Abstract
Introduction: the integration of technology in language teaching, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the search for different pedagogical strategies. Due to this drastic change in education along with the rapid access to online resources have placed technology as the most important tool in teaching. Therefore, when planning a class, the teacher must consider digital tools and dynamic methodologies to streamline and motivate students to reduce their affective filter. Objective: the current research aims to determine the effectiveness of Kahoot in the reduction of the impact of the EFL students’ affective filter. Methods: this study developed applied research with a mixed method approach and descriptive scope, with a quasi-experimental design. 42 students actively participated. For the data gathering, two main tools of data collection were used, namely a survey to look for information about the impact of students’ affective filter during the virtual classes and a pre and post-test based on reading comprehension to check the students’ English performance. Conclusions: the students are facing negative experiences in their learning of English because their affective filter is high. Besides, after the intervention phase with the use of Kahoot, the students improved their English performance in the reading comprehension skill. Therefore, it is suggested to continue sampling innovative technological resources to enhance students’ performance.
Highlights
The COVID 19 pandemic has substantially changed people's lives
The levels of stress are very high. This reflection is congruent with the results shown by Hartshorn and McMurry (2020) who stated that the teaching and learning processes are not important for the teachers nor the students because other stressors appeared in their lives
The acquisition will be facilitated if there are favorable psychological conditions in the classroom environment like motivation, low anxiety and high selfconfidence
Summary
The COVID 19 pandemic has substantially changed people's lives. It has even altered the organizational and functional conditions of educational institutions. At the beginning of March 2020, the Ministry of Education of Ecuador issued the Ministerial Agreement No MDT-2020-076 which ordained all students in schools and colleges to work remotely (Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador, 2020). This ministerial agreement was issued by the central authority, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Ministerio de Trabajo del Ecuador, 2020). In this sense, the teachers began to work through virtual platforms, which, until that moment, were not used because in most public schools there is no internet connection in the classrooms
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