JEE (Journal of English Education)
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2026): JEE (Journal of English Education)

EDUTAINMENT GAMES FOR ISLAMIC AND SDGS-ORIENTED ENGLISH LEARNING: A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW ON WRITING DEVELOPMENT AND GRAMMAR MASTERY

Kalayo Hasibuan (Pascasarajana Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau)
Sutarmo (State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau)
Harum Natasha (State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau)
Chandra Alfindodes (SMP Islam Al Azhar 37 Pekanbaru)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Jun 2026

Abstract

The increasing demand for engaging, contextualized, and values-oriented English language teaching has strengthened scholarly interest in edutainment games in EFL contexts. Beyond functioning as motivational tools, educational games are increasingly viewed as pedagogical mediators that support linguistic development, character education, and sustainability awareness. However, research on game-based grammar and writing instruction, Islamic values integration, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-oriented learning has largely been conducted separately. This critical literature review examines how edutainment games support writing development and grammar mastery in EFL learning while integrating Islamic values and SDGs themes. Using a narrative critical review with thematic synthesis, the study analyzes scholarship published between 2021 and 2026 from Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that edutainment games improve learner motivation, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary retention, contextual language use, collaboration, and higher-order thinking. When combined with Islamic and SDGs-oriented themes, games may also promote ethical awareness, character formation, ecological consciousness, and sustainability literacy. Unlike previous reviews that mainly focus on gamification for engagement, this review proposes a tripartite conceptual framework positioning edutainment game as vehicles for simultaneous linguistic development, moral formation, and sustainability-oriented learning. The article contributes an emerging research agenda for AI-supported grammar games, serious games for values education, and integrated materials development for Global South contexts. The review concludes that the integration of edutainment, Islamic values, and SDGs themes represents a promising but still underdeveloped area in EFL scholarship that requires stronger empirical investigation.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

JEE

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

JEE (Journal of English Education) is a scientific journal that collects the results of the research and scientific work of lecturers, teachers, or students associated with learning and teaching English. It is a blind peer review international journal which publishes manuscripts within the fields of ...