就以「多鄰國」（Duolingo）為例，向各位剖析。
積分：看得見的進步
積分是最常見的遊戲元素之一。傳統課堂主要透過功課、測驗和考試了解學習進度，學生未必容易察覺自己的進步。透過積分制度，學習成果得以量化。在「多鄰國」中，完成課堂後可獲得經驗值，而積分的累積往往能提升學習動力。
Points: Making Learning Progress Visible
An essential game element used to engage learners is points. Consider a traditional educational environment where the common strategies for tracking learners' progress are homework, quizzes, and examinations. In this case, learners may not have any possibility of reviewing how much they have achieved. Now, with the use of a point system, the accomplishments of learners can be easily observed. As learners achieve higher points, their motivation becomes stronger. I often recommend the renowned language learning app Duolingo. One of the factors leading to its prevalence is the extensive use of its point system. Learners gain certain experience points (XP) every time they complete a lesson. This mimics the mechanism of a generic game. Learners tend to be more motivated as they score more XP. Therefore, an effective point system allows learners to track their progress and enhance their motivation.
排行榜：競爭帶來動力
排行榜讓學生從良性競爭中學習。為了爭取更高排名，他們往往願意投入更多時間練習。互動問答遊戲平台Kahoot! 設有即時排行榜功能，完成題目後即可看到排名變化。根據筆者的教學經驗，這種競爭機制能提升參與感，讓原本重複的練習變得更吸引。
Leaderboards: Motivating Learners Through Competition
A leaderboard system is implemented so that learners can compete with each other. The presence of competition is widely seen as a great motivator. The desire to be the first one on the list is what makes people participate in more seemingly boring but important drilling practices. One popular interactive quiz platform that incorporates leaderboards is Kahoot!. Based on my teaching experience, learners often become noticeably more engaged whenever the leaderboard appears on screen. Such a system contributes to even more involvement and excitement while learning English, and thereby creates a satisfying learning environment.
徽章：肯定學習成果
學生亦重視認可。徽章記錄學習成果，並帶來成就感。「多鄰國」設有每月徽章制度，完成指定學習目標後的用戶均可獲得獎勵。筆者亦觀察到，許多人樂於與朋友分享自己獲得的徽章，而這份快樂亦會鼓勵他們繼續學習。
Badges: Celebrating Success
Learners value authentic recognition along their learning journeys. Badges serve as a powerful tool in capturing every tiny success for learners. In recent years, Duolingo has introduced a monthly badge system to reward learners who have completed a certain number of lessons within a month. I have observed that learners are so eager to share these badges with friends to celebrate these joyful moments. It is this sense of happiness that fuels their desire to obtain even more badges, and this enjoyable process makes learners feel more empowered.
連續學習紀錄：培養習慣
不少平台都設有連續學習紀錄功能。筆者亦曾接觸一些學生，由於不想失去辛苦建立的紀錄，會更願意每天練習。例如，幫助同學記生字及語言的LingQ、Clozemaster 及 Memrise 等平台均利用這項設計鼓勵持續學習。透過每天接觸英語，讓學習逐漸成為生活的一部分。
Streaks: Building Consistent Learning Habits
Many English learning platforms and apps use streaks to ensure learners continue their studies. Streaks help learners develop a long-lasting habit. Due to their addictive nature, learners are afraid of losing a streak, and this can be another form of driving force to maintain their learning habits. I have encountered learners who are willing to spend months or even years maintaining their streaks. For example, LingQ, Clozemaster, and Memrise are some effective language learning apps that adopt streaks to promote daily practice. With such regular engagement, learning English becomes a part of learners’ everyday lives.
即時回饋：即時修正錯誤
即時回饋對語言學習十分重要。在傳統課堂中，學生往往需要等待教師批改作業。現時不少遊戲化平台已能透過人工智能提供即時回饋。根據筆者的觀察，Quizlet 能幫助學生即時修正錯誤並獲得建議，從而提升學習成效。
Immediate Feedback: Learning from Mistakes in Real Time
There is no doubt that feedback plays an important role in learning English. Learners in traditional classrooms have to wait for days before they receive feedback from their teachers. However, thanks to the recent AI developments, gamified applications and platforms are capable of delivering immediate feedback once learners have produced some forms of language. Many learner errors can then be identified and corrected, and this serves as personalised and timely support for further improvement. Drawing on my observations, tools such as Quizlet can help learners correct their mistakes immediately through AI-suggested feedback. This instant feedback makes learning more supportive.
綜觀以上遊戲元素，遊戲化的成功不僅在於帶來樂趣，更在於幫助學生建立持續學習的習慣。與許多英語教育工作者一樣，筆者相信語言學習既應有效，亦應充滿樂趣。在這數碼時代，我們希望學生每天都能抽出一點時間接觸英語，因為真正的進步往往來自這些微小而持續的努力。
●潘曉東（Daniel Poon），嶺南大學英語及外語教學中心助理講師，擔任校內英語支援服務統籌，擁有超過五年相關教學經驗。香港理工大學英語文學碩士，並取得劍橋英語教師高級文憑。現修讀香港大學教育博士，研究範疇為詞彙習得與科技輔助語言教學。
