Sa’id Rahimi - lecturer, Islamic azad university, Iranshahr, Iran
Mohammad Elyas Rabbani - lecturer, Islamic azad university, chabahar, Iran
Faramarz Narmashiri - PhD student in TEFL, Islamic azad university, Kerman. Iran
Mohammad Sarhadi - M.A student in TEFL, Islamic azad university, Iranshahr, Iran

The ever-increasing number of EFL learners in Iran adds greater urgency to prioritize the most effective meansby which language learning can be enhanced. However, learners’ lack of motivation for language learning is one ofconditions that impede full understanding of L2 learning. A considerable amount of attention has sought to assesspotential positive consequences of various educational games, but relatively no research has examined learners’motivations for using hot-seat games. The current study hopes to address this untouched gap by using a mixed methodapproach to specifically examine the effect of newly-invented fun hot-seat game on enhancing L2 motivation at anIranian upper-intermediate institute. To this end, a total of 40 Iranian male and female upper-intermediate EFLlearners, aged 14 to 17, selected randomly from Farhang institute in Iranshahr city. They were assigned into twogroups: a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group received 12 weeks of treatment in form offun game while the control group followed the traditional approach. By applying quantitative and qualitative researchmethods, the major findings demonstrated that the experimental group outperformed statistically in the post-test.Therefore, hot-seat game proved to be more effective in motivating these students. This article has some implicationsfor students and teachers to use educational fun games in order to improve language learners’ motivation. It issuggested that teachers should seek for methods that engage their students in a creative language use.

educational game, hot-seat game, L2 motivation, Language learning