HANNA – a gamified digital supplementary course material developed to help socially disadvantaged pupils learn English

When it comes to language learning and teaching, one of the major issues that needs to be tackled is the large differences between students in terms of school performance, especially socially disadvantaged children who tend to lag behind their peers. Research on language teaching tends to focus on the average learner, thus leaving little room for students living and learning in low socio-economic regions (low SES). Central Europe, and particularly Hungary, displays one of the most considerate gaps in education, where disadvantaged regions and schools often underperform on the national curriculum tests. Innovation, alternative pedagogical methodologies and different mindset in teaching can bring about enhanced motivation, especially by employing digital devices and the elements of gamification. The purpose of our study is to introduce a new, tablet-based digital language course programme (HANNA), developed specifically for socially disadvantaged pupils in grades 5-7, which draws upon the teacher’s role as a facilitator. The paper explains and describes the factors that contributed to designing the structure of HANNA, along with the organisation of the programme and the gamified elements that are meant to motivate students, thus providing an insight into material development specifically for disadvantaged pupils.