INTRODUCTION
A
problem in language learning is the lack of vocabulary which also makes it
difficult for learners to communicate (Dörner & Göbe 2016). For that
reason, as a researcher and as a teacher, making learning fun is a more
student-oriented type of teaching method and also a more teacher-satisfying
outcome when observing positive results on students.
Currently,
the methods, techniques, and teaching strategies are either imposed by an
institution that maintains its way of teaching or many times they leave it up
to the teacher's choice according to how they feel comfortable when teaching.
Backlund
and Hendrix (2013) had the idea that educational games are used for only
educational purposes. Both authors added also that serious games are
activities that engage the participants and contribute to achieving an
educational purpose.
Developing
this research was of great importance since today in the educational field, the
teaching and learning process of the English language is not very effective due
to the lack of dynamic and innovative activities and resources that some
institutions may have whether they are public institutions or simply because
some of the teachers may not take advantage of them.
Hadfield
(1999) explains that a game is an activity containing some elements between which
we can find a goal, rules, and fun. The author mentions that there are two
types of existing games, competitive games, and cooperative games. Competitive
games are referred to participants or teams racing to be the first in
accomplishing the stated goal. Meanwhile, in cooperative games participants
work together towards a goal. It is worth mentioning that cooperative or
collaborative games allow players to exchange ideas, information, and develop
problem-solving skills.
According
to Daesri (2002), a series of factors must be considered in the process of
gaming while performed. Those factors regard rules, learning, and competition.
Nowadays, thanks to technology, games have become a topic of interest in the
educational field in the 21st century, and as technology grows, games will
continue advancing and improving as well. In addition, games ca be both virtual
or physical to create learning experiences according to the learners needs and
engage them to the process.
Educational
Games
Even
though it is considered that games have recently became a topic of interest in
some places, educational games have always been part of teachers’ techniques
for their teaching and for helping the learners’ learning process. Educational
games have taken place in the field of education not only inside but outside
the classrooms, there is an uncountable number of educational games that
improve and help for the teaching and learning process.
Vygotsky (1978) strongly believed that language learning is
developed through social interactions with communicative purposes. For the
author, language is one of the greatest means of communicating, hence, he
proposed a theory that explained that learning a language has a basis on social
interaction and it is developed in a collaborative context. The author meant
that people learn by interacting with other individuals, and that learning
occurs through experiences, interaction, and knowledge building. In other
words, meaningful learning. As learners become competent, they are allowed to be
more independent as it promotes cognitive development. In addition, the author
suggests using cooperative activities to develop skills and strategies in the
teaching and learning process.
Backlund and Hendrix (2013) had the idea that educational
games are games used for only educational purposes. Both authors added also
that serious games are activities that engage the participants and contribute
to achieve an educational purpose. According to Dörner and Göbe (2016) serious
games do include educational games. To avoid difficulties while having games in
the classroom, it is crucial to make learners familiarize with the game’s
instructions. According to Wright, Betteridge and Buckby (2006) once learners
are familiar with the game and group work, games must be introduced in the
following order:
1. Explanation by the teacher.
2. Demonstration of parts of the game by the teacher and
volunteers.
3. Trial in front of the class.
4. Any instructions written on the board.
5. Try out the games by students.
6. Remove instructions from the board.
7. Continue the game.
Language Games
Rooyackers (1994) mentions that a language is seriously
powerful, and it can bring fun. The author declares that language games can
make language powerful since they enrich each other. In addition, according to
the author they can be used for learners of all ages and in courses in general
but specially for English, writing, poetry, drama and speaking classes.
Rooyackers (1994) points that language games are designed to encourage appreciation
of language as many learners feel intimidated by using the language publicly,
however, by using games learners become confident in a noncompetitive
environment. While playing, learners are invited to foster their creativity.
Games which involve new words is a way to make learners familiarize with them,
these language games allow learners to collect, associate with sounds, retain,
and become familiar with new vocabulary words from clues about their meaning or
context.
With games, learners are challenged to use and experiment
with new words and speaking is one of the best ways, as they must think in new
words spontaneously. This helps learners to choose both easy and precise words.
Besides, to develop social skills such as self-expression, listening and
collaboration. Language games allow students learn how to express themselves in
a collaborative activity, how to interact with their peers and, as they use
language, self-confidence increases.
It is evident that language games serve for various educational
purposes, as well as how valuable they are for the learners for their social
and personal development inside and outside the classroom.
Pictionary
Pictionary was invented by Robert Angel in 1985. It implies
players guessing words associated to a certain subject from drawings. Hinebaugh
(2009) declared that Pictionary is appropriate as a teaching tool for teachers
and for learners who are learning a second or a foreign language. In addition,
it develops their communicative and creative skills. The author added that the
rules are established to develop critical thinking and reinforce ideas for
visual learners, in other words, players must be creative and create designs to
communicate ideas properly.
The game is designed for players to work in groups. The
dynamic of this game is easy and appropriate for everyone to have the
opportunity to be part of it. However, the rules and steps can be adapted based
on the players needs and interests. First of all, teams are formed. Then,
players can volunteer to start or by throwing the dice to have a winner.
Secondly, one participant form one team throws the dice, moves the pin to the
corresponding square and takes a card. According to the color of the square the
player must draw the word belonging to the same color. Then players from both
teams are able to guess the vocabulary word. Once the word is said, the team
that guessed wins the next turn, and so on until the board is completed.
Reasons for using games in English classrooms
Sigurðardóttir (2010) mentioned that games deserve to be
included in language classrooms for several reasons, he mentions 7 reasons why
it is worth using games in English classes. First, because games are fun. The
author considers it as important as fun games help activate students who were
inactive in previous activities or classes because of the lack of interest,
motivation, dynamic activities, etc. Agreeing with the author, having, and
keeping active students is form importance as they oversee their own learning,
if learners are not engaged, they do not learn.
Secondly, games give learners the opportunity to build
relationships with their peers and develop confidence. Having games in the
classroom can provide chances to create a friendly and positive atmosphere to
learn in and give the sense of diversity for a good environment. Another reason
that Sigurðardóttir (2010) gives is that games are a good way for learners to
have opportunities to practice language skills and learn real-life language for
real-life situations while improving fluency. Using games for class force
students to take on more responsibility with bigger roles in any activity. A
fourth reason that the author mentions, is that games allow students to be
exposed to the language in many different situations.
Furthermore,
a fifth reason comes to be emotionally involved. Emotions have also a role in
language learning, which the same author says that games enable learners to
feel confident in the learning process. By playing a game the atmosphere that
is created is not as serious as other situations in which learners are asked to
participate, and with no emphasis in grammatical structures but in fluency.
Finally, the author affirms that games are a good strategy when teaching not
only English but different subjects as they tend to develop interest. And one
advantage is that games can be used with learners of all ages making it ideal
for working in schools with age diversity.
MATERIALS
AND METHODS
This
study applied a quantitative approach with EFL games as an independent variable
and self-confidence as the dependent variable with a total of 20 students, 11
women and 9 men with an age range from 14 – 19 years old from 1st
level of baccalaureate at Juan Leon Mera “La Salle” in Ambato, Ecuador who were
chosen using a convenience sampling technique.
The
research design was a pre-experimental to determine the hypothesis of the
variables. The researcher proposed causal hypothesis as follow: H0: EFLgames do
not have an effect on English vocabulary acquisition in students from 1st
Baccalaureate.
H1:
EFL games have an effect on English Vocabulary acquisition in students from 1st
Baccalaureate.
Instruments
To
evaluate students’ vocabulary knowledge of the English language, a standardized
Pre-preliminary English Test PET vocabulary test was used. It was focused on
two sections: meaning and synonyms to give students the ease to relate words
and remember their meaning. It was used as a pre and post-test.
Materials
EFL
game Pictionary board game and cards adapted to the units 1, 2, and 3 form
Achievers B1+ book and a dice in order to make students perform their drawings.
Web resources also were used such as Canvas Presentations, and digital tools.
Data
collection method
The
researcher used pre-test and post-test for the pre-experimental research. The
pre-test was applied at the beginning of the study to diagnose students’
knowledge of vocabulary. Then the treatment was applied in 6 interventions. During
the interventions, the researchers used EFL games using board games, dice, and
flashcards to enhance vocabulary through a Presentation Practice Production
instructional model.
Data
Analysis
In
furtherance of testing the hypothesis of research, a normality test
Shapiro-Wilk with SPPS program was used. Based on the normality test, the
Wilcoxon test is established as the statistical test for hypothesis validation.
RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
In
furtherance of knowing the overall score of students’ improvements, a
comparison of both tests was made. Table 1 demonstrates students’ overall score
in the pre-test with 7,2 and the same test administered after the experiment
with a result of 12,2 over 15 points. It is asserted that by comparing the
pre-test and the post-test the researcher was able to notice that the average
score increased 5 points in students’ vocabulary acquisition after using EFL
games.
With
this improvement, the lower limit of the post-test confidence interval is above
the upper limit of the pre-test, in that sense, it can be assumed a significant
difference that proves the improvement in vocabulary acquisition after the
application of the experiment. Convincingly, in graphic 1 the peak of the
students' scores is at 7 points, with the rest of the scores distributed
between 3 and 9 and one student with 14 in the pre-test. Meanwhile, in the
post-test the highest density of the data is between 11 and 15 with the peak at
11 points, and no student obtained 13 points.
Based
on the normality test, the Wilcoxon test is established as the statistical test
for hypothesis validation. The hypothesis tests were applied using the
following criteria:
With
a level of significance at 5%, the rule of decision is: 𝐻0:𝑆𝑖𝑔 >0.05 𝐻1:𝑆𝑖𝑔 ≤0.05
According to the results, the differences are significant in all the
comparisons made between the pre-test and post-test. As a result, it can be
said that the mean of the pre-test results is different from the mean of the
post-test results. Conclusively, there is enough statistical evidence that EFL
games have an effect on English vocabulary acquisition, in other words, the
alternative hypothesis was accepted, and the null hypothesis was rejected.
|
Pre-test
and Post-test results “Synonyms and meaning” Statistical
|
Pre-test
|
Post-test
|
|
Media
|
7200
|
12200
|
|
95%
confidence interval of the difference
|
Upper
|
11163
|
|
Lower
|
8291
|
13234
|
|
Std.
deviation
|
2331
|
2215
|
|
Minimum
|
3000
|
8000
|
|
Maximum
|
14000
|
15000
|
Table
1.
Pre and post-test results
Figure
1: Pre-test
results
Figure
2: Post-test
results
In
furtherance of knowing the overall score of students’ improvements, a
comparison of both tests was made. Students’ overall score in the pre-test with
7,2 and the same test was administered after the experiment with a result of
12,2 over 15 points. It is asserted that by comparing the pre-test and the
post-test the researcher was able to notice that the average score increased 5
points in students’ vocabulary acquisition after using EFL games.
With
this improvement, in Table 1 the lower limit of the post-test confidence
interval is above the upper limit of the pre-test, in that sense, it can be
assumed a significant difference that proves the improvement in vocabulary
acquisition after the application of the experiment. Convincingly, in Figures 1
and 2, the peak of the student’s scores is at 7 points, with the rest of the
scores distributed between 3 and 9 and one student with 14 in the pre-test.
Meanwhile, in the post-test, the highest density of the data is between 11 and
15 with the peak at 11 points, and no student obtained 13 points.
CONCLUSIONS
Thanks
to the application of English as Second Language games for vocabulary
acquisition, a positive effect on students’ vocabulary was noticeable in two
sections primarily: synonyms and meaning. It is a fact that the population
showed improvement in their vocabulary competence after the application of EFL
games.
From
the results obtained in the PET adapted standardized vocabulary pre-test and
the post-test, students increased their vocabulary knowledge after being part
of the experiment with EFL games. It was confirmed that students’ vocabulary
knowledge increased significantly after the experiment and the results were
shown in the comparisons with the pre-test and the post-test.
The
results evidenced that applying EFL games help improve learners’ vocabulary
knowledge since they get exposed to vocabulary words while playing the game and
acquire lexis unconsciously. In addition, working collaboratively gave students
the opportunity to develop their social skills, critical-thinking skills and
showed more confidence when performing the activities.
After
checking and comparing the overall results obtained in the vocabulary pre and
post-test, EFL games for vocabulary acquisition were confirmed as effective for
students’ vocabulary acquisition and knowledge since the overall score of the
pre-test before using EFL games was 7,2 points. Furthermore, after using EFL
games students’ final score improved to 12,2 significantly. There was a
significant difference of 5 points after the interventions.
AUTHORS
CONTRIBUTION
The
authors contributed to the conceptualization of the research study by
identifying the need to investigate the effectiveness of EFL games in
vocabulary acquisition. This involved analyzing relevant studies and findings,
synthesizing the literature review and designing and developing the research
methodology.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thanks
to Universidad Tecnica de Ambato, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación
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