Educational Games as a Vehicle to Teaching Vocabulary

One of the most difficult aspects of learning a for eign language (particularly in an EFL context) is the retention of vocabulary. Vocabulary learning plays a major role in English language learner’s success. The standard method of presenting up to 20 or more new vocabulary words that students are expected to lear n at a given time is not an effective way to help the learners develop vocabulary (Gresten and B aker, 2000). To this end, most ESL/EFL specialists often justify the use of games with ref erence to the motivation that they can provide for the students. Scholars suggest many tec hniques for learning, and word game is one of them. Educational games in general and word game specifically as a reinforcing device on improving student’s vocabulary knowledge is a topic which needs to be investigated. This study attempted to investigate t he role of using word games in expanding the learner’s vocabulary. In so doing, an experimen t using five word games, named Twenty Questions, Charades, Definition Game’s, Passwords, and Crossword Puzzles respectively was conducted. The participants were selected rando mly from a male/ female group of thirdgrade junior high school students studying at a pri vate school. First, a standardized test was administered to 100 students out of which 60 almost homogeneous students were selected and randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. Both groups were taught words using traditional methods, however, the exper imental group received word games as a treatment at the end of each session. Finally, a vo cabulary test was administered to both groups to determine the differences between them. T he score obtained from the groups were