International Journal of Language and Linguistics

| Peer-Reviewed |

Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners

Received: 12 September 2015    Accepted: 21 September 2015    Published: 08 October 2015
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

Vocabulary learning has always been a major concern for second language learners. Particularly for those who are just beginning to learn English. Usually a long list of vocabulary items is given to learners and they have to memorize all of them. The present study using a quasi-experimental design aimed to determine whether teaching vocabulary through instructional games can affect the vocabulary enhancement of students. The participants were 40 pre-intermediate EFL students who were equally divided into two groups. To this end, the two groups of students were assigned as control and experimental groups. The control group was exposed to textbook teaching and the experimental group was exposed to instructional games. After analyzing the obtained data, no significant differences were found between the two groups on posttest, as both programs made progress in the subjects. However, after two weeks, a delayed post-test was conducted to see the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary. In the end, although both groups had changed positively, a significant change was seen in the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary in the experimental group.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12
Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 3, Issue 6, November 2015)
Page(s) 328-332
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Instructional Games, Vocabulary Learning, Traditional Methods, Retention

References
[1] Deesri, A. (2002). Games in the ESL and EFL Class. The Internet TESL Journal.
[2] Abdikhah, S. (1998). "The effect of language games on vocabulary improvement." Unpublished MA thesis, Tehran: Tarbiat Modarres University.
[3] Aslanabadi, H. (2013). "The effect of games on improvement of Iranian EFL vocabulary knowledge in kindergartens." International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities.
[4] Buckby, M. (2006). Games for language learning. Cambrideg: Cambridge University Press, 65.
[5] Carter, R. (2001). Vocabulary. In R. Carter and D.Nunan (Eds.). The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., 40-47.
[6] Coady, J. (1997). Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Freeman.
[7] Freeman, D. L. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (2nd ed.). London: Oxford University Press.
[8] Hansen, M. (1994). Grajmy w jezyku francuskim. Jezyki Obce w Szkole.
[9] Laufer, B. (1997). "Memorizing new words: Does teaching have anything to do with it?" RELC journal, 28(1), 89108.
[10] McCarthy, M. (1990). Lang Teach Vocabulary. UK: Oxford University Press.
[11] Nation, I. S. (1990). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary. New York: Newbury House Publishers.
[12] Nation, P. (1989). Dictionaries and Language Learning. In: Tickoo (Ed.), Learners' Dictionaries: State of the Art. Anthology Series 23.
[13] Nga, N. T. (2003). "Learning vocabulary through games." Asian EFL Journal.
[14] O’Dell, F. (1997). Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition, and Pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[15] Pound, L. (2005). How Children Learn. London: Step Forward Publishing, Ltd.
[16] Richard-Amato, P. A. (1988). Making it Happen: Interaction in the Second Language classroom: From. New York: Longman., 147.
[17] Robinson, K. (1960). English Teaching in South-east Asia. London: Evan Brothers, Ltd.
[18] Rubin, J. (1987). Learner Strategies in Language Learning (pp. 21-32). New York: Prentice Hall.
[19] Schmitt, N. (1997). Vocabulary: Description, acquisition, and pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., 203.
[20] Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambrifge University press.
[21] Sökmen, A. J. (1997). Current Trends in Teaching Second Language Vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[22] Taheri, M. (2014). "The effect of using language games on vocabulary retention of Iranian elementary EFL learners." Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 5, No. 3, 544-549.
[23] Wilkins, D. A. (1972). Linguistics in Language Teaching. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press., 111.
[24] Huyen N, NgaK.2003.Learning Vocabulary through Games. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Author Information
  • English Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, Iran

  • English Language Department, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, Iran

  • MA. Student, Chabahar Maritime University, Chabahar, Iran

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Hooshang Khoshsima, Amin Saed, Arash Yazdani. (2015). Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 3(6), 328-332. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Hooshang Khoshsima; Amin Saed; Arash Yazdani. Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2015, 3(6), 328-332. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Hooshang Khoshsima, Amin Saed, Arash Yazdani. Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners. Int J Lang Linguist. 2015;3(6):328-332. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12,
      author = {Hooshang Khoshsima and Amin Saed and Arash Yazdani},
      title = {Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6},
      pages = {328-332},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20150306.12},
      abstract = {Vocabulary learning has always been a major concern for second language learners. Particularly for those who are just beginning to learn English. Usually a long list of vocabulary items is given to learners and they have to memorize all of them. The present study using a quasi-experimental design aimed to determine whether teaching vocabulary through instructional games can affect the vocabulary enhancement of students. The participants were 40 pre-intermediate EFL students who were equally divided into two groups. To this end, the two groups of students were assigned as control and experimental groups. The control group was exposed to textbook teaching and the experimental group was exposed to instructional games. After analyzing the obtained data, no significant differences were found between the two groups on posttest, as both programs made progress in the subjects. However, after two weeks, a delayed post-test was conducted to see the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary. In the end, although both groups had changed positively, a significant change was seen in the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary in the experimental group.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Instructional Games and Vocabulary Enhancement: Case of Iranian Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners
    AU  - Hooshang Khoshsima
    AU  - Amin Saed
    AU  - Arash Yazdani
    Y1  - 2015/10/08
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12
    T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    SP  - 328
    EP  - 332
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-0221
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20150306.12
    AB  - Vocabulary learning has always been a major concern for second language learners. Particularly for those who are just beginning to learn English. Usually a long list of vocabulary items is given to learners and they have to memorize all of them. The present study using a quasi-experimental design aimed to determine whether teaching vocabulary through instructional games can affect the vocabulary enhancement of students. The participants were 40 pre-intermediate EFL students who were equally divided into two groups. To this end, the two groups of students were assigned as control and experimental groups. The control group was exposed to textbook teaching and the experimental group was exposed to instructional games. After analyzing the obtained data, no significant differences were found between the two groups on posttest, as both programs made progress in the subjects. However, after two weeks, a delayed post-test was conducted to see the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary. In the end, although both groups had changed positively, a significant change was seen in the retention of learners' knowledge of vocabulary in the experimental group.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

  • Sections