This project introduces Spellingual, an educational application aimed at enhancing the spelling abilities of second-grade multilingual children who are verbally fluent in Farsi. This web-based application acts as a platform for fostering foreign language learning, focusing on spelling proficiency as a fundamental aspect of language acquisition. Spellingual seeks to encourage these skills through a gamified and multimedia-rich environment. With its highly adaptable nature, the application is designed to aid multilingual children of varying proficiency levels but allowing them to work at their own pace. Central to Spellingual is its emphasis on accessibility and visual appeal, improving motivation and fostering a desire to learn. By incorporating feedback mechanisms, level progression, point accumulation, and a hint system, the application ensures sustained engagement and helpful tools for learners through positive reinforcement. This approach is informed by comprehensive research demonstrating the effectiveness of game-based learning strategies in keeping children interested and motivated over time. Additional research supporting this project include the benefits of multilingualism in children and lack of accessible tools to assist with spelling proficiency in a non-native language. Future works include expansion to additional grade levels, additional user testing, and the integration of Spellingual into educational environments as a supplementary tool.

Recommended Citation: Parrot C., Ebrahimi E., Cummings J., Layman L., Movahedazarhouligh S., (2024). Spellingual: A Gamified Approach to Enhance Multilingual Spelling Skills. UNCW MS CSIS Proceedings. V. 18 , N. 6 .