Towards the sustainable development of gamification in primary education: Third graders perceptions of Kahoot in EFL classroom

The increasing integration of digital technologies in EFL classrooms has reshaped student learning experiences, particularly in primary education. This study investigates 18 multilingual third-grade students’ perceptions of Kahoot! as a gamified learning tool in English language activities. Adopting a qualitative study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that students generally perceived Kahoot! as an engaging and motivating tool that enhanced classroom interaction, increased participation and interest during lessons. Participants also reported perceived improvements in vocabulary acquisition and overall English learning, suggesting that gamification may support both affective and cognitive aspects of language learning. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions on digital transformation in education and highlight the potential of gamified tools in supporting sustainable, student-centered pedagogical practices in primary classrooms. Importantly, the study addresses a gap in research on young students’ experiences and provides insights for teachers seeking to design meaningful, technology-enhanced language instruction.