THE EFFECTS OF USING GAMES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY TO EFL LEARNERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of using games in teaching vocabulary to EFL students. The research is an experimental research with a pretest-posttest control group. In the study, the effect of the independent variables, game teaching and the traditional method, on the dependent variable, student success, was investigated and tried to be presented in a comparative manner. The research was carried out in the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year in a primary school located in the city center of Ankara. The population of the research is the students studying in the 7-C and 7-D classes of the specified private school. The findings consistently indicate that foreign language teaching through games is more effective than the traditional teaching method across different aspects of the cognitive domain. The Experiment group consistently outperformed the Control group in knowledge acquisition, comprehension, and application. These results underscore the limitations of traditional teaching methods in comparison to more interactive and engaging approaches, such as game-based learning. The study provides valuable insights for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance language learning outcomes through innovative and student-centered instructional methods.